The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-02-26
CHAPTER w.
The Woman In the Case.

! ~ however SOTUIu. however ugly
was to be unveiled.
NOW. Rogers" Grady began.
81 want you to take your time and
tell us IN detail everything that hap
| pened here tonight
"WeiI SIR" began Rogers slowly as
though carefully considering his
words. INF tantine came out from
dinner about half past maybe lit
tie later than that and told me to light
all the lights in here and in the next
room. You see there are gas and eiec-
tries both. sir and ! lighted them all.
He had gene into the music room on
the other side of the hall, so / went
over there and told him the lights
were all lit. He was looking at new
picture he'd bought. but he left 1t
right away and came out into the hail.
80 don't want to ne disturbed. ROg
ers.' be said and came in here and
shut the d0or after him.
"It was maybe twenty minutes after
that that the doorbeil rang. and when
1 opened the door there was a woman
standing on the steps
Did you know ner?" questioned
Grady
Rogers Ioosened his collar with a
conclusive movement
mo. sir. I'd never seen her before"
be answered hnaFsely.
Describe her
''She wore heavy ven. sir. so that
couldn't see her very well: nut the first
thing noticed was her eyes they
were SO bright, they seemed to burn
right through me. Her face looked
white behind der veil. and l could see
how red her lips were didn't like
her looks. sir, from the first"
How was she dresSrd?''
ain a dark gown. sir. cut SO skImpy
that I knowed she was French before
she spoke"
"Ah:" said Grady. "She was French.
was she?'
"Yes. sir: though she could speak
some English. She asked for Mr.. Van
tine. | told her Mr. Eantine was busy.
Aud then she said something very fast
about how she must see hin. and ali
the time she kept edgiug in and in. till
the nrst thing | knew she was inside
the door. and then she just pulled the
door out of my hand and shut IL. /
must see Mistaire vangtine. she says.
very fast 1 must see Mistaire Wang
tine. 1t Is most necsssaire that | see
Mistaire Vangtine.
Just then Mr. VanTine opened the
door there aud came ont into the bail.
Whats ali this. R0gersg he says.
Who is this party?
"But before | cOuld answer, that
wildcat had rushed over to MIN and
begun to reel of string Of French 80
fast | wondered how she got her
breath. And Mr. Vantine looked at
her kind of surprised at first. ana
then he got more interested and finally
he asked her in here aud shut the door.
aud that was the last / saw Or them
"YOu mean you didn't let the woman
out?" dema nded Grady,
''Yes. sir. that's Just what mean
| Thought II Mr.. vantine wanted to
talk with her. we'll and good: that was
his business. not mine 80 went back
to the pantry to help the cook with
the silver. expecting To hear the bell
every minute But the bell didn't ring.
and after maybe half an hour ! came
out into the hall again tn see II the
woman had gone. and / walked past
the door OF this room. but didn hear
nothing: and then l went on to the
front door and WAS surprised tn fnd IL
wasn't latrhed"
Maybe you hadn't latched It," sug-
gested Grady.
1T WAS a snap lock. sir. When that
woman slammed 1t shut / heard It
catch''
What did you do them
II closed the door sir. and then come
back along the hall. ! felt uneasy.
some way. and | stood outside the
door there listening Rut ! couldn't
hear nothing. and then tapped. but
there wasn't no answer. So | just
opened the door ana looked In. and the
frst thing see was him. 1 was 30
scared l couldn't scars'eIy stand. sir
But | managed to get to tie foot at the
stairs and yell for Parks. ana he cams
running down. ana that's ali remem-
Der. sir
The woman wasn't hereT'
''So. sir
did you look through the roomST'
''No. sir When | found the front
door opened | knew shed gone out.
She hadn't shut the door because she
was afraid I'd hear her"
THAT sounds proba Bile" agreed Ora
dy. But what makes you think she
killed yantine?"
well. SIR" answered Rogers slowly.
81 guess u ouShtn't TO have said that.