Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-03-12

"'l don't want to be disturbed. Rog-
ers.' he said and came in here and
shut the door after him.
ut was maybe twenty minutes after
that that the doorbell rang. and when
I opened the door there was a woman
standing on the steps,
Did you know her?" questioned
Grady.
Rogers loosened his collar with a
convulsive movement.
NO. sir. I'd never seen her before"
he answered h%oarsely.
Describe her"
"She Wore a heavy veil. sir. so that
couldn't see her very we'll: but the first
thing | noticed was her eyeS-they
We're so bright. they seemed to burn
right through me. Her face looked
white behind her veil. and | could see
how red her lips were-l didn't like
her looks. sir. from the first
How was she dreSsed?"
I'm a dark gown. sir. cut so skinny
that | knowed she was French before
she spoke"
ALI" said Grady. she was French.
a she?"
Yes. sir: though she could speak
some English. She asked for Mr.. Van
tine. | told her Mr.. Vantine was busy.
And then she said something very fast
about how she must see him. and all
the time she kept edging in and in, till
the first thing | knew she was inside
the door. and then she just pulled the
door out of my hand and shut it. 4
must see Mistaire Vangtine.' she says.
very fast. 1 must see Mistaire Wang
tine. 1t is most necessaire that see
Mistaire Vangtine.'
Just then Mr.. Vantine opened The
door there and came out into the hall.
whats all this. Rogers?' he says.
Who is this party?
But before | could answer. that
wildcat had rushed over to him and
begun to reel off Il string of French so
fast | wondered how she got her
breath. And Mr.. Vantine looked at
her kind of surprised at first. and
then he got more interested. and finally
he asked her in here and shut the door.
and that was the last | saw of them"
You mean you didn't let the woman
out?" demanded Grady.
Eyes. sir. that's just what | mean.
| thought if MI. Vantine wanted 70
talk with her. we'll and good; that was
his business. not mine. So I went back
to the pantry to help the cook with
the silver. expecting to hear the bell
every minute. But the bell didn't ring,
and after maybe half an hour | came
out into the hall again to see if the
woman had gone. and l walked past
the door of this room, but didn't hear
nothing: and then l went on to the
front door and was surprised to find it
wasn't latched."
Maybe you hadn't latched it," sue.
gested Grady.
ut was a snap lock. sir. When that
woman slammed it shut l heard ii
CATCH
What did you do them"
II closed the door, sir, and then com
back along the hall. | felt uneasy
some way, and | stood outside the
door there listening. But | couldn'
hear nothing. and then l tapped, bur
there wasn't no answer. So Jus
opened the door and looked in. and thu
first thing l see was him. | was Sc
scared l couldn't scarcely stand, sir
But I managed to get to the foot of thu
stairs and yell for Parks. and he cam
running down. and that's all 1 remem
Der, sir"
THE woman wasn't here?"
"No. sir
Did you look through the rooms::"
mo, sir. When | found the from
door opened l knew she'd gone out
She hadn't shut the door because sh.
was afraid Id hear her,"
THAT sounds probable agreed Ora
dy. But what makes you think SHE
killed Vantine?"
Wei. Sir" answered Rogers slowly
Il guess | oughtn't to have said that
But finding the door open that wa,
and then coming on MI. Vantine sor
Of upset me. l didn't know lust wha,
l was saying"
"You say you never saw the woman
before%"
Never, sir"
Had she yer been here b%efore?"
II don't think so. sir. The first thins
she asked was if this was where MI
Vantine lived"
Would you know this oma if yor
saw her again?"
Rogers hesitated.
II wouldn't like to say sure, sir" he
answered at last. IT might and
might not"
You say you didn't search these
rooms?'
mo, sir: 1 didn't come inside the
door. l was afraid"
did Parks come in?"
mo. sir; I guess be felt the same
way l did"
Then how did you know Vantine
was dead? Why didn't you try tc
help him?"