The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1914-01-29
AUTHOR OF THE CITY THAT WAS. ETC. ]
By F1arryR. GriSSin6er


Ine SOUND OF Tetreatlng Footsteps on
the stairs.
We resume, with the painstaking
Detective Kennedy, the statement of
Margarita Perez, alias Estrilla.
1T was apoplexy. But Juan did not
know 1t yet. He only knew that Cap
tain Hanska had fallen on the knife
and died, and that 1t would look like
murder. He understood your law, he
knew that to get our property he was
committing what looked like burglary,
and that burglar who commits muir
der cannot plead self-defense. He wait
ed by the window to see whether the
fall had disturbed the house. No one
stirred-probably an elevated train
was passing at the time it happened.
Frightened as he was, he still thought
of the jewels, and decided to take
them. whatever the risk. He exam
ined the box; the bill of sale was there.
Circumstances had changed now; an
empty stronghold in the room Of man
who appeared to have been murdered,
might set the police on the track. He
thought of this. So he took the box.
open as 1t was, switched OF the elee-
trio light, and started to leave by the
door. The catch of the spring lock
was on. To lock the room from out
side, he would have had to slam the
door-you know how spring lock
works. That would have made great
deal Of noise. It might awaken some
one. who would hear footsteps going
from Captain Hanska's room to mine.
He put the box under his arm and
fastened back the catch of the spring
lock, SO that he could close the door
without sound. Or course, that left
1t unlocked. In doing all this, It seems.
he spilled out of the box the diamond
buckle which found on the stairs.
Juan went back to my room be-
cause he wanted time to think. His
first idea was to leave the house
dressed In my clothes, just as we had
planned, and join me. Then we would
escape together. But he knew that the
police generally catch fugitives from
justice In the end. We were in a
strange country. We had no friends
to help us. If we were missing from
the house in the morning, if we we're
caught escaping. every one would be-
lieye us guilty. Then he had another
idea. II could return, still disguised
as Juan, after the body was discov-
cred, he would have perfect alibi.
while he was thinking about this,
Mr.. North came home and fell into the
blood, AS you know.
Immeu1atuiy, juan nearu ooa0
calling murder from below. That was
his chance to carry out his plan. He
telephoned me- / came / have told
you about that. He changed to his
own clothes. I made him go down
stairs and offer to help. My clothes.
which Juan had worn down the fire
escape In the rain. were still little
wet. / looked them over carefully;
there were no blood stains on them.
i put them by the register to dry; and
/ cleaned the shoes-that pair Of red
ones there in the closet. BY the time
they came to take me away to this
nOuSO, uO OH0 WOulu nave hlOWh SAoS
my garments had been out in the wet.
when they moved me, took away
the Jewels and the stronghold In my
bedding. Later Juan dropped the box
into the river, and sent the jewels
to my cousin In Caracas.
1T was his plan to leave the country
as soon as we might do SO without
attracting suspicion. But when they
arrested Mr.. Wade, could not agree
to that could not have his death on
my soul. Juan was imploring me to
leave; but told him that would not
until Mr.. Wade was released or acauit-
ted. II 1t came to the worst. would
confess. / persuaded Juan that was
right. That is why we stayed. We
had no other reason.
81 make this statement without hope