The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-01-27

nlknt he renewed IL was at least
hve o'clock IN the morning. II was
evident that Underwood had never
conc TO bed The shooting had oc-
Cured either while the angry dispute
VIZ going oil or after the unknown
visitor had departed. The barrel OF
the revolver was still warm. showing
that II could only have been dis
charged few moments before. Sud
DENY II flashed upon him that Under.
wood might have committed suicide.
Eat u was usels IS to stand there
theorizirg. Scratching must be done.
lie muSt alarm the hotel people or
call tae rolice. He felt himself turn
hns go cold b. turn as he realized
the stl,ous rrCdicament I'm which he
himself was Paced II he aroused
the ho'el pco"'a they would find him
here alone with dead man. Suspi.
cion vo-ld at once be directed at him,
and Il might b. very difficult for him
TO sta5''sh his innocence. Who would
believe that Re could have fallen
aslccr - n tsd while a man killed
hir s"h ~ the same room? II sounded
PREF Cs'c"ous. The wisest course for
hir woy;ld be TO get away before any.
BODY cenle.
cv'ck'y he picked up his hat and
maGc for the door. Just as he was
about to lay hand on the handle there
was the click OF a latchkey. Thus
Needed OF. and not knowing what to
do. he halted in painful suspense.
.
He looked as surprised to see How
ard as the latter was to see him. He
ives clean-shaven and neatly dressed,
yet cid not look the gentleman. His
appearance was -ather that of a sery.
ant All these details flashed before
HowSrd's mind before he blurted out:
: Who TIC 6'vii are your"
The mar looked astonished NJ the
question and eyed his interlocutor
closely. as IL In douot as 20 his ideati
~. In q cockney accent ne said
ioftily:
Il am Ferris. Mr. Underwood's man,
SIR Suspiciously. he added: Are
4 you friend OF Mr.. Underwood's, sir?"
He might well ask the question, for
towards disheve!ed appearance and
ghastly face. still distorted by terror,
was anything but reassuring. Taken
by surprise. Howard did not know
what to say. and like most people
questioned at a disadvantage, he al.
swered foolishly:
Matter? No. What makes you
T.
Brushing past the man. he added:
Its late. I'm going"
Stop a minute!" cried the man
servant. There was something in
Howard's manner that he did not like.
! Passing quickly into the sitting room,
he called out: Stop a minute!" But
Howard did not stop. Terror gave
him wings and. without waiting for
the elevator. he was already half way
down the irst staircase Shen he
heard shouts behind him.
Murder! stop thief stop that
man stop mat mani"
There was a rush OF feet and hum
Ga voices. which Iuade Howard run
all the faster. He leaped down four
steps at time In his anxiety TO get
away. But IL was no easy matter de-
scending so many fights of stairs. IL
took him several minutes to reach the
main floor.
By this time the whole hotel was
aroused. Telephone calls had quick.
U warned the attendants, who had
promptly sent for the police BY the
time Howard reached the main en-
trance he was intercepted by a mob
too numerous to resist.
Things certainly looked black for
him. AS he sat. white and trembling,
under guard In corner of the en-
trance hall. waiting for the arrival of
the police. the valet breathlessly gave
the sensational particulars to the rap
Idly growing crowd of curious on.
lockers. He had taken his usual Sun
day out and on returning home at
midnight. as was his custom. he had
let himself In with his latchkey. To
MS astonishment he had found this
man, the prisoner. about TO leave the
premises. His manner and remarks
were SO peculiar that they az once
aroused his Suspicion. He hurried into
the apartment and found his master
iying dead on the floor In a pool OF
blood. In his hurry the assassin had
dropped his revolver. which was lying
near the corpse. AS far as he could
sSe. nothing had been taken from the
apartment Evidently the man was
disturbed at his work and. when sud.
denly surprised. had made the blum
that ne was calling on Mr.. Under.
w>cd. They had got the right man,
that w1e certain. lie was caught red
banded. and in proof OF what he said.
thc valet pointed to Howard's right
hand aich was still covered with
blood