Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-10-08

He had opened the case, anA,inside 1t
was u photograph-the photograph Of
a woman with bold, dark eyes and full
lips and oval face-a face so typically
French that it was not to be mistaken.
"A iady's maid, I should Say" added
Godfrey, looking at 1t again. Rather
g~ood-looking at one time, but past her
first youth. and so compelled perhaps
TO bestow her affections on Il man a
little beneath her-no doubt compelled
also to contribute to his supper in
order to retain him. A woman with
many pasts and no future"
oh, come broke in Ge,dberger i'm
epigranas for the Record. What we
want are facts"
Godfrey flushed a little at the words
and laid down the watch.
There is II fact which you have
apparently overlooked,p he said quiet
iy, but it proves beyond the shadow
OF a doubt that this fellow didn't drift
In here by accident. aide came here OF
intention, and the intention wasn't to
kill himself, e~itier."
'IIow do you know that?' de-
inahded Goldberger, increduloasly.
Godfrey picked up the purse, opened
IT, and took out one of the cards.
~ Luis ne saiu. ana ieid II up.
You have already seen what is writ
ten on the back of it-~Mr. N%antine's
name and the number of this house.
That proves, doesn't it, that this fellow
came to New York expressly to see Mr..
Vantine?"
Perhaps you think Mr.. vantine
killed him." suggested Goldberger, sar-
c~astically.
Mo- said Godfrey; ''he didn't have
time. You understand, Mr.. Nantine,"
he added, smiling at that gentleman,
who was listening to all this with per-
picked -countenance. I'VE are simply
talking now about possibilities. You
couldn't possibly have killed this fell
low because Lester has testified tina he
was with you constantly from the mo-
ment this man entered the house until
his body was found, with the exception
OF the few seconds which elapsed be-
tween the time you entered this room
and the time he Joined o here, sum-
moned by your cry. So you are out Of
he running"
Thanks said Vantine, drily.
I suppose. then, you think it was
Parks" said Goldberger.
1T may quite possibly have been
Parks" agreed Godfrey, gravely.
Nonsense" broke in Nantine, i'm
patiently. Parks is as straight as a
string..-he's been with me for eight
years"
o course it's nonsense" assented
Goldberger. It's nonsense to say that
he was killed by anybody. He killed
himself. Well learn the cause when
we identify him-jealotsy maybe, or
maybe just hard luck-he doesn't look
affluent."
IN cable to Paris" said Sim,nonds.
II he belongs there, Wen soon find
out who he is"
You'd better call an ambulance and
have him taken to the morg.ae," went
on Goldberger. Somebody may iden-
tify him there. There'N be a crowd
tomorrow. for, of course, the papers
will be full of this affair."
The Record. at least, will have a
very full account" Godfrey assured
him,
And III call the inquest for the day
send my physician down to make a
p-ost-Inortem right away. If there's
any poison in this fellows stomach,
We'll find it."
Godfrey did not speak; III knew
what was in his mind. He was think
ing that, it such poison existed, the
vessel which lac contained it had not
yet been found. The same thought,
no doubt. occurred to Simmonds, for,
after ordering the policeman in the
hall to a the ambulance, he re-
turned and began a Careful search of
the room, using his electric torch to
illumine every Swallowed corner.
frey devoted himself to a similar
search; but both were without result.
Then Godfrey made q minute inspec-
ton of the injured hand, while Gold
berger looked on with i~ll-concealed
impatience; and finally he moved to-
ward the door.
81 think I'll ba going" he said. But
I'm interested in what your physician
will find. Mr.. Coroner"
He'll find poison, all right" asserted
Goldberger, with decision.
perhaps he WILL" admitted Godfrey.
Strange things happen in this world.
Will you be at home tonight; Lester?''
Yes, I expect to be-" I answered.
YOU'RE still at the Marathon?'
Yes" 1 said; suite H."
Perhaps III drop around to see you,"
he said, and a moment later we heard
the door closed behind him as Parks let
him out.
"Godfrey's a good man," said Gold
berger, but he's too romantic. He
looks for a mystery in every crime,
downright brutalities. take this case.
Here's a man kills himself. and God
frey wants us to believe that death re-
suited from a scratch on the hand.
Why, there's no poison on earth would
kill a mar as quick as that-for he
must ave dropped dead before he could
get out Of the room to summon help.
If it was prussfc acid, he swallowed it.
Remember, he want in his room moro
than 15 or 20 minutes, and he was
quite dead when Mr.. Vantine found
him. Men don't die as easily as all
that-not from a scratch on the hand.
They don't die easily at all. It's as
tonishing how much 1t takes to kill a
man-how h spirit. or whatever you
choose to call it, clings to life"
Continued next week.)