Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1912-07-12

| ~ hhS tha6iSidh . POWSIbt u6 CdHuO
foretell your future"
You mean he will not" she respond
ed somberly. 81 wish | could make
him speak.
Her face looked k:ssserd and worn
Soon afterward she babe her hostess
good night, shook hands with me, an6
left the room. had just risen on
the following morning, when to my sur
prise my servant ushered in Charles
Holdsworth.
Halifax" he cried excitedly, Alma
Colthurst is dead, murdered She was
found In her drawing room early this
morning, stabbed to the heart. The
police suspect Lidderdale."
Good heavens" exclaimed, there
must be mistake. Lidderdale is in.
capable of such crime"
We'll. the servants story is as
follows" said Holdworth. Alma
returned home between II and
IL last night. She found a card
from Lidderdale lying on the hand
table, with line in pencil that he
would call to see her about midnight.
ChS tOiu thC SClfdul ludl ne WAS u
be admitted, and went up to her draw
ing room to wait for him. He arrived
and was shown upstairs. About half
past twelve Lidderdale left the house.
| AT Alma's request her maid had al
ready gone to bed. When Lidderdale
went away, the butler extinguished the
lights in the rest of the house, but did
~ he lrn inn
Alma never liked to be disturbed, and
as rule put out the lights there her.
self. On entering the room early this
morning, he found his mistress stretch
ed on the floor, quite dead doctor
was summoned, and declared that she
was stabbed through the heart. and
had been dead for many hours
How terrible" | cried. Holds
worth, almost begin to believe In
chiromancy. Haridas would not tell
her future last night, and said she had
none. Yet l ca9not believe Lidderdale
guilty"
But think of the circumstantial evil
dence. He will, of course. be arrest
ed on suspicion. Let us go to the Met
ropole, and find out what has hap
pened."
On our arrival at the hotel, the man.
ager informed us that no gentleman
of that name was staying there. THE
police have already been inquiring for
him." he said, pointedly.
But here is his visiting card" ex-
postulated Holdsworth. HE left 1t
at my house yesterday, with the name
of your hotel scrubbed In the cor
ner"
Probably. the name of the hotel was
used as blind" remarked the man
ager-
This did not satisfy me knew
mat | would recognize Lidderdale n
should see him, and when Holds
worth left | remained behind in the
entrance hall, watching the guests as
they passed In and out But no one
In the least degree resembling the
man | sought put in an appearance,
and soon after noon went away. The
case looked black again the missing
man. The writing in the corner OF the
visiting card left at Boldsworth's house
was easily identified with some of Lid
derdale's letters which possessed;
similar card had been found at Mrs.
Colthurst's, with writing also in Lid
derdale's hand. On the night of the
21st a man answering to his descrip-
ton had called on Mrs. Colthurst, and
in the morning she was found stabbed
to the heart.
A week passed, and still the police |
had obtained no trace of the supposed |
murderer. But returning home one |
evening, | was almost stunned when |
my servant informed me that Lidder- |
dale was waiting to see me In my lab |
oratory. | rushed to the room, and |
Harry Lidderdale, looking much the
same as when last saw him, came for
ward to meet me.
How are you, Halifax" he said,
cheerily. Il have not been two hours
In New York, and naturally you are
the first person | wanted to see. Why,
what is the matter?" he queried, OBJ
serving the Mortified expression on my
lace.
You have not been here two hours"
repeated Impossible. Don't you
know what has happened? am amazed
at seeing you. thought-you will for.
give me, but | must speak plainly
fancied you were hiding from the po-
lice"
Il hiding from the .police!" he ex.
claimed. Why what do you mean,
Halifax. Is this joker"
Not at ALL" replied confusedly.
But why did you leave New FORK
As you did. and cut us all. and then
come back-?"
One question at time, old man.
The fact is ! was almost mad at that
lime. When Alma Ramsay refused
ne. on the score Of my poverty. was
resolved to leave the
country, cut all my connections, and
make for South Africa There | was
oined by man named Colville. He
Ind had been chums at college; he
also knew Alma, and the first thing
which drew us together was the men,
ion of her name. He had a little
money, and we agreed to purchase a
hare in diamond mine. We did, IN
act soon became rich. Colyille took
ever and very nearly died. nursed ,
lin, and on his supposed deathbed he
made confession. He also loved Al
ma. and in order to win her had gone /;
o see her and told her lies about me-
hat | was secretly engaged to another
Il |