The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-08-30

| On the night OF the previous" AHuiS
day the chauffeur had been engaged
to take sick woman from down
| town hotel to q house at BellWood.
The woman's husband was with her.
and they went slowly to avoid jolt
ing. It was after II when he drove
away from the house and started
home. At corner-he did not know
the names of the streets-a woman
hailed the cab and asked him it he
belonged in Bellwood or was going to
the city. She had missed the last
train. When he told her he was going
into town. she promptly engaged him
and showed him where to wait for her.
a narrow road off the main street.
81 waited an hour" he finished. be
fore she came. dropped to sleep or
/ would have gone without her About
half past l she came along. and
gentleman with her. He put her IN
the cab, and i took her to the city.
When l saw in the paper that lady
had disappeared from Bellwood that
night, knew right off that it was my
party"
would you know the man again."
| 81 would know his voice. | expect.
sir. l could not see much. He wore
a SLOUGH hat and had travelling bag
OF some kind
what did he say to the woman?" |
asked.
HE didn't say much. Before he closed
| the door be said. You have put me in
terrible position or something like
that. From the travelling bag and all.
| l thought perhaps it was an elOpe
ment. and the lady had decided to
| throw him down."
| "Was it a young woman or an old
one." l asked again. This time the
cabby's tone was assured.
| young" he asserted. "slim and
quick: dressed in black. with black
veil. Soft voice. She got out at Mar
ket square. and l have an idea she
| took crosstown car there"
| II hardly think it was Miss Matt
land" I said. 'She was past sixty
and besides, l don't think she went
that way. Still. 1t is worth following
up"
He fumbled in his pocket and after
q minute brought up a small black
pocketbook and held it out to me. 1t
| was the small coin purse out of
leather handbag.
'She dropped this in the cab. SIR he
said. II took it home to the missus-
not knowing what else to do with it.
It contained only that bit of paper"
l opened the purse and took out
small white card without engraving
On it was written in a pencil the fig
ures, &c 1922"
When the cabman had gone l sat
down and tried to think things out OF
, the two stories the taxicab drivers
was the more probable as far as Miss
Jane was concerned. Knowing her
childlike nature. her timidity. he"
shrinking and shamefaced fear Of the
F, dark. it was almost incredible that she
would walk the three miles to Wynton
voluntarily and from there lose herself
in the city Besides. such an explana-
ton would not fit the blood stains or
the fact that she had gone. as far as
we could find out. in her night clothes.
Still. she had left the village that
night. either by cab or on foot. If the
driver had been correct in his time.
however, the taxicab was almost elm,
mated. He said the woman got into the
cab at 80. 1t was between 1:3O and
! 1 As when Margery heard the footsteps
In the attic.
l think for the first time 1t came to
me- that day. that there was at least
possibility that Miss Jane had not been
attacked. robbed and injured: that she
had left home voluntarily. under stress
Of great excitement. But if she had.
why?
| was not proud of the part played.
So far | had blundered. it seemed to
me. at every point where a blunder
was possible had been a half hour
too late to save Allan Fleming. l had
been up and awake. and Miss Jane had
got out of the house under my very
nose. Last and by no means least.
had waited thirty-five years to find
the right woman. and when l found
| nGr some Oues else udu WOu WdS
IN the depths that day when Burton
came in.
He walked into the Office jauntily
and put something on the desk in front
of me. 1t was Russia leather bag.
"The leather bag!" he pointed proud
ly. 1T was found in Boston"
It was not locked. and got it open
in q minute. AS l had expected. it
was empty.
''Then-perhaps Wardrop was telling
the truth | exclaimed. "By JOve.
Burton, he was robbed by the woman
in the cab. and he can't tell about her
on account of Miss Fleming. She
made a haul. for certain"
told him then Of the two women
who had left Bellwood on the night of
Miss James disappearance and showed