The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-10-22
CHAPTER V.
RAJ TAKES A A


have no Very clear remembrance of
What happened after that. The shock
was SO great that I had just strength
enough to totter to u chair and drop
into 1t. and sit there staring vaguely
at that dark splotch on the carpet. /
told myself that l was the victim of a
dreadful nightmare; that all this was
the rsult OF oVer-wrought nerves and
that / should wake presently. No
doubt l had been working too hard I
needed a ~Vacation-weII, / would take
il
And all the time I knew that it was
not a nightmare, but grim realty; that
Philip Nantine was dead-killed by a
woman, Who had told me that? And
then remembered the sobbing
Two or three persons came into the
room-Parks II the other servants.
suppose; | heard Godfrey's voice Civ
ing orders; and finally someone held a
ed me to drink. l did so mechan-
ically, c%oughed spluttered, was con
scious of a grateful warmth, and drank
eagerly again. And hen l saw Godfrey,
standing over me.
Feel better?" he asked.
L nodded.
Il don't wonder it knocked YOU out
he Went on. I'm feeling shaky myself.
| had them call Vantine's physician
but he can't do anything"
He's dead. then?"' 1 nv
eyes on that dark and crumpled object
which had been Philip Vantine.
"4es--just like the other"
Then L remembered, and 1 caught
his arm and drew him down to me.
Godfrey" | whispered, whose voice
was it-or did l dream it-something
about a woman?"
lyon didn't ,J-oo ~, "a = -
he's almost hysterical. Well get the
story, as soon as he quiets down.
someone called him from the door,
and he turned away, leaving men star
ing blankly at nothing. Sc there had
been a woman in Vantine's life! Per-
haps that was why he had never mar
ried. What ugly skeleton was to be
dragged from its closet?
But II a woman killed Nantine, the
same woman also killed d'Aurelle.
Where was her hiding place? From
what ambush did she strike?
l glanced about the room, as q tremor
of horror seized me. 1 arose, shaking,
from the chair and CROPPED my way
toward the door. Godfrey heard me
coming, swung around, and, with one
glance at my face, came to me and
caught me by the arms.
What is it, LESTER" he asked.
L can't stand it here gasped. stIt's
too horrible!'
Don't think about it. Come out
here and have another drink"
lie led me to the hall. and a second
glass of brandy gay me back some
thing of my s~elf-control. l was ashamed
of my weakness, but when I glanced at
Godfrey, | saw how white his face was.
Better take a drink yourself I said.
heard the d%ecanter rattle on the
glass.
Z don't know when | have been
so shaken" he said, setting the glass
down empty. 1T was so gruesome-so
unexpeeted-and then Rogers carrying
on like a mailman. All, here's the doc
tor, he added, as the front door
opened and Parks showed a mar in.
/ knew DR.. Hughes. of course, re-
turned his nod. and followed him and
Godfrey into tile ante-room but l had
rot vet sufficiently recovered to do
more than sit ana stare at him as he
knelt beside the body and assured him
self that life had fed. Then / heard
Godfrey telling him ali we knew, while
Hughes listened with i~ncredulous face.
But its absurd, you know" he pre-
| tested. when Godfrey had finished.
Things like this don't happen here in
| New York. In Florence. perhaps. in the
rnidc2fe ages; but not here in the TWEEN
| tiatfl ~cer--dry!"
! senses. Godfrey agreed. Tut I saw
the FreRcrrIan lying here this after
/ Eao0Il5 and now here's Nantine.
0n the same spot?"
Ms nearly as | can tell.
and K5lled in the same way2'
Killed in precisely the ame way
/ Ffu&ne8 turned back to the body
| EgaIr. ard looked long and earnestly at
/ lhe In51red haad.
what sere of instrument made this
wound. would you say MIR. Godfreye''
1 he questioned, at last.
A sharp instrument, with two
proTle. My theory is that the prongs
/ are hellaw.&iike q h~ypoderrnic needle,
/ and leave q drop or TIVE OF poison nj
/ thfs bottom of the wound, You seen, q
ASeir has been cut.
Yes. Hughes assented. 1T woIi6
Gcarcely be possible to pierce the hand
here WITHOUT striking u vein, One Of
the prongs would be sare TO do 1t,
That's the reason there are two o.
them. i fancy.
But you are. OF course, aware tina