Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-02-25


! the back OF the house. An instant
! later chorus OF frenzied wonien's
shrieks made my hair stand on end.
How ] got down the stairs ! do not
know. But 7, too. turned back along
the lower hall. expecting any instant
to come upon I knew not what horror.
I reached an open door. passed through
! 1t and found myself in the laundry In
the midst OF a group OF excited and in
dignant women. who greeted my ap-
pearance with fresh series OF screams
Unable To go farther. sat Imply
! down upon box and looked at them
! I was still sitting there when Godfrey
! came. back. breathing heavily. chagrin
and anger in his eyes.
"A crime has been committed up
| stairs" he said to the manager. This
| gentleman with me is Mr.. Simmonds
| OF the detective bureau" and at the
words Simmonds showed his shield.
1--WE shall have to notify headquar-
ters." Godfrey went on. land ! would
! advise that you keep your girls at their
work. don't suppose you want to be
mixed up in it,
.Sure not agreed tile manager
promptly. and while Simmonds went
to the phone and called up police head
qua the manager had the girls
back at their work in short order.
Godfrey came over TO me and laid
his hand on my shoulder.
why. Lester" he said. "you look as
though you were at your last gasp"
II am said. I'm going to have
nervous prostration If this thing keeps
up. You're not looking particularly
happy yourself"
I'm not happy I've let that fellow
kill man right under my nose-Iiter-
ally under my nose-and then get
away"
Kill man. 1 repeated DO yon
mean"-
Go upstairs and look at the right
hand or the man lying there" said
Godfrey CURLY. and you'll see what
mean
simmonds Joined us with a twisted
smile on his lips. and saw that even
he was considerably shaken.
IL got Grady he said. land told
him what had happened. He says
he's too busy To come mp and that m |
to tnke charge of things. The ambu 1
lance VIII he around at once. We'd /
better get our shoes on and go hack /
upstairs and see if anything can be I
done for that fellow"
Simmonds knelt beside the body and /
held up the limp right hand for us
to see. +
Just above the knuckles were two
tiny incisions with drop or two OF
blood oozing away from them. and
the flesh about them swollen and dis
colored.
Il knew what it was the instant h,
yelled Death" said Godfrey quietly
And lie knew what ii was the in
slant lie felt the stroke. It is evident
enough thar he had seen it used he
fore or beard of ii and knew that it
meant instant death"
/ sat down. staring at the dead man.
aud tried 10 collect my senses. saw
4 man roughly dressed. with bushy
black hair and tangled beard: 4 very
giant OF Il man.
sudden thought brought me bolt
upright.
But Armand cried. Where is
Godfrey looked at me with hair
plying smile.
]
even yet? 1t was your
NJ. Armand who did that"
and he pointed to the dead man
] felt as though | had heen struck
! heavy blow upon the head: black
circles whirled before my eyes
Was IL Armand" / asked who lay
here in the corref:"
Certainly il was" Godfrey answer
d. who else could it be-"
"Godfrey" cried. remembering
Did you see his eyes AS
lie lay there watching the man at the
4 binet:'
Yes; I saw them
They were the same eyesT"
The same eyes"
And the laugh-did yon hear that
IuSh:"
Certainly ! heard It"
Il heard it once before" ] said. and
on thought it was a case OF nerves.
| fell silent a moment. shivering n
tile at the remembrance
But why Gid Armand. lie there so :
lIietly p ! asked at last Was he in
Ired?"
Godfrey made little gesture to- T
ard the corner. 7
Go see for yourself he said. i
Something lay along the wall. on the \
here had seen that figure. aud
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