Mountain advocate., 1914-01-30

| seur -; her sex, sat regarding her
spellbound.
The second woman-in fact she was
little more than girl-was slender,
blonde and fragile-her quality was
elfn. Resale could spare her but a
glance.
81 am Mrs. Hanska, widow Of the
man who was killed last night" said
tho taller woman; and she hesitated
II was not the custom OF Inspector
| Martin MCGEE TO rise when women
entered his Office in the role OF the
accused, or Of witnesses. little bru.
tally Of attitude. he felt, put them in
a meek and humble mood for the sub
sequent Third Degree proceedings.
But this woman-or was Il the re-
spected presence OF Rosalie lie
Grange?-drew him to his feet
Won't you sit down." he said
Thank you. May ] introduce Miss
Elizabeth Lane? She is here to verify
what | have to say" All this with
perfect simplicity. Her eyes travelled
then, with a quick glance of inquiry
to Resale lie Grange
This" said the Inspector. taking
his cue at a quick prod from Rosalies
loot. lis Mrs lie Grange. She is the
lady who came into the house right
after the-accident-and took the
boarders over to her place for the
night. She's kept them there ever
since. She was Just telling me what
she knew. Maybe you'd like to hear
it."
II should like very much to hear It,"
said Mrs. Hanska earnestly.
but maybe you want to be alone
just at first" interposed Resale. max
ing a pretense of rising
'No-there is nothing secret" re-
piled Mrs. Hanska. Il see no reason !
why you should not stay. Indeed, you
may be able to help us"
Now Martin MCGEE summoned the !
police stenographer and ordered him
to stay within call. Gone from him |
was the heavy humor of his half-hour |
with Rosalic. He was the Chief-sus-
picious and brutal.
Il must warn you" he said, that |
If you are implicated in this case, any.
thing you say will be used against
you at the trial" Generally that sud.
den statement made women tremble.
drew from them a flood of words out
Of which MCGEE picked the fotsam
and the jetsam of evidence. But Mrs.
Hanska did not give the preliminary
frightened start. She only transferred
her limpld level gaze from Rosalies
face to Inspector McGee's.
1T would be impossible to impli-
cate me-" Dozens of people can testify
that l was in Arden. hundred miles
north. last night-that have not left
Arden for more than a month Per
haps," she continued, checking an I'M
formed sentence on the lips of In
spector MCGEE, Il had better start at
he beginning and tell you all about
C."
She was talking fine" Inspector
MCGEE reflected. Having got her
started, his best course was TO mollify
Ter until she began to run down.
That's always best" he said
Quite simply Mrs. Iianska began
Ter talk.
Il married Captain Hanska ten
ears ago-whCn | was nineteen. He |
vas nearly thirty-fve then, although
le said that he was younger; and he I
lad just come back from Alaska. He !
iaid that he got his title in the Bo-
ivian army. ! hare since had reason
o doubt that. He was an engineer
~ profession. realize now how little
mother and | know about him. But l
lie was the kind of person who carried
before him-you deferred I
o him in those days in spite of your
letter judgment. And my mother was
cry trusting. Then, too, Captain {
Ianska was a very charming man {
lfterward | found out how he lived.
hat, for me. was the beginning Of