The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-08-16
The Window
at the
White Cat
By MARY ROBERTS
RlNtHART
coovrisht. 1910. by Bobbs.Mer.
rili Co.

"EIemlu6'
h,path. 'Fleming:
We we're silent in response to a sig
-, from Hunter. and the steps re-
. ua heavily down the hall. The
sa+oct,ye spread the blankets decently
w. The couch. and the three of us
u,oved the body there. Wardrop was
almost collapsing.
.Now" Hunter said quietly. what
;. CON know about this thing, Mr..
Wardrop?
Wardrop looked dazed.
aHe was in a bad way when I left
.,,s morning" he said huskily. There
.n,t much use now trying to hide
uything. God knows I've done all l
mild But he has been using cocaine
hr years, and today he ran out Of the
.tuff When | got here about half an
hour ago be was on the verge of kill
mo himself. got the revolver from
him. He was like crazy man, and
os soon as | dared to leave him |
vent out to try to find DOCTOR
ITO get some cocaineW
"Yes."
mot because he was already wound
al and YOU were afraid it was fatal?"
whats the use of lying about it?'
said Wardrop YEARLY. You won't
believe me if tell the truth. either,
but be was dead when l got here. |
heard something like the bang Of a
door as l went upstairs. but the noise
was terrific down below. and |
couldn't tell When | went in he was
iust dropping forward. and He
hesitated.
"The revolverT Hunter queried.
| isu1 eyed
was in his hand. He was dead
then"
where is the revolver?"
II will turn it over to the coroner"
"You will give it to me-" Hunter
replied sharply. And after a little
fumbling Wardrop produced it from
bis hip pocket. 1t was an ordinary
thirty-eight The detective opened it.
Two chambers were empty.
! And you waited. say. ten minutes
before you called for help. and even
then you went outside hunting doc
tor What were you doing in those
ten minuteS?"
Wardrop shut his lips and refused
to reply.
IF Mr.. Fleming shot himself" the
detective pursued relentlessly. there
would be powder marks around the
wound Then. too. he was in the act
r a or
impulse. this. You see, he had only,
written dozen Words
glanced at the paper on the table.
The letter had no superscription, 1t
began abruptly:
shall have to leave here The numbers
have followed me- Tonight
That was all.
This is not suicide" Hunter said
gravely. 1T is murder. and | warn
you. Mr. Wardrop. to be careful what
you say. Will you ask DR.. Gray to
come in. Mr. Knox"
went across the hall to the room
where the noise was loudest. DR.. Gray
was opening can of caviar at ia
bic in the corner and came out in re-
spouse to gesture.
"Fleming!' he said. awed. as he
looked down at the body, Fleming.
by all that's sacred-and suicider
= How long has he been dead?" Hun
Wter asked
Not an hour-probably less than
half. It's strange we heard nothing
across the hall there
Hunter took a clean folded handker-
ehlef from his pocket and. opening it.
ald 1t gently over the dead face. The
DOCTOR got up from his kneeling pos
lure beside the couch and looked at
hunter inquiringly.
what about getting him away from
nere!' he said There is sure to be
q lot OF noise about it and you remem-
sef What happened when Butler killed
himself here"
DE was reported as being found
aead In the lumber yard" Hunter said
ul!iy. well. doctor. this body stays
"uefe it Is. and l don't give whoop
Tue Whole city government wants 1t
woVed. 1t won't be- This is murder.
not suicide"
nne Doctors expression was curious.
nwho"-
Out Hunter had many things to at
elu TO- He broke in ruthlessly:
See If you can get the house empty.
uoctor. Just tell them he is dead. The
''ury Will get out soon enough"
Inc window gave me an idea. and l
went over and tried to see through the
,,ueamlng pane. There was no shed or
~" building outside. but not five yards
a"av the warehouse showed it's ugly
walls and broken windows.
LOOK here. Hunter" said, why
sould he not have been shot from the
"arehouse?"
r. de could have been. but he wasn't,
a. uu.er affirmed. glancing at War
Top's dropping figure. MI. Wardrop.
=, a" going to send for the coroner and
W.. nen shall ask you to go with me to
k omce and tell the chief what you
n naow about this Knox. will you tele
'19ne to the. coroner?"