Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-06-27
CHAPTER m.

l5nI children padding on a raft
- outside the window. and
- Molly Mcguire, next door.
hauling the mornings milk up in a
pail fastened 10 a rope. her doorway
being too narrow 10 admit the milk
mans boat ard told him the whole
story.
-Humphr' be exclaimed. when 1 had
finished. It's curious. but-you can't
prove a murder unless you can pro-
duce a body"
When the river goes down Wen
find the body" said /, shivering. ITS
In the parlOr.'
Then why doesn't he try to get
away"
He Is ready TO go now. He only
went back when your boat came in"
Mr. HOlcOmbe ran TO the door and.
flnging it open. peered into the lower
hall. He was too late His boat was
gone. tub OF liver. pile OF wooden plat
tiers and all,
We hurried to the room the Ladleys
had occupied. IL was empty. From
the window. az we looked out. we
could see the boat. almost n square
away. 1t had stopped where. the
above the food On the step was sit !
ting a forlorn yellow puppy. As we
stared Mr. Ladley stopped the boat. |
looked back at us. bent over. placed a 4
piece OF liver on platter and reached .
IT over TO the dog. Then. rising "a
the boat. be bowed. with his hat over
his heart. In our direction. sat down
calmly and rowed around the corner
out Of sight ]
Mr. Holcombe was in a frenzy Of
rage. He jumped up and down. shak-
ing his fist out Of the window after the
retreating boat. He ran down the
staircase. only 70 come back and look
out the window again. The police boat
was not ia sight but the Mcguire chill
dren had worked their raft around to
the street and were under the win
dow. lie leaned out and called to
them:
"A quarter each. boys he said. "if
you'il take me on that raft Ia the
nearest pavement
Money first said the oldest boy.
holding his cap.
Rut Mr.. HOlcombe did not wait He
SWING out over the window sill. hold
Ing by his hands. and liz fairly in the
Center ~ tae rSf;.
'TDon't touch anything in that room
sntii ! come back he called To me.
md. Jerking the pole from one OF the
boys. propelled the raft with amazing
speed down the street
The liver on the stove was burning.
There was 4 smell Of scorchinG through
the ROOMS and n sort Of BLUSH haze OF
smoke. / hurried back and took it OF.
- 81. 81. n
HOlcOmbe was back again i'm his own
boat. He had found ii at the end OF
the next street. where the food ceased,
but no sign OF Ladley anywhere. He
had not seen the police boat
Perhaps that Is just as we'll" he I
aid phiiosOphicaily. We can't go TO o
he police with n wet slipper and T.
hood stained rope and accuse a man OF
murder. We have to have a body n
He killed her" ! said obstlnately d
She told me yesterday be was fiend. Il
lie killed her and threw the body in e.
he water" u
Very likely. But he didn't throw 1t o.
ere" =
But in spite OF that he went over all
Ie lower hall with his boat. feeling
very foot OF the floor with an oar. W
I'D finally. at the back end. he looked 10
p at me as | stood on the stairs. ro
There's something here" he said.
/ went cold all over and had to clutch no
e railing. But when Terry had come ~,
ID the two Of them brought the thing o
the surface Il was only the dining -.
ON rug, which I had rolled up and -.
rgotten TO carry upstairs, -
At ! 30 Mr.. HolcOmbe wrote a note He
q sent IL OF with Terry and, Dor -,
wing my boots. which had been Mr.. 10
tman's. Investigated the dining room CO.
.