Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-12-29
CHAPTER IX--(Continued.l

There can be only one Inference
he said. The dead man is not bleed
ing-the cord did not cut the flesh.
The blood. then, must ave come from
the murderer. He must have been in
jured in some way-bleeding %profusely.
Look at this handkerchief--it is fairly
soaked"
am sure that, at hat instant. the
same thought was in Godfrey's mind
which flashed through mine, for our
eyes met. and there was a shadow in
his which I knew my w reflected.
Then ! glanced at Human. He was
looking at h handkerchief thought
fully, his lips tightly closed. 1 could
guess what he was thinking, but he
said nothing.
Goldberger laid the handkerchief on
h table, at last, and turne back to
aiming h blood spots, and when he
stood erect again there vas in his face
a strange excitement.
Lend me our glass, Simmonds,' he
said, and when Simmonds handed him
a small pocket magnifying glass, he
unfolded it and bent above the stains
again. scrutinizing each in turn. At
last he closed The glass with an m
phatic little snap. This case isn't go
ing to be so difficult, after ALL" he
said. Those spots are finger prints"
With an exclamation of aston.sh-
ment, Simmonds took the glass and
examined the stains; then he handed
It to Godfrey. who finally passed it on
to me. Looking through it, 1 saw that
~Goldberger was right. The stains had
been made by human fingers. Most of
them were mere smudges, but here and
there was one on which faint lines
could be dimly traced.
They're plenty clear enough for OH
purpose" said Goldberger; besides
they will come out much clearer in
photographs. It's lucky this stuff is
SO smooth n closely woven" he ad-
ded. lingering a corner OF the robe. "or
we wouldn't have got even those. It's
as hare and fine as silk"
"How do YOU suppose those marks
came there. Mr.. Go~ldberger?" Godfrey
asked, and there was in his tone a po-
lite scepticism which evidently an
noyed the m
Why. there's only one way they
wered i~mpatiently. They were put
there by h murderer's fingers as he
drew the cord tight. Do you see n
thing improbable in that?'
"Only that it seems too good to be
true" Godfrey answered. quietly, and
Goldberger. after looking at him a mo-
ment, turned away with a shrug of the
shoulders.
"See if you can get the cord loose,
Simmonds." he said,
The cord was in he form
Of a running moose. which had
been knotted to hold it in place
after being drawn tight. AL
though it had not cut the flesh of the
neck, it had sunk deeply into it, and
SimmOnds worked at the knot for some
moments without result. l suspect
his fingers were not quite as steady as
they might nave been; but it was evil
IDENTIFY an intricate knot.
That's a new II on me-" he said,
at last. Il can't get it loose"
Godfrey Vel close above it and
looked at it.
1T is a peculiar knot he agreed,
"If youth permit a suggestion. Mr.,
Goldberger, you'll cut tho cord and
leave the knot as it is. 1t may help us
to find the man who made IT"
You're right" agreed Goldberger
promptly. Cut the cord. Simmonds.'
Simmonds got out his pocket knife
opened it n Slipped the blade under
the cord. He looked at it a moment
and then handed it to Goldberger. The
latter examined it carefully.
Its stained with blood, too," he re-
marked. and passed it OIL to Godfrey.
ut looks like curtain cord" Godfrey
said, and made a little tour of the
room. "Ah!" he added. after "a moment
fro mthe door opening into the grounds
See here!"
I1c Wdo IOlx uP I'm EAN
cord by which the curtains covering the
upper part of the double doors We're
controlled.
You were right, Mr.. Coroner" he
said, Tin thinking that the murderer en-
tered by this door. for he stopped hero
n cut off a piece of this cord before
going into the Dom
Then he must also have stopped t.
make it into a moose remarked Gold
berger. If he did that, he was GER
tainly a cool customer. It's Il wonder
his victim didn't hear the noise NJ
made"
Making a knot isn't Il noisy opera
tioIi,' Godfrey pointed out; besides
the back Of the chair was toward thu
door. And then, of course it's possible
his victim did heal him."
"But then he would have jumped
from the CHAIR objected Simmonds.
Not necessarily. Suppose you were
sitting there, and heard a noise, AM
looked around and saw me STANDING
here. you wouldn't jump from the chair
would y0u?'
mo: I'd have no reason to jum1
from YOU"
Perhaps Vaughan thought he has
60 reason to jump from the man he
saw-if he saw anyone. I'm inclined u
think, however. that he didn't suspect
anyone else was in the room until NJ
felt the cord about his throat"
And, ot course" said Goldberger
taking the cord again and looking a
1t, .it was while the murderer was
making it into a moose with his blood.
stained fingers thai he stained It II
that Way. Don't you agree. Mr.. God
frey?'
THAT is a possible explanation.
Godfrey conceded.
but why did he make this SECOND
knot p inquired the coroner the kno
which holds the noose light and pre-