The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-04-04
CHAPTER VI,-(ContinuedD,

way 20 1nN'sffgAfe mad NFCOTneS SUSHI-
cious OF a Henry Cook" A woman
commits suicide at the Ardway Hotel.
CHAPTER Vi.-(Continued).
was thoroughly disguised with the
dwelling way in which the proceed
fngs were being carried on. | could
see little hope of any discovery that
would establish connection with the
similar ents in New York. | turned
from listening to the witness to study
ing the face OF the man Cook. Could
1t be possible he was Hugh Crandall?
saw that he was watching the testi-
mOny with eager interest. Against
my will | had to confess hat his face
was one that attracted rather than
repealed me. While there was a
Ehrewdness about the eyes. the chin
was square and firm and the skull
wellbalanced. / tried to read in the
shape Of the mouth or the curve Of
the ears some sign OF the criminal,
such as ! expected to find written on
the c~ountenance Of Crandall, but it
was not there.
She vas sitting there crying"
Vi thS a . testimony
suddenly thrust itself forward from
my subconsciousness as II demand
ing my attention and | listened in
tently to what she was saying.
THAT was the way it happened that
j d!dnt make up the room the day be-
fore. When went in to do 1t she was
sitting there crying and tearing a
letter to bits"
A letter. It came on me in a fash
that here was he clue. that this was
the connecting link with the other two
cases.
pushed my way forward into the
room, determined to learn all there
was about this new phase Of the case.
The proceedings stopped abruptly at
the hustle my movement made, and
everybody, coroner, jurors and spec
tators, gaped at me.
Il am a lawyer l said. May /
ask the witness or two questions?"
Still the coroner CAPPED and | wait
ed no longer for his permission.
WAS 1t a yellow letter." | asked.
Now that you speak OF 1t | kind OF
remember that It was"
Has the letter been found"
"She was tearing 1t In pieces"
Where are the pieces?"
: The eyes OF everybody present be-
gan rowing about the room. as If in
answer to my question. The con
stable instituted a hasty search, in
which ! myself, the coroner and the
jurors joined. ] felt that If We could
only find those pieces, the mystery
might be solved. While the room was
being ransacked ! kept my eye on
Cook. AS | asked the question about
the letters color l noticed that he
looked startled. l was amazed now
to see him edging toward the door. !
was tempted to demand that he be re-
strained and searched. / felt almost
sure that il the pieces OF the yellow
letter We're to be found anywhere it
would be in his pocket. Yet second
thought advised against such rash &C.
tiOn. l had no positive proof that
Cook wal Crandall. Until l had, sure
1y it would be unwise to accuse him.
remembered that there was no train
by which he could leave the town un-
til late in the afternoon. SO there was
little prospect that he could escape
me. ;
How did you know 1t was 4 yellow
letter." the coroner asked me sus
piciously, pausing suddenly In his
search.
It val an awkward question.
realized that my impetuosity had
placed me In a predicament. l was
BY no means ready to tell him the
whole story, and yet the fact that
knew or suspected the color OF the
lstter that she was tearing up certain
" indicated that ! knew something
about the woman.
II didn't know It,"
We'll. what'd you ask the question
shout II fort" he repeated. his sus.
nicion Of me rapidly increasing.
was thinking quickly what l could
Gay that would divert his thoughts.
noticed with annoyance that the eyes
Ct every onS In the room were on me
and that they were curiously await
tng m answer. / assumed an air of
0ystery and drew the coroner to one
49,.
Il Inn perfectly willing to tell you
UVorything," ! said. II am out here
- another matter that IL something
. mystery IN which . yellow letter
Gguree. The letter has. disappeared.
osar nv Or hsasd Of this old woman