Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-04-09


Betsy-Barbara put in briskly.
And an old mahogany shaYing-mir-
ror which had belonged to his IA
ther-
And Mexican hat-band and two
knives and an Irish blackthorn stick
and q silver cigarette case"
A stethoscope upon Inspector Nc
Gees pulse would have jumped an
inch as Betsy-Barbara pronounced the
word knives" But his down-turned
face betrayed no emotion.
What kind of a cigarette case?"
CHASED silver and turquoises-a
Russian design"
What was the stick Hke?"
Very heavy, and dark brown as 1
remember. And I think the ferrule
was loose"
And the knives?" said the Inspec-
tor.
Let me see-one was a little dag
ger that he used for a paper-knife
and the other was a Malay kris with
long, sharp, wavy blade. He got it
in the Philippines"
"Yes!" exclaimed the Inspector. And
then with the sudden brutality which
was a part of his Third Degree meth
cd, "And it was with that knife that
Lawrence Wade stabbed your hus-
band"
Inspector MCGEE might have thrown
that very knife instead of his words,
so sudden was the effect upon Con-
stance Hanska. The colcr left her
face Her eyes grew big and wild
She flashed to her feet, trembling vio-
lently.
ooh, mol" she pleaded, "oh, no! Oh,
that will hurt him sol He couldn't
have used it-some one used it after
he Ieft-Lawrence Wade could no
more have stabbed an unarmed man
=" She stopped, wrestled herself back
to some semblance Of composure.
Don't you understand he was a gen
tleman?" She turned from McGee's
triumphant state to Rosalie's softened
face. why, Mrs. LIE Grange, gentle
men don't do such things. He was an
athlete-he played every game hon
orably-do you think he would have
put me in such a position, even if he
thought of nothing else-he would
have had to break every instinct-he
he"
Look here, Mrs. Hanska," said In
spector MCGEE, bouncing upon his ad-
vantage as experience had taught him
to do, there was what you call an af-
fair between you and this Mr.. Wade,
wasn't there?"
Here Rosalie swung in again.
Inspector" she said, eff you go that
way, I'll advise this young woman to
get a real lawyer before she talks to
you any more. Now, my dear, you
just answer what you please"
But Constance was mistress of her
self again.
All this win come out in the trial,
Betsy Barbara. I might as we'll tell
everything now. When he put himself
in this position he was trying to help
me. There was no affair, as you call
it. But when he first met me he
thought I was a widow. And before
he knew my circumstances, he pro-
posed marriage. He never spoke of It
after I told him. He was a gentle
man. He only tried to serve me as a
gentleman would under the circum-
stances"
Has it struck you," asked the In.
spector, that this might be used as a
motive?"
This is perfectly dreadful" cried
Betsy-Barbara. Constance, you shall
not stay here another minute. You
come with me to a lawyer!"
That's right" said Rosalie LIE
Grange shortly, Inspector MCGEE, you
can excuse u.s."
Not for a while" said Inspector
MCGEE shortly. Madame, l must have
your official statement as to what you
have just told me-before I let you
leave"
Now Constance had risen; and Bet
sy-Barbara. in a state of suppressed
fury, stood beside her, flashing sparks
from her golden hair and her blue
eyes and her little white teeth. In
spector MCGEE stepped to the door to
summon a stenographer. And Rosalie,
quick as thought, slipped up beside
Constance.
Not word more than you can help
about this proposing to you-not a
world" she whispered.
Step into this room, ladies'" said
| MCGEE. "I'lI join you in a moment.
We won't need you, Mrs. LIE Grange"
Alone with the Inspector, Rosalie
lie Grange stood regarding him from
top to toe. He faced her in a little
! embarrassment, which he covered with
! bluff
In love with Hanska's wife-and
! Hanska'd mistreated her-and she
wanted a divorce and couldn't get it.
! Wade and Hanska had quarreled.
/ Wade goes up there with his curio
shop and lays it down on the table.
They quarrel again. Wade's a
fencer. He picks up that knife and
/ lets him have it Just by instinct Then
he walks out of the door and gets rat
tied and beats it. OF course, it would
! be hard to establish first degree muir
der on what we've got now-but well
/ get it"
You think so, do your" replied Ros-
\ allie. My, don't promotion make a
smart man of a pavement-pounding
cop!"
Guess you don't know" replied Nc.
/ Gee, what this man Wade said when
! tality records. It is too much to ex
/ pect that alarm over this will provoke