Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1914-08-19
CHAPTER Viii.
Beckonings.

5VSs<0ubtSSs
"TACTS that contradict each other
II are not facts" pronounced
Chester Kent.
Fumes Of tobacco were rs
ing from three pipes lowered about
The porch of the Nook where Kent.
sedgwick and Lawyer Balm were hold
ing late council. A discouraged obser-
vation from the artist had elected
Kent's epigram.
mot all Of them. anyhow" said
Balm. 'uThe chore in this case is to
| ind facts enough to work on
| "On the contrary" declared Kent.
"facts in this case are as plentiful as
blackberries The trouble is that we
have no pail to put them in"
Maybe we could borrow Len
Schlager's." suggested the lawyer
1ryly.
1--WE don't seem to be getting much
IF anywhere" complained Sedgwick-
"Complicated cases don't clear them
selves up in a day." remarked Kent
In this case we've got opponents who
know more than we do
"Schlager?" asked the lawyer.
"And DR.. Breed. Also, l think,
Gansett Jim. What do you think. Mr..
Balm. is the handspring of the sheriff's
actionT'
Money said the lawyer with con-
viction. Hes as crooked as snake
with the collie
Would it require much money to in
duence himf"
las much as he could get If the
case was in the line of blackmail. he'd
1old out strong. He's shewd.'
DR. Breed must be getting some
If it."
"Oh, Tim Breed is Lens little dog.
He takes orders. OF course he'll take
money, too. if it comes his way. Like
master. like man.
Those two," said Kent slowly.
know the identity Of the body. For
good and sufficient reasons, they are
keeping that information to them
selves. Those reasons we aren't likely
70 find out from them"
Murderer has bribed EN-" opined
Balm.
Possibly. But that presupposes
that the sheriff found something on
the body which led him to the muir
1erer, which isn't likely. How improb-
able it is that a MISUNDERSTANDING for
argument, that there has been murder
who would 60 as far as to cover bis
trail and the nature Of the crime by
binding the body on a grating. would
overlook anything like letter incrim-
mating himself"
What did the sheriff find, then, in
the dead woman's pocket?"
perhaps a handkerchief with a dis
dnctive mark"
And that would lead him to the
identity of the body?'
presumably. Also to some one.
we may assume, who was willing tc
pay rOundly to have that identity con
cealed."
THAT would naturally be the muir
derer. wouldn't it," asked Sedgwick.
mo. don't think 500
1T looks to me so.'' said the lawyer
He's the one naturally interested il
concealment-"
Pm almost ready to dismiss the no
ton of a murderer at alI.'
why SOP demanded both the 9th
ers.
Because there was no murder prob
+ ably"
How do you make that out?" que
ried Balm.
From the nature of the wounds tha
caused DEATH
They look to me to be Just such
= wounds as would be made by a blow
with heavy club"
Several blows with a heavy clul
: might have caused such wounds. Blu
: the blows would have had to be deiiv
I cred peculiarly. A circle on the skull
2 six inches in diameter. impinging OF
, the right ear, is crushed in. If 70,
f can imagine man swinging base
ball bat at the height Of his shoulde
repeatedly and with great force at tn
e victims head you can infer such
t crushing in Of the bone. My imagina
6 ton hardly carries me so far"
q Beating down from above would b
,, the natural way" said Balm
|, Certainly. No such blow ever mad
- chat wound"
II Then how was it nader aske
L Sedgwick
y Probably by a fall from the cliff I
e the rocks below"
S And the fall broke the manac
It from the right wristY
r. THE broken manacie was never q
" The right wrist
\ That's merely conjecture" said tt
lawyer.
!, No; it's certainty. A blow heav
IL enough to break that iron, old as it i
u must have left a mark on the ties
lie There was no mark"
10 why should any one put one han,
le cuff on woman and leave the otht
l. dangling?
10 Suppose the other was not left da1
- gling?"