Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-04-02

seur of her sex, sat regarding her
spellbound.
The second woman-in fact she was
little more than girl-was slender,
blonde and fragile-her quality was
eIfn Resale could spare her but a
glance.
q am Mrs. Hanska, widow of the
man who was killed last night" said
the taller woman; and she hesitated-
It was not the custom of Inspector
Martin MCGEE to rise when women
accused. or of witnesses. A little bru-
tally of attitude, he felt, put them in
a meek and humble mood for the sub
sequent Third Degree proceedings.
But this woman-or was it the re-
spected presence Of Rosalie LIE
Grange?-drew him to his feet.
Wont you sit down." he said
Thank you. May l introduce Miss
Elizabeth Lane? She is here to verify
what | have to say" All this with
perfect simplicity. Her eyes travelled
then, with a quick glance of inquiry
to Rosalie LIE Grange.
This" said the Inspector, taking
his cue at quick prod from Resale S
FOOT, lis Mrs. lie Grange. She Is the
| lady who came into the house right
after the-accident-and took the
boarders over to her place for the
night She's kept them there ever
since. She was just telling me what
she knew. Maybe you'd like to hear
it,
II should like very much to hear it, "
said Mrs. Hanska earnestly.
But maybe you want to be alone
just at first" interposed Resale, max
ing a pretense of rising.
"No-there IS nothing secret" re-
piled Mrs Hanska. 81 see no reason
why you should not stay. Indeed, you
may be able to help u.s."
Now Martin MCGEE summoned the
police stenographer and ordered him
to stay within call Gone from him
was the heavy humor of his half-hour
with Resale. He was the Chief-sus-
picious and brutal
Il must warn you" he said, that
if you are implicated in this case, any
| thing you say will be used against
you at the trial" Generally that sud
! den statement made women tremble,
| drew from them flood of words out
of which MCGEE picked the fotsam
| and the jetsam of evidence. But Mrs.
| Hanska did not give the preliminary
frightened start. She only transferred
| a .
| face to Inspector McGee's.
TT would be impossible to impli-
! cate me-" Dozens of people can testify
that I was in Arden, hundred miles
north, last night-that l have not left
| Arden for more than a month. Per
! haps," she continued, checking an IN
formed sentence On the lips of In
spector MCGEE, Il had better start at
! the beginning and tell you all about
! it."
She was talking fine" Inspector
MCGEE reflected. Having got her
started, his best course was to mollify
/ her until she began to run down.
That's always best" he said.
Quite simply Mrs. Hanska began
! her talk
Il married Captain Hanska ten
years ago-when l was nineteen. He
was nearly thirty-f1ye then, although
he said that he was younger; and he
had just come back from Alaska He
said that he got his title in the 30
livian army l have since had reason
to doubt that He was an engines
by profession. I realize now how little
mother and I knew about him. But
he was the kind of person who carried
everything before him-you deferred
to him in those days III spite of your
better Judgment. And my mother was
very trusting. Then, too, Captain
Hanska was very charming man
Afterward l found out how he lived
That, for me. was the beginning OF