Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-04-15

D VII WuSIc Suc . rusty. Hl .i.H..ft. F
"And you heard the woman cry out
less than an hour later" .s
That's curious thing. I'd have
almost sworn it was a mans voice
that yelled It went through me like
= sharpened icicle."
"All this was night before last.
What have you been doing mean
timer as.
Drove over to Marcus Corners to
trade yesterday. There heard about
the murder and came back here to
make little business out Of 1t. I've
done fine"
"You made no attempt to trace the
woman?"
Look here!" said Simon P. Groot
after spell OF thoughtfulness. Your,
ten dollars is good, and you're q
gent, all right; but think I've talked
little too much with my mouth
around here, and I'm afraid they might
dig up this lady and start something
new and want me for witness.
witnessing is bad for business.
I'm SAFE" said Kent.
$50 far so good. Now. would 1t be
worth five dollars to you, likely, a
relic of the murdered ?" suggested the
old man.
"Quite likely.
NUNS the word. then, for my part
in 1t. The next morning followed
her trail ways. You see, the yell
in the night had got me interested. 1t
was an easy trail to follow for man
that's acquainted in the woods, and I
used to be yard-grubber. Do a
little Of 1t now, sometimes. She'd met
somebody in q thicket. found the
string and the paper Of the bundle she
was carrying, there. Then there was
a Tight OF some sort; for the twigs
were broken right to the edge of the
thicket, and the ground stamped down.
One or both Of 'em must have broken
out into the open, and lost the trail
But this Is what found on hazel
bush. Do win the five on it?'
Kent's eyes dropped, fixing them.
selves on q small object which the
other had laid on his knee. His lips
pursed. Nothing that could be inter
pretedi as an answer came from them.
Simon p. Groot waited with patience.
Finally he said:
"That's an awful pretty tune yo"re
whistlin', mister, but sad, and terrible
long. What about the five? Do we
trader"
The car came to stop. Digging
into his pocket, Kent produced q bill
which he handed over. and still whist
ling the long-meter China. took pos
session Of Simon p. Groot's relic
It was an embroidered silver star. With
a few torn wisps Of cloth chnging
to 1t.
Reckonines.
Facts that contradict each other
are not facts" pronounced Chester
Kent.
Fumes Of tobacco were rising from
three pipes lowering about the porch
OF the Nook where Kent, Sedgwfck
and Lawyer Balm were holding late
council. A discouraged observation
from the artist had ELECTED Kents
aNot all Of Thorn, anyhow" said
Balm. ''The chore IN this case is to
and facts enough to work on"
con the contrary" declared Kent.
"facts in this case are as plentiful as
blackberries. The trouble Is that We
have no pail to put them in"
"Maybe we could borrow Len Schla-
GERS" suggested the lawyer dryly
Kent received this with subdued
snort. "It is remarkable that the
newspapers haven't sent men down on
such sensational case" he said.
"On the contrary to you, sir" re-
torted Balm. SO much fake stuff has
come out of Lonesome Cove that the
papers discount any news from here"
"A.l the better. The only thing that
worries me more than the stupidity OF
professional detectives is the shrewd-
ness OF trained reporters. At least
we can work this out in our own way
eve don't seem to be getting much
of anywhere" complained Sedgwick.
Complicated cases don't clear them
selves up in day. remarked Kent.
''1n this one wee got opponents who
know more than We do"
"schlager?" asked the lawyer.
"And Doctor Breed. Also. think,
Gansett Jim. What do you think. Mr..
Balm, is the handspring Of the sheriffs
action?'
Money" said the lawyer with con-
viction. "He's as crooked as snake
with the collie"
would 1t require much money to
influence him p
,"As much as he could get. II the
case was in the line Of blackmail, he'd
hold out strong. He's shrewd."
"Doctor Breed must be getting some
of It,"
ooh. Tim Breed Is Lens little dog.
He takes orders. OF course he'll take
money too, If 1t comes his way. Like
master like man."
"Those two said Kent slowly,
know the identity of the body. For
good and sufficient reasons, they are
Keeping that information to them
selves. Those reasons we aren't likely
TO and out from them
Murderer has. bribed EN-" opined
Balm.
possibly. But that presupposes that
the sheriff found something on the
body which led him to the murderer,
which isn't likely. How improbable
IL is that a murderer-alloWing, for
argument, that there has been muir
der-who would so as far as to cover
his trail and the nature Of the crime
bv binding the body on grating,
would overlook anything like letter
discriminating himself"
what did the sheriff find. then,