Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1914-07-03

house TO arrest him bis wife had on
suited a lawyer. to whom she had told
the whole story aud asked his advice
as to further procedure. without Ell.
Their commencing or condemning Eos.
dicks flight the lawyer advised her to
disclaim any knowledge OF his move
ments, or, rather. to refuse to answer
any questions whatever. Nothing was
discovered to cast any suspicion on
any one but Fosdick. Indeed. It did
not appear that there was any need to
look for a cleW since his hight was
taken Is q confession OF guilt Mrs.
Fosdlck had a long interview with
Mr.. Converse. but he did not make It
known to others whether OF not be had
gained any information from her. The
truth is he did not The wife did not
dare trust any n except her attor-
ney. Indeed, he strictly enjolned that
she should trust no one else.
At the interview between Mr.. Con.
verse and Mrs. Fosdick the lady rep
resented 10 him that she had no in
some; that she had studied boOkkeep-
ing and served rs a b~ookkeeper before
her marriage. She asked II she might
not be given her husbands place. The
fact that she had been left destitute
and that her husband was a murderer
excited a great deal OF sympathy for
her, in Difference to which the head OF
the frm granted her request and with.
In a week after her husbands disap-
pearance abe entered upon her duties.
During Mrs. Fosdick's term OF serv.
ice with Converse & Co. her husband
was In South America and soon after
his arrival there secured a position In
the interior OF Brazil as an accountant
ON a coffee plantation. He dared not
write his wife lest his letters be inter.
cepted and his hiding place become
known, but she sent him advertising
cards, and he returned them with GER
tain marks on them which she alone
knew how to interpret
Although the details Of a plan to
e~xonerate her husband had not been
I'm Mrs. Fosdlck's mind at the begin.
ping, there was a plan in embryo.
She needed the income she derived
from her work, but this was not her
prime motive in entering the service
Of Converse & Co. She hoped by keep
Ing her eyes and ears open and her
mouth shut to find a clew to the muir.
derer. II Mr.. Coolidge had been muir
dered by any ono connected with the
business this might be possible; II he
bad been murdered by some n on the
outside It would not be possible.
MIS-. Fosdick noticed that John Car
rutheTs, the head bookkeeper, kept
certain OF his books and papers In an
old fashioned safe. opened by a key in
stead Of a combination lock. Shortly
before the end Of the firms fiscal year
she announced to Mr.. Erskine, who
had taken Mr.. COolidge's place, that
she must work nights. He asked her
II in view OF the tragedy that had oc-
CURED in the Office she would not be
afraid OF being there alone. She said
that her nerves were strong and she
would not mind It
One night while Mrs. Fosdlck was
working in the ohice Mr.. Carruthers
suddenly appeared there and caught
her In the act OF locking his safe. he
was white as a cloth. and when he
spoke to her her voice. In spite OF an
effort to control It. trembled.
$50 It Is you who have been tamper-
ing with my safe" he said. II noticed
bits Of wax on the lock and suspected
an impression had been made as a
model for a key. l have been on the
watch, have caught you and shall re-
port the matter"
"I don't think you WILL Mr.. Car
ruthers."
why notT'
Before I tell you I wish you to
know that l am armed. The only 9th
er person who possessed your secret
was doubtless unarmed, and his life
was at your mercy"
Carruthers staggered and caught at a
desk for support. Mrs. Fosdick took a
revolver from under her dress and pro
ceeded:
my husband worked here the night
Of the murder and discovered Mr.. Coo
idge's body. Fearing that he would be
held for the murder. he fed. 1t Is time
you took his place. The law works
slowly and often unsatisfactory. am
a practical woman and would rather
get on without It. / have been through
your books and have discovered a
shortage OF $4,000. Write me a con
fession that you murdered Mr. Coo
idgs-the only person who had knOwl-
edge OF your deaciency-and you may
90 into concealment"
Il did not take the man long TO see
that be had been offered the only
chance there was for his life. He sign
ed a confession. gave It to Mrs. Eos
dick, and about the same hour In the
morning as Fosdick had gone he smiled
away into oblivion.
The next afternoon Mrs. FoSdick
went into Mr.. C~Onverse's private office
and was closeted with him for an hour,
at the end OF which time she left with
means TO go to South America and
bFfnO her hOma