The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-08-23

might cheer her little"
Fred groaned.
Have her if you like. petty" he said
resignedly. What about this young
WardrOp. Jack? 1t looks to me as if
the Times-Post reporter had a line on
him."
Hush" Edith said softly. HE is
Margery's fiance. and she might hear
you"
How do you know? Fred demand
ed.
Look at her engagement ring"
Edith threw back triumphantly. And
it's perfectly beautiful solitaire too
l caught Fred's eye on me and made
my escape as soon as l could oh the
plea of going out to Bellwood. In the
hall upstairs l met Margery.
Il saw Bella today" she said. "Mr.
Knox. will you tell me why you stayed
up last night? What happened in the
house,
'I-thought l heard some one in the
library" stammered. but l found
no one
Is lud ali luC Il utu VI OulS pau Va
it?' she asked. "Why do men always
evade issues with a womanY Luck
lily, womanlike, she did not wait for q
reply She closed the nursery door
and stood with her hand on the knob
looking down.
all this?" she said. do you think
my father-killed himself? You were
| there: you know. If some one would
only tell me everything."
| 1t seemed to me it was her right to
know. | told her what had happened
at the White Cat She heard me
through quietly.
And so the police have given up the
case" she said despairingly. And if
| they had not. Harry would have been
arrested
1.-The police have not exactly given
up the case" I told her. "lut there is
such a thing. of course. as stirring up
lot of dust and then running to cover
before it settles. By the time the pub
lie has wiped it out of it's eyes and
sneezed it out of it's nose and coughe(!
it out of its larynx. the dust has set
tied in heavy layer. clews are oblit-
Grated and the public lifts it's skirts
and chooses another direction. The
no thoroughfare' sign is up"
whoever killed my father-and it
was murder. Mr.. Knox-whoever did
it is going free to save a scandal. All
my-friends" smiled bitterly-"are
afraid Of the same thing. But | can
not sit quiet and think nothing can be
done. | must know. and you are the
only one who seems willing to try to
find out"
So it was. that. when left the house
had been commissioned by the girl
l lOved-for it had come to that-to
clear her lover of her fathers murder
and so give him back to her. not in so
many words. but | was to follow up
the crime. and the rest followed. And
l was morally certain of two things
first, that her lover was not worthy OF
her: and, second and more to the point.
that innocent or guilty. he was indi-
rectly implicated in the crime.
| had promised her also to see Miss
Letitia that day if could. and turn
ed over the events of the preceding
night as walked toward the station.
Bella had told Margery that | had
been up all night. Could Bella But
dismissed the thought as absurd
Bella. who had scuttled to bed in a
panic Of fright. would never have
dared the lower floor alone. and Bella
given all the courage in the world.
could never have moved with the
swiftness and light certainty of my
midnight prowler.
But. after all. did not go to Bell
wood. met Hunter on my way to
the station. and he turned around and
walked with me.
$50 you've lain down on the case,"
l said.
He grumbled something unintelligi-
BILE.
"Of course" l persisted. being a
simple and uncomplicated case OF sui
eide. there was nothing in it anyhow.
If it had been a murder under per-
culiar circumstances
He stopped and gripped my arm.
For 10 cents" he said gravely. II
would tell the chief and a few others
what think of them. and then I'd 60
out and get full
Not on 10 cents
I'm going out Of the business.' he
stormed. I'm going to drive gar.
bage wagon. It's cleaner than this
job. Suicide. never saw a cleaner
case Of He stopped suddenly DO
you know Burton of the Times Post?"
mo: I've heard of him."
well. he's your man. They're dead
against the ring. and Burton's been
given the case. You two get togeth-
err"
He paused at corner. "Goodby."
he said dejectedly. I'm of to hunt
some bows that have been stealing