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

I1s Hdd peer with NaTtlne Tor eight
or 10 years, and the earmarks of the
competent and faithful servant We're
APPARENT all over him.
DO you know this man?" COLDER
ger asked. with q gesture toward the
body.
No. sir" said Parks. 81 never saw
MN TIL about an hour ago. when
Rogers called mo downstairs n said
there was a man to see MI. Vantine.'
Who is Rogers"
He's the footman. str. He an
swered the door when tho man rang"
We'll. and Their what happened?"
II took his card up to Mr.. Vantine,
! sir"
did Mr.. Vantine know him?"
No. sir. he wanted to know what
: he wanted"
What did he WANT"
II don't know, sir; he couldn't speak
English hardly at all-he was French,
/ think"
Goldberger looked down at the body
again and nodded.
go ahead" he said.
and ne was so excited" Parks
added. that he couldn't remember
what little English he did know"
What made o think he was ex-
| cited?"
THE way he suffered, and the way
his eyes glinted. That's what makes
me think he Just come in here to kill
himself quiet LIKE shouldn't be sur
prised II You found that he'd escaped
from somewhere. I had q notion to
pu him out without bothering Mr..
Vantine-I wish now I had-but / took
his card up. and Mr.. Vantine said for
nm TO walt: SO come downstairs
again. and showed h man in here, and
SAID Mr.. Vantine would see him pres
emily. and then Rogers and me went
BACK to our lunch and we sat there
eating TIL the bell rang. and I came
IN ana found MI. Vantine here"
DO you mean to say that you and
Rogers went away and left this
stranger here by himself?'
The servants dining room is right
at the end OF the hall. sir. We left
the door open SO that we could see
rlsht along the hall. clear to the front
door. 1t he'd come out into the hall.
we'd have seen him.
And he didn't come out into the
nall while you were there"
No.. sir"
Did anybody come in?"
on. no. Sir; the front door has q
snap-lock. 1t can't be opened from
the outside without a key"
SO you are perfectly sure that no
one either entered or left the house by
We're sitting there?"
nor by the back door either, sir:
TO get out the back way, you have to
PASS LIirous the room where we were
Where We're the other servants?"
The cook was in the kitchen. sir.
ms IS the housemaid's afternoon out,
The coroner paused, Godfrey md
Slmmonds had both listened to this
INTERPRETATION. but neither had been idle
Ihey had walked softly about the room
a ook through a door opening
INTO another room beyond. had ex-
am1ned the fastenings Of the windows,
aitu 1aa nae by looking infinitely
What Is the room yonder used foroo
Godfrey, pointing to he con
meeting door. -
ITS q sort Of store room lust now
sir. said Parks. Mr.. yantine is lust
paek from Europe, and we've been un-
paSkiIs N there some of the things he
bought while abroad"
II guess that's ALL" said Goldberser
after q moment. Send in Mr.. Van.
tine. please"
Parks went out. and vantine came
N q moment later. He corroborated
sAactiy the story told by Parks and
myself. Y he added one detail.
itere Is the mans card" he said,
a eld out a square of ~pasteboard.
took the card, glanced at
~. n passed it on to Simmonds.
ihat don't tell us much,' said the
iatter. ana gave the card to Godfrey,
! looked over his shoulder and saw
line.
M. Theophile d.Aurelle.
.Except that he's French, as Parks
dent. too. from the cut OF his clothes.
Yes and from the cut Of his hair,
added Goldberger. You say you didn',
KNOW him. Mr.. Vantine? 2"
I never before say him, to my
knowledge" answered vantine. 'aThe
name is wholly unknown to me-
Well" said Goldberger, taking pos
session OF h card again and siippine
It into his pocket, suppose we lift him
onto that couch by the window and
TAX q look through his clothes.'
The man was slightly built, so tha1
Simmonds and Goldberger raised the
body between them without difficult,
q placed 1t o. the couch. / saw
Godfrey's ~ searching the CARPET
What | should like to know" he
said, after a moment, "is this: il this
fellow took poison. what did he take
It out of? Where's the paper, or bottle
or whatever 1t wasp"
Maybe it's In his hand" suggested
Simrlonds. and lifted the right hand
which hung trailing over the side q,
| the couch.
Then. as he raised 1t into the light
q sharp cry burst from him.
Look here he said, and held thu
hand so that we all could see.
It was swollen and darkly discoIored
See there" said Simmonds, some.
thing bit him" and he pointed TO two
deep incisions on the back OF the hand
Just above the knuckles, from which /,
few drops Of blood had oozad ant
dried.
With q little exclamation OF surpris,
and excitement, Godfrey bent for al
instant above the injured hand. Thel
he turned and looked at u.s..
This man didn't take. poison, h,
said. IN 9 low voice. He was killed.,
CHAPTER IN.
IHE WOUNDED HAND.
He was kIled!,.' repeated Godfrey
With conviction: and, q the words, "
drew together aslittle. with q shiversso
lrepulsion. Death Is aWesomo enougl
atsANystinnA; suicide addssto IT. horror
nautd2f gives tt the Gnal touch.
ESQ we all stood silent. staring IA
sE4hOuRh fascinated at the hand whicl
SfInl1Ona held mp 10 III. 1t those tin,