The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-10-08

I He had opened the case. ana inside Il
was q photograph-the photograph Of
a woman with bold, dark eyes and full
lips and oval tace-a face SO typically
Wrench hat II was not to be mistaken.
"A lady's maid, / should sayi, added
Godfrey, looking at Il again. Rather
good-looking at n time, but past her
first youth. and so compelled perhaps
to bestow her affections on a man q
little beneath her-no doubt compelled
also to contribute to his support In
order to retain him A with
many pasts and no future"
"Oh. come" broke in Goldberger im-
patiently, keep your secondhand
epigrams for the Record. What we
want are facts"
Godfrey flushed a. little at the words
and laid down the watch.
There Is one a. which you have
| apparently overlooked" he said quiet
ly, but II proves beyond the shadow
Of q doubt that this fellow didn't drift
In here by accident. He came here OF
intention, and the intention wasn't to
kill himself, either"
How do you know that?" de-
manded Goldberger, incredulously.
Godfrey picked up the purse, opened
1t, n o out one Of the cards.
by this" he said. and held 1t up.
You have already seen what is writ
ten on the back Of it-Mr. Vantine's
name and the number OF this house.
That proves. doesn't 1t, that this fellow
came to New York expressly to see Mr..
V~antine?"
Perhaps you think Mr.. vantine
killed him." suggested Goldberger, sar-
c~astically.
NO" said Godfrey; ''he didn't have
Al,ao w., ,,-A~-A NGu ty.~Aa-~ 10
he added, smiling at that gentleman.
who was listening to all this with per-
picked countenance, 1--WE are simply
talking now about possibilities. You
couldn't possibly have killed this fell
low because Lester has testified that he
was with you constantly from the mo-
ment this nan entered the house until
his body was found, with the exception
of the few seconds which elapsed be-
tween the time you entered this room
and the time he Joined you here, sum
moned by your cry. So you are out OF
the running"
Thanks" said vantine, drily.
Il suppose, then, you think II was
Parks" said Goldberger.
at may quite possibly have been
Parks" agreed Godfrey, gravely.
Nonsense" broke in Vantine, Inn
patiently. Parks is as straight az q
string...he's been with me for eight
years"
"Of course it's nonsense" assented
Goldberger. its nonsense TO say that
he was killed by anybody. He killed
himself. Well learn the cause when
we identify h~im-jealousy maybe, or
maybe just hard luck-he doesn't look
affluent."
"I1l cable to Paris" said Simmonds.
IF he belongs there, We'll soon find
out who he is"
you'd better call an ambulance and
have him taken to the morgue," vent
on Goldberger. somebody may iden-
tify him there. There'n be a crowd
tomorrow, for, Of course, the papers
will be full of this affair"
1.-THE Record. at least, will have a
very full account" Godfrey assured
him.. s
"And I'll call the inquest for the day
after" Goldberger continued. I'll
post-mortem right away. II there's
any poison in this fellows stomach,
wen find it."
Godfrey did not speak; but 1 knew
what was in his mind. He was think
ing that, If such poison existed, tho
vessel which a contained 1t had not
yet been found. The same thought,
no doubt. occurred to Simmonds, for,
after ordering the policeman in the
hall to call the ambulance, nc re-
turned and began a careful search OF
the room, using his electric torch to
illumine every Swallowed corner. God
frey devoted himself to a similar
search; but both were without result.
Then Godfrey made a minute inspec-
berger looked on with ill-concealcd
impatience; and finally he moved to-
ward the door. s..
II think I'll be going" he said. But
I'm interested in what your physician
will find. Mr.. Coroner"
He'll find poison, all right" asserted
Goldberger, with decision.
Perhaps he WILL admitted Godfrey.
Strange things happen In this world.
VIII you be at home tonight, LESTER"
Yes, ] expect to be-" / answered. "
You're still at the MarathonT'
YES" / said; "suite a."
Perhaps I'll drop around to see you,"
he said, and q moment later we heard
the door closed behind him as Parks let
him out.
"Godfrey's a good man. said Gold
berger, but he's too romantic. He
looks for a mystery In every crime.
whereas most crimes are merely plain,
downright brutalities. Take this case.
Here's a nan kills himself, and God
frey wants US to believe that death re-
suited from a scratch on the hand.
Why, there's no poison on earth would
kill a man as quick as that-for he
must have dropped dead before he could
get out Of the room to summon help
II Il was prussic acid, he swallowed IL.
Remember, he want in this room moro
than is or 20 minutes, and he was
quite dead when Mr.. Vantine found
him. Men don't die as easily as all
that-not from q scratch on the hand.
They don't die easily at all. It's as
tonishing how much II takes to kill a
man-how the spirit, or whatever you
choose to call II, clipgs to life"