The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-01-31
PAGE THREE

Their silence led me 20 examine
their faces Hexford's mouth had
settled into stff. straight line. and
the other mans wore a cynical smile
did not like. At this presage OF the
difficulties awaiting me / felt one
strand OF the rope sustaining mo
above this yawnlng gulf Of shame and
ignomlny crack and give way. But
the courage which had served me I'm
lesser extremities did not fail me now,
and. knceling down before my dead
betrothed. kissed her cold white
hand with sincere conjunction before
attempting the garbled and probably
totally incoherent story with which I
endeavored to explain the inexplain-
able situation.
They listened-I will do them that
much justice-but 1t was with such
an air of incredullty that my words
fell with less and less continuity and
finally lost themselves I'm confused
stammer as reached the point where
pulled the cushions from the couch
and made my CHASTITY discovery.
You see-see for yourselves-what
confronted me. My betrothed
dainty. delicate woman-dead. alone.
In this solitary. PARKWAY spot. the
victim Of what? / asked myself then
Il ask myself now. ! cannot under
stand it-or those glasses yonder-or-
or those marksr They were black by
this time-unmistakabe 10 be ig-
DOrad nv fhpm mr. law mo
"We understand those marks. and
you ought TO-" came from the second
man. the one | did not know.
My head fell forward. My lips re-
fused 20 speak the words The vision
of the one woman bending over the
other was a maddening one. l shook
myself free from it by starting to my
feet "It's-it's"- / gasped.
"She has been strangled." quoth
Hexford doggedy.
"a dogs DEATH" mumbled the
other.
"You had better sit down." Hex
ford suddenly suggested. pushing a
chair my way Clarke. look up the
telephone and ask for three more men.
am going into this matter thorough
ly. Perhaps you will tell us where
the telephone isY he asked. turning
my way.
The second man left the room TO go
to the telephone. AS he did so Hex
ford lit the candle. Idly watching.
for nothing now could make me look
at the lounge again. noticed the can
dlestick. 1t was OF brass and rare in
style and workmanship-a candlestick
20 be remembered. one OF n pair. per-
haps. | felt my hair stir as took in the
details of its shape and ornamental
ton. If its mate were in her house
No. no, no. / would not have 1t so.
could not control my emotion II I
let my Imagination stray too far. The
candlestick must be the property of
the club. had only forgotten. It
was bought when? While thinking,
planning. was conscious OF Hex
ford's eyes fixed steadily upon me.
did you go into the kitchen in
your wanderings below?" he asked.
mo" l began. but seeing that I
had made mistake. bungled and
added weakly. "Yes; after matches"
"And did you get themT
"Yes."
ain the dark? You must have had
trouble in finding them?'
mot at ALL Only safety matches
are allowed here. and they are put in
a receptacle at the side Of each door.
l had but TO open the kitchen door.
feel along the jamb. find the recep-
tacle and pull the box out. I'm well
used to all parts Of the house."
Where did you light your first
Upstairs"
"Not I'm the kitchenT
''No, SIR"
THAT'S pity. thought you might
be able TO tell me how so many wine
and whisky bottles came to be stand
Ing on the kitchen table,"
/ stared at him. dazed. Then / re-
membered the two small glasses on
the little table across the room and
nstinctively glanced at them. But no
whisky had been drunk out of them.
The odor OF anisette is unmistakable.
you carry the key to the wine cell
arp" he asked.
/ considered a moment did not
know what TO make OF bottles on the
Iitchen table. These women and bot
les! They abhorred wine; they had
'eason to, ! remembered the dinner
md all that had signalized 1t and felt
ny confusion grow.
'The keys were given up by the
anitor yesterday" managed to STAN
ner at last. But did not bring them
ERE tonight They are in my rooms
L home"
finished with a gasp. had sud-
emily remembered that these keys
we're not In my rooms. ! had had
hem with me at Miss Cumberland's.
nd, being given 20 fooling with some
hing when embarrassed. l bad fooled
nth them and dropped them while
llking with Adelaide and watching
'armel. ! had meant to pick them up.
ut / forgot and
"You need say nothing more about
:" remarked Hexford 'T have no
lght TO question you Mt ALL Let us see
that there is in here" stepping into