The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-10-29
P W-(continued.)

~ oANS1 "
IT was maybe twenty minutes after
a that the doorbell rung, and when
1 opened the door, there was a woman
standing on the steps,"
lie stopped n swallowed once or
twice, as though his throat was dry,
ana l saw that his fingers were witch
ing n%ervously.
Grady.
Rogers loosened his collar with a cea-
Vulslve movement.
No. sir. I'd never seen her before"
ne nswered h%oarsely,
Describe her"
Rogers closed his eyes,, as though in
an effort Of recollection.
S h Wore a heavy veil, SIR, 80 that
l oudn see her very well; but the
11rst thing / noticed was her eyes-they
were so bright, they seemed to urn
right through me. Her ace looked
white behind the veil, and I could see
how red her lips were didn't like her
looks, sir. from the first"
How was she dressed?"
In q dark gown, sir, cut 30 skinny
that I knowed she was French before
she spoke"
"Ah!" said Grady. "she was French.
was she7"
YES, sir; though she could speak
some English. She asked for MIR. Van
n I told her MT. Vantine was busy.
And then she said something very fast
about how h must see him, and all
n time kept edging in n in, till
the first thing 1 knowed she was inside
the door and then she just pulled the
door out of my hand and shut it. l ask
you, sir, Is that the way a Lady Woul
behave?"
NO" said Grady, ST dare say not.
But go ~ahead-and take YOU lime"
Rogers had gained his ~self-confi-
dence, and he went ahead almost glibly.
st here. madam says I, we've
xhad enough trouble here today with
Trenches, and If you don't get out
quietly. why, I'll have to put you out
II must Mistaire Vangtine," She
says. very fast. 7 must Mistaire Wang
tine. 1t Is most necessarie that l see
Mistaire Vangtine.'
"'Then I'll have to put you out says
/, and took hold of her arm. And at
that she ~screanNd and jerked hersslf
away; and I grabbed her again, and
just then Mr.. Vantine opened the door
there and came oGt into the hall.
Whats all this, Rogers" he says.
Who Is this party?
But before I could answer, that wild
cat had rushed over to him and began
to reel off a string Of French so fast
I wondered how she got her breath.
And Mr.. Vantine looked at her kind OF
surprised at first, and then he got more
interested, and finally he asked her in
and shut the door, n that was the
last I saw of them"
You mean you didn't let the woman
out?" demanded Grady.
Yes, sill, that's Just what I mean. I
thought If Mr.. Vantine wanted to talk
with her, we'll and good: that was his
business, not mine; SO / went back to
tho pantry to help the ook with the
silver. expecting to hear the bell every
minute. But the bell didn't ring, and
after maybe half an hour, I am out
in the hall again to see If the woman
had gone; and I walked past the door
Of this room but didn't hear nothing;
and the I went on to the front door,
and vas surprised to find 1t wasn't
latched."
maybe you hadn't latched it." sug-
gested Grady.
TT has snap lock, sir; when that
slammed it shut, 1 heard 1t
catch"
You're sure of that?"
"Quite sure, sir"
what did you do them"
1T closed the door. sir, and
then come back along the hall.
/ felt uneasy, some way; and
stood outside the door there list
ening; but 1 couldn't heal nothing; and
then I tapped, but there wasn't no
answer; so I tapped louder, with my
heart somehow working right Up into
my mouth. And still there wasn't nc
answer, so I just opened the door and
looked Inland the first thing I saw was
him"
Rogers stopped suddenly, and caught
at his throat again.
I'll be all right in a minute, sir" he
gasped. TT takes me this way some,
times"
mo hurry" Grady assured him, and
then. when his breath was coming
easier, What did you do them"
~ was so scared I couldn't scarcely
stSea1, sir; but I managed to get to the
foo% of the stairs and yell Tor Parks
M he come running down-and that's
all I remember. sir"
"The wasn't here?"
mo. sir"
did you look through the roorns?'
mo, sir; when / found the front doc
open, I knowed she'd gone out. She
hadn't shut the doo because she was
afraid I'd hear her.
THAT sounds probable" agreed
Grady. But what makes you thinl
she killed Vantine?"
well, SIR" answered Rogers. slowly
- l SACoS L EhI = " nave 6dlo llldl
but finding the door open that way
and then coming on Mr.. Vantine sor-
of upset mel didn't know just what
was saying"
you don't think so now, then?'
questioned Grady, sharply.
81 don't know what to think, sir"
you say o never saw the woman
before?"
Never, sir"
Had she ever been here b~efore?"
Il don't think SO, sir. The first thin,
she asked was If this was where Mr.
Vantine lived
Grady nodded.
Very good. Rogers" he said. "Tl
be offering you a place On the fore
next. Would o now this 1
you saw her again?
Rogers hesitated.
IT wouldn't like to say sure, SIR b
answered. at last. II might and
might not"
Red lips and a white face AM
bright eye aren't much to go on.
Grady pointed out. Cant you give u
a closer description"
I'm afraid not. sir. I Just got a gen
eral impression, like. of her fac
through her VEIL
You say o didn't search thes
roolos?"
mo. sir. I didn't come inside tn
doorp