Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-07-25

Of a gentleman. one Of his own caste,
being dragged in this peculiarly loath-
some mire. 1t seemed impossible tha
that type of man should commit a
murder-a murder-just an ordinary,
brutal, commonplace murder, such as
the rough II tumble herd of human
ity commit when under The stress OF
vulgar PASSIONS: greed, a~varice, jeal-
ousy. 1t was this j~uXtaposition of the
that revolted Sir Thomas Ryder. He
was loyal to his brother officer in his
endeavOr to induce him to keen out
of all h a mud which would be scat
tered all round presently, when the
papers came out with their sensational
more so-loyal to his caste: his was
the esprit de corps, not only of mill
tarism but of birth and breeding. He
would not. II he could. have a gentle
man held up to opprObrium, and If this
could be avoided by the unfortunate
Sir Thomas was ready and willing to
take upon his shoulders the burden of
contempt and ridicule, which the press
and the general public would presently
be hurting at him and at his depart
ment for their hopeless incompetence
Al 1llul0 w W escape.
Therefore. he was putting the case
against Luke more clearly and with
a greater wealth of detail before his
brotherinlaw than the conscientious
discharge of duty should have allowed.
In fact we see Sir Thomas Ryder-a
bound oftic1al-freely transgressing
the most elementary rules which duty
prescribes. He was sitting in his
private office with his brotherinlaw.
giving away secrets that belonged not
to him but to his department. conniv-
ing through the words which he spoke
at the fleeing from Justice of a cr1mi-
nal who belonged not to him but to
the state.
He was making the case against
Luke de Mountford to appear as black
as 1T was in effect, S o that Colonel
Harris and Louisa might take fright
and induce the unfortunate man to
realize his danger in time and to shrink
from facing the consequences of his
own terrible deed.
But Colonel Harris-with the obsti-
macy of those who throughout life have
never led but have always been ruled
would not see the case through his
b~rotherinlaw's spectacles. He chung to
his own reputation of the possibility
of Luke de Mountford's guilt. He be-
haved quite unconsciously. just as
Louisa would nave wished him to be-
Ilo loO SllC U0CH present ncT6 10
prompt him.
To Sir Thomas most convincing
pose OF III situation he lent an atten-
tive ear, but the shrug of his shoulders
when the other man paused to take
breath was in itself a testimony OF
Loyalty to Luke's cause.
Hang 1t all. man, he said, you are
not going to sit there and tell me that
Luke de Mountford-the man whom I
myself would have chosen as a sonin-
law had Lou not forestalled me-that
Luke would commit a deliberate MUIR
der? In the name OF common sense,
Tom, why it's unthinkable! Do you
mean to say that you actually believe
that Luke, after he left that God
forsaken club. joined his cousin again
as If nothing had happened: that he
got int a taxicab with him, and poked
him through the neck whilst the man
was looking another way"
Roughly speaking" assented Sir
Thomas. Il believe that's what hap
pened."
And you call yourself a shrewd de-
tective!" exclaimed Colonel Harris
practically in the hollow Of your hand!
Why man! have o forgotten one
thing?" he continued, his gruff voice
assuming q note of triumph, the most
important in all this damnable BUSH
ness?"
What have 1 forgotten, wfl?' asked
the other not at all ruffied by the gall
liant colonel's sudden tone Of contempt.
The weapon, Toni"
Il haven't forgotten the weapon re.
Joined Sir Thomas calmly.
70 on on; YES you you have! Do you mean
habitually walks about the streets Of
London with an Italian stiletto in his
trousers pocket for I am told that IL
vas with q thing Of that sort that the
murder was committed. Or according
to you did Luke escort Louisa to q.
dinner party with the avowed intention
at the back OF his mind Of committing
a murder later on II occasion offered?
Did he bring an Italian stiletto from
home when he came to meet his flancee
at the Langham hotel. or did he buy
one on the way to the Veterans club?
Which OF these cock-and-bull theories
do o hold, Tom?'
Neither" admitted Sir Thomas with
q placid smile.
''Then." concluded Colonel Harris
contemptuously, you think that Luke
was-as I said-in the habit Of carrying
ETY."
ruffled. but l know that Luke de
Mountford is in the habit Of carrying q
snakewood walking stick, which no
once bought-years ago-somewhere
AOFOh0. anu the Top OF winch contains
a short pointed dagger which Ats into
the body Of the stick. And whats
more you know that stick too, Will:
you have often seen It. Are you pre-
pared to swear that Luke hadn't Il
with him last night?"
II hadn't It with him."
You are prepared to swear to hat ?"
insisted the other earnestly.
Colonel Harris was silent. For the
first time since the beginning Of this
long interview he felt az Il all the
blood in his body was receding back
tn hia hoort oo,,o{nr ~ 20 hao% c0 ,,,11a