Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-10-01

be no life in that livid face. in those
| CLASSY eyes.
Don't touch him." I said, for Van
tine had started forward. It's too
late"
I drew him back and we stood for
a moment shaken as one always Is by
sudden n unexpected contact with
death.
WHO Is he?" / asked at last
Il don't know" answered Vantine
hoarsely. Il never saw lin before"
Then he strobe to the bell and rang
it violently. Parks" he went on
sternly, as that worthy appeared at
the door. what has been going on In
here?"
Going on, sir?" repeated Parks,
with a look of amazement, not only at
the words, but at the tone in which
they were uttered. I'm sure l don't
know what"
Then his glance fell upon the hud-
died body, n he stopped short, his
eyes staring, his mouth open.
Well" said his master sharply.
Who is he? What is he doing here?"
"Why-why," stammered Parks,
waiting to see you, sir"
You mean he has been killed in this
house?" demanded Vantine.
He was certainly alive when he
came in. sir" said Parks, recovering
something of his self possession.
Maybe he was just looking for a quiet
place where he could kill himself. He
seemed kind of excited"
of course" agreed Vantine, with a
sigh of relief, that's the explanation.
only l wish he had chosen some place
else. l suppose we shall have to call
the police, Lester?"
Yes" l said, and the oroner. Sup
pose you leave it to me. Well lock
up this room and nobody must leave
the house until the police arrive"
Very WE'LL" assented Vantine, WIS.,
IDLY relieved, TIL see to that" and he
fastened away. while l went to the
phohe, called up police headquarters.
and told briefly what had happened.
twenty minutes later, there was a
rlng at he bell, and Parks opened the
door and admitted four men.
Why. hello, Simmonds," 1 said, roc
ognizing in the first one the detective
sergeant who had assisted III clearing
up the Marathon mystery. And back
OF him was Coroner Goldberg, whom
L had met in two previous cases;
while the third countenance, looking
at me with a quizzical smile, was thai
OF Jim Godfrey, the Records star re-
porter. The fourth man was a po-
ceman in uniform, who. at a word
from Simmonds. took his station at
the door.
Yes" said Godfrey, as we shook
hands. Il happened to be talking to
Slmmonds when the call came in and
| thought I might as we'll come along.
What is it?"
locked the door into the room where
the dead man lay.
simmons, Goldberger and Godfrey
stepped inside. I followed and closed
the door.
Nothing has Deer disturbed" I said.
mo m has touched the body"
simmonds nodded and glanced in
qulrlngly about the room, but Cod
frey's eyes, [ noticed, were on the face
of the dead man. Goldberger dronneS
to his knees beside the body. looked
into the Eye n touched his fingers
to the left wrist. Then he stood erect
again and looked down at the body.
n as l followed his gaze, l noted it's
attitude more accurately than had
done in the first shock of discovering it.
1t was lying on it's right side, half
on its stomach, with its right arm
doubled under it, and it's left hand
c%lutching at the floor above it's head.
knees were drawn up as though
in a convulsion, and the face vas hor-
rlbly contorted, with a sort Of purple
tinge under the skin, as though the
blood had been suddenly CONCEALED.
The eyes We're wide open and their
CLASSY stare added not a little to the
apparent terror and suffering of the
face. 1t was not q pleasant sight and
after a moment / turned my eyes away
with a shiver Of repugnance.
The coroner glanced at Simmonds.
MOI much question as to the cause.n
he said. Poison, of course"
OF course" nodded Simmonds.
But What kind?' asked Godfrey.
It Will take a postmortem to tell
that" and Goldberger bent for an
other close look at the distorted face.
I'm free to admit the symptoms aren't
the usual ones" -eH
Godfrey shrugged his shoulders.
l should say not" he agreed and
away to an inspection of the
room. o
What can you tell us about 1t Mr.
Lester?' Goldberger questioned.
/ told all 1 knew-how parks b.a
announced a mans arrival. how Van
tine n l had como downstairs to.
how Vant1ne had called me-
and finally how Parks had identifiaG
the body as that Of the strange caller
Have You any theory about M"
asked.
Only that the call was merely ,
pretext-that what the man was raa1,H
looking for a place where he co,ld
kill himself unobserved."
How long a time elapsed after
Parks announced the man before ve',
and Mr.. Vantine came downstairs"
Half an hour. perhaps"
G~oldberger nodded.
Lets have Parks in" he said.
I opened the door and called a.
Parks. who was sitting on the hot+om
step Of the stair.