The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-12-16
CHAPTER VII.
THE TRAGEDY.

The wall was MASKED Oh lHS OthC'
side by a dense growth of shrubbery,
and struggling through this, 1 found
myself on the gravelled path where l
had seen Marjorie Vaughan. Before
me, along tins path, sped SHADOW
which l knew to be Godfrey, ana
followed at top speed. At the end or
moment, ! caught fash or hSht
among The treet, and knew that we
were nearing the house; but saw no
sign of Swain.
We came to the stretch of open lawn,
crossed it, and. guided by the light
found ourselves at the end OF snort
avenue OF trees. AT the other emu,
stream Of light poured from an OPEN
door, and against that light running
figure was silhouetted. Even as saw
1t, it bounded through the open door
and vanished.
IT'S Swain" gasped Godfrey. and
then we, too, were at That open door.
For an instant. | thought the room
was cmpty. TnCn. from behind tn!
table ia the centre, demonlaC, blood
stained figure rose into view, nolulnS
in it's arms white TObed woman. Win
a sort of nervous shock, l saw That the
man was Swain. and the woman Mar.
iorie Vaughan. \ thrill OF tear ran
through me as l saw now her head lei
backwards against her 3hOdlNsr, now
her arms hung limp.
without so much as a glance IN
our direction. he laid FER gently on ii
couch, fell to his knees beside H. an"
began TO chaie her wr!st3.
It was Godfrey who mastered himself
first, and VINO stepped forward 10
SWANS side.
rs she dead?'' he askCd
Swain shook his head impationtly,
without looking up
How is size hurt?" Godfrey persist
ed, bending closer above the Gn' on
scious girl.
Swain shot him one red glance.
"Shes not hurt" he said, hoarsely.
She has faintcd-thats all. Go away.
But Cooley did not go away. After
one burning look at SWANS lowering
face, he bent again above the still hg-
ure on the couch, and touched his I'm
gers to the temples. What ne saw or
felt seemed to reasSure him. for ms
voice was more composed when he
spoke again.
II think you're right, Swain" he said,
But we'd better call someone"
call away!" snarled Swain.
You mean there's no one mere
Surely her father. 80"
He stopped, for at the words Swain
had burst into a hoarse laugh.
Her father" he cried. "Oh. yes;
he's here! Call him! He's over there!
He made a wild gesture toward a
high backed easy chair beside the ia
bile, his eyes cleaning with an almost
fiendish excitement; then the gleain
faded, and he turned back to the gFl.
godfrey cast one astonished glance
at him and strobe to the chair. l saw
his face culver with sudden horror, !
cav him catch at the table for support
and for an instant he stood staring
down. Then he turned stiffly toward
me and motioned me to approach.
In the chair a man sat huddled for
ward-a gray haired man, clad In a
white robe. His hands were srlpplns
the chair arms as though in agony
His head hung down almost upon his
SILENTLY Godfrey reached down and
raised the head. And cry OF horror
burst from both Of US.
The face was purple with congested
blood, the tongue swollen and horribly
protruding, the eyes suffused and
Starting from their sockets. And then
al a motion from Godfrey's finger,
saw that about his neck cord was
tightly knotted. The man had been
strangled.
GODFREY. after a breathless moment
in which he made sure that the man
was quite dead, let the mead ran Tor
ward again. 1t turned me sick to see
how low 1t sagged, how limp 1t hung
And I saw that the collar or the white
robe was spotted with blood.
do not know what was In Godfrey
mind. but, by a common impulse. we
turned and looked at Swain. He was
stiII on his knees beside the couch. APP
parently he had forgotten our pres
ence. =,
"It's plain enough" said Godfrey, his
voice thick with emotion. She came
in and found the body. No wonder
she screamed like that! But where are
the servants? Where Is everybody
The Same thought was In my own
mind. The utter silence OF the mouse
the fact that no one came, added some
how, to the horror Of the moment
Those wild screams must have echoed
from cellar to garret-and yet no one
came! -. A.,
Godfrey made a rapid scrutiny OF the
room. which was evidently the library
with a double door opening upon the
grounds and another opposite opening
into the hall. On the wall beside the
inner door. he found an electric but
ton, and he pushed 1t for some mo-
ments, but there was no response.
AZ rang a bell, the bell was SO Tar away
that we could not hear 1t.
A heavy curtain hung across the
doorway. Godfrey pulled u aside ans