The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-10-29
CHAPTER vI.-(continued.)

Il InAL THAT lu0 uOOEUClA Iuhkt dAa WAACh
/ opened the door. there was a woman
standing on the steps"
He stopped and swallowed once or
twice, as though his throat was dry,
and I saw that his fingers were witch
ing ~nervously.
ibid you know herr" questioned
Grady.
Rogers loosened his collar with a con-
vulsive movement.
EMO. sir. I'd never seen her before"
he answered hoarsely.
Describe her."
Rogers closed his eyes, as though In
an effort OF recollection.
"She wore q heavy veil. sir, 30 that
/ couldn't see her very well; but the
first thing i noticed was her eyes-they
were so bright, they seemed to burn
right through me. Her face looked
white behind the veil. and 1 could see
looks, sir, from the first"
How was she dressed?"
'In q dark gown, sir, so skinny
that I knowed she was French before
she spoke"
".Ah," said Grady. "she was French.
was sheT"
Eyes. sir; though she could speak
some English. She asked for Mr.. Van
tine. I told her Mr.. Vantine was busy.
And then she said something very fast
about how she must sec him, and all
the time kept edging In and In, TIL
the first thing I knowed she was inside
the door and then she just pulled the
door out OF my hand and shut 1t. 1 ask
you. sir, Is that h way a lady would
behave?"
'No," said Grady, II dare say not.
But 60 ahead-and take our time.
Rogers had gained his ~self-confi-
dence, and he went ahead almost gibly.
"'See here, madam says I, we've
xhad enough trouble here today with
Trenches, and IL you don't get out
quietly. why, I'll have to put o out
"T must Mistaire Vangtine,. she
says, very fast I must Mistaire Yang
tine. 1t Is most necessarie that / sec
Mistaire Vangtine.' -
"'Then IlE have to put you OUT says
I, and took hold of her arm. And at
that she screaned and jerked hersslf
away; and / grabbed her again, and
Just then MI. Vantine opened the door
there and came cut into b hall.
What's 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 of a string OF French so fast
/ 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, and that was the
last / saw OF them"
you mean you didn't let the woman
out?" demanded Grady.
Yes, sir, that's just what / mean. ]
thought II Mr.. Fantine wanted to talk
with her, well and good; that was his
business, not mine; so ! went back to
the pantry to help the o with the
silver, expecting to bear the bell every
~ ILL., 49,. A~1
after maybe half an hour, / came out
In the hall again to see IL the woman
had gone; and I walked past the door
OF this room but didn't hear nothing;
and then / went on to the front door,
and was surprised to find 1t wasn't
latched."
Maybe you hadn't latched it." sug-
gested Grady.
'It has snap lock, sir; when that
catch"
You're sure of that?"
quite sure, sir"
What did you do Them"
II closed the door, sir, and
then come back along the hall.
I felt uneasy, some way; and !
stood outside the door there list
ening; but I couldn't hear nothing; and
then I tapped, but there wasn't no
answer; 80 I tapped louder. with my
heart somehow working right up into
my mouth. And still there wasn't no
answer. so I Just opened the door and
looked inland h first thing I saw was
him"
Rogers stopped suddenly. and caught
at his throat again.
TIL be all right I'm q minute. SIR" he
gasped. at takes me this way some
times"
mo hurry Grady assured him. and
then, when his breath was coming
easier. What did you do then2"
"T vas so scared I couldn't scarcely
stand, sir; but I managed to get to the
foot Of the stairs and yell for Parks,
and he come running down-and that's
oil I remember. sir"
THE woman wasn't here?"
mo, SIR"
Did you look through the rooms?' %
mo, sir; when / found the front door
open, I knowed she'd gone out. She
hadn't shut the door because she was
afraid I'd hear her.
That sounds probable" agreed
Grady. "But what makes you think
she killed VantineT'
well sir" answered Rogers. slowly,
II guess I oughtn't to have said that;
but finding the door open that way,
and then coming on Mr.. Vanttne sort
OF upset mel didn't know just what I
was saying.
you don't think so now, then?'
questioned Grady, sharply.
II don't know what to think, sir"
You say. you never saw h woman
before7"
Never, SIR" -..r..
Had she aver been here before?"
IT don't think so, sir. The first thing
she asked was If this was where Mr..
Vantine lived" u
Grady nodded.
Very good, Rogers" he said. I'll
be offering o q place on the force
next. Would you know this woman II
you saw her again?
Rogers hesitated.
II wouldn't like to say sure, sir" he
answered, at last. II might and /
might not"
RED HIPS and q white face and
bright eyes aren't much to go on
Grady pointed out. Cant you give US
a closer description"
I'm afraid not, cir. I Just got a gen.
eral impression, like, OF her face
through her veil"
You say you didn't search these
r~ooins?"
mo, sir. didn't come inside the
door,"
why not?"
IT was afraid to. sir" -
Afraid or"
Eyes. sir; I'm afraid to be here now"