The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1914-08-13

! money that is paying your wages, and
/ from the look of things you'll not hold
/ the Job long at that"
/ Coombs did not cringe. but my tone
f brought him uneasiness-
The niggers won't work." he re-
+ turned gruffiy. THAR amt Niger
+ on the place"
/ Apparently white men enough hang
f Ing around What's the matter with
/ the negroesr'
Ghosts" and the fellow laughed.
Maybe yer've seen sumT
Strengthened up. stung by the sheer
In his voice.
mo. but I've seen something more
/ to the point-a murdered man"
"Whatr'
lust what said. There was a man
/ killed last night In that back room up
stairs Shot in the head through the
I window. heard the shot and investi-
gated. His body lies there now"
l saw Broussard's snaky eyes fash
across toward eoombs' face. but the
/ latter remained motionless.
Its d lie?' he calculated rough.
". There is nobody therer'
Easily settled Come with me, and
/ I'll show you"
/ Rather TO my surprise neither OBJ
/ jected to the test. and We trarnped 10
single fle toward the house. Some
/ precaution kept me at the rear, and
/ followed silently TO the room of the
murder.
There was the furniture as l remem-
bered it, the dirty walls, the opened
/ window. But the overturned chair
stood against the wall, the cards were
/ stacked on the table, and there was no
/ body lying on the floor. Coombs let
/ out Il harsh laugh.
We'll. where's yer dead man? 1
/ reckon We don't see none. hey"
NO" insisted, but did see one
+ twice. The body lay there where the
stain shows on the door. 1t has been
F.! carried away within half an hour"
"A likely story. Who could do the
/ jobr Nobody round this shebang but
Saliie an NE. | sure amt been In
/ we're. an | reckon Ii want Sallie- So
/ cut Ii out. young Teller. After break.
+ fast you an III have talk an lind
out 4 few things Come on, Brous-
t sard. an lets talk over that matter
+ q ours"
The two went down the stairs to-
+ gether. and | closed the door OF the
rear roomSand stepped out into the
+ ball, Sallie WAS In the kitchen. for |
heard her voice questioning the men
+ as they passed through. Out OF the
/ window | caught a glimpse OF them
+ both disappearing through the weeds
+ toward the bayou.
+ That dead body bad not moved itself.
+ Human hands had accomplished the
+ deed during the brief period of my
+ absence outside. Whose hands could
/ have done it: Not those of Coombs.
/ surely. for he could not have passed
NE and attained the house while
WAS in the garden unseen. nor Sallie.
+ for she possessed no strength TO more
F than drag the dead man TO some near
f by covert With the possibility OF
+ this in mind | searched the vacant
+ rooms Of that door. closets and all
+ thoroughly. but to no result There
+ was therefore but one conclusion pos
+ sibIe- unknown parties were involved
We were not alone IN the house Ia
F spite of its apparent desertion.
+ paused in doubt before Mrs Ber-
f nards door. convinced this was the
truth Should I tell her frankly the
story of the night. my vague discOv-
cries. my suspicionr | surely hsd no
night to deceive the woman oe keep
her with me. | had determined my
self TO fsce 1t QUITO risk life, II aeed
be- TO learn the truth. But | had no
right to involve her further.
| raped at the door twice before
there WAS any movement within Then
F her voice asked who WIS there, and at
my answer she came out fully dressed.
fronting me with questioning eyes
The night has rested YOU" | said
smiliusly. my heart beating in swift
appreciation Of her beauty. Are yoI
ready for breakfast
For anything to escape the loneli-
ness of that ROOM" she replied seri
ousIy. If | really look rested it Is
not from sleep. for / have passed the
night in terror. My slumber was 1T
full and filled with dreams. But ! am
sure of some thinss-my door was
tried twice. and | heard some one
providing about the hall
THAT might have been l." inter
rupted. ms was out there during the
night. but / certainly never tried your
door.
You had light;"
Yes
II saw that shining over the tran
som. Ii WAS much later when my
door was tried-not long before day
light. I think. Whoever il was passed
out the front hall window on to the
porch roof. Ny light was burning. al
though turned low. and no doubt be
saw me sstins up. wide awake. on
the edge OF the bed. for he had dis2p-
peared by the time gained sufficient
courage TO appruach the window and
look out"
Climbed down the trellis probably"
said. deeply interested 1t appears
strong enough to support a man
wish you had got sight OF the fellow
She lifted her hands TO Der head
But | was 50 frightened My bead
throbs now with pain was fright
ened last night in the darkness
confess | completely lost my nerve
and would have run away II could
Perhaps even said things which
made you believe | regretted my sc
ton in coming with you But l am
more myself low. and | ueSn 20 re