The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-10-01

be no life in that liv,d face. In thos
CLASSY eyes, ~
Don't touch him." I said, for Van
late.'
drew him back and we stood fol
u moment shaken as one always is BY
death. 'D w.
VINO Is he?" I asked at last.
don't know answered Vantine
moafseiy. I never saw him before
Ihen he strobe to the bell and rang
- violently. Parks" he went or
S.eihns, as that worthy appeared al
here?' $500 soAhs ga 49,
Going on. sir?" repeated Parks
with a look of amazement. not only al
the words, but at the tone in which
they We're uttered. I'm sure 1 don't
Ihen his glance fell upon the hud-
died body, and he stopped short, his
eyes staring, his mouth open.
We'll said his master sharply.
we @Wh Is me- What is he doing here?'
Mhy-why." stammered Parks,
waiting to see you, sir"
mean he has been killed in this
nouse?' demanded Vanttne.
he was certainly alive when he
came In, sir said Parks, recovering
something of his self possession.
Maybe ne was just looking for a quiet
place where he could kill himself. He
seemed kind OF excited"
or course" agreed Vantine. with q
sigh of relief. that's the explanation.
Only l wish he had chosen some place
else /! suppose we shall have to call
the police, LeSter?"
1es,' l said, and the coroner Sup
pose you cave it to me. Well lock
up this room n nobody must leave
the house until the police arrive"
Very WELL" assented Vantine, vis-
IDLY relieved. "Tll see to that" and he
hastened away. while 1 went to the
phone, called up police headquarters,
and told briefly what had happened.
Twenty minutes later, there was a
ring at the bell. and Parks opened the
door and admitted four men.
Why, hello, Simmonds," 1 said, rec
osnlzlng in the first one the detective
who had assisted in clearing
OF him was Coroner Goldberg. whom
l had met in two previous cases:
while the third c~ountenance, looking
at me with a quizzical smile, was that
OF Jim Godfrey. the Records stan re-
porter. he fourth man was a po-
the door.
Yes" said Godfrey, as we shook
nands, L happened to be talking to
Slmmonds when h call came in and
l thought l might as well come along.
What is it?"
Just a suicide, I think" and I un-
locked the door into the room where
the dead man lay.
Simmons, G%oldberger and Godfrey
stepped inside. I followed and closed
the door
sNo+hipr no., h.aa s
NO n has touched the body"
Simmonds nodded and glanced in
qulrlngly about the room, but God
rrey'S eyes, l noticed, were on the face
OF the dead man. Goldberger dropped
to his knees beside the body. looked
INTO the eyes and touched his fingers
10 the left wrist. Then he stood erect
agaln and looked down at the body.
n as l followed his gaze, I noted its
more accurately thar I had
done In the first shock of discovering it.
1t was lying on its right side, half
on It's stomach, with it's right arm
doubled under it, and its left hand
ciutchfng at the foo above it's head.
knees were drawn up as though
In a CONFUSION, and the face was hor-
rlbly contorted, with a sort of purple
tlnge under the skin, as though the
blood had been suddenly CONCEALED.
The eyes were wide open and their
CLASSY stare added not a little to the
apparent terror and suffering of the
face. 1t was not a pleasant sight and
after a momen turned my eyes away
with a shiver of repugnance.
The coroner glanced at Simmonds.
Not much question as to the cause"
he said. Poison, of course"
of course" nodded Simmonds.
But what kind?" asked Godfrey.
1t will TAX a ~postmorten to tell
that and ~Goldberger bent for an
other close ook at the distorted face.
the usual ones"
Godfrey shrugged his shoulders.
i should say not he agreed and
turned away to an inspection of the
room.
What can you tell us about 1t, Mr..
Goldberger questioned.
I told all I knew-how Parks had
announced a mans arrival. how Van
tine and I had come downstairs to- /
gether. how Vantine had called me.
n finally how Parks had identified
the body as that of the strange caller.
have you n theory about it?'
Goldberger asked.
Only that the call was merely a
preteSt-that what the man was really
looking for a place where he could
Kill himself unobseryed."
How long a time elapsed after
Parks announced the man before Won |
n Mr.. Vantine came downstairs? 2"
half an hour, perhaps"
Goldberger nodded.
Lets have Parks In" he said
I opened the door and called +o
Parks, who was sitting on the bottom
step Of the stair.
Continued next week.a