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

Its no little trick to tie Il knot like
mat Godfrey added. thoughtfully. Il
should like to study it,"
AN right" agreed Goldberger, You
ne got a heavy manila envelope out of
ms pocket and, placed the cord care
Iully inside. Nov we must get that
robe Off. We can't run any risk of
having those finger prints smeared.'
1t was a difficult job and a revolt
ing one, for the body had stiffened into
lts huddled posture, but at last the
lying at full length on it's back on the
couch. Seen thus, with the light full
on IL, the face was horrible. and Cold
berger laid his handkerchief over the
swollen n distorted features. while,
at a sign from him, Simmonds pulled
down the portiere from the inner door
and placed it over the body. Then the
coroner picked up the robe and held it
out at arms length.
What kind of Il freak dress is this,
anyway" he asked.
It's a robe" said Godfrey. MIR.
Vaughan was Il mystic
a WHAT"
"A mystic-a believer in Hinduism
or some other Oriental religion"
Did he dress this way all the timecc"
Il believ so. 1t is probably the
dress of his order"
Goldberger rolled the rob up care
fully. n said nothing more; but 1
could see from his expression that he
mad ceased to wonder why Vaughan
had come to a strange and violent
end. Surely anything might happen to
Il mystic! Then he placed the blood
ain handkerchief in another envel-
ope. and finally put his hand in his
pocket and brought out half a dozen
cigars.
"Now." he said, lets sit down and
rest awhile. Simmonds tells me it was
You who called him, Mr.. Godfrey. How
did you happen to discover the crime?"
The question was asked c~arelcssiy.
but l could feel the alert mind behind
it. I knew that Godfrey felt it, too.
from the way in which he told the
story, for he old it carefully, and vet
with an air of keeping nothing back.
OF the mysterious light he said Moth
ing, but. starting with my finding of
the letter and ~summoning Swain to
receive 1T, told of the arrangements
for the rendezvous, dwelling upon it
lightly. as a love affair which could
have no connection with the tragedy.
He passed on to his own arrival from
the city. to SWANS return from the
rendezvous. II finally to the screams
which had reached us. n to the dis
covery we had mad when we burst
into the house.
Il summoned DR.. Human imme-
diately." he added, for Miss Vaughan
seemed to be in a serious condition:
then l called Simmonds. and suggested
knew that the case would interest
you. DR.. Human arrived perhaps
half an hour ahead of you. and had
Miss Vaughan put to bed at once. And
l guess O know the rest" he con-
Guided.
We had all listened intently. was
pretty sure that Simmonds would make
no differences which Godfrey wished
to avoid: but l feared the more pene-
trating mind of the coroner. His first
question proved hat I was right To
do SO.
Where is this man Swain" he
asked.
He was suffering from the shock
said Godfrey and Lester and DIR.
Human took him over to my place
and put him to bed. That's where they
We're when you got here"
H seemed to be suffering from n
slight concussion," Hinman ex-
planned. There was a swelling or
one side of his head, as though some
his eyes We're unsymmetrical. IIe had
also a cut on h wrist" he added
after an instant's hesitation.
"Ah!" commented Goldberger, witt,
a glance at Godfrey. "Had it been
bleeding"
He cut himself when crossing The
wall" Godfrey explained: "a mere
scratch, out l believe it did bleed 81
good deal"
"Ah!" said Goldberger again; and
then he turned to the doctor. Did
to Sleep"
He certainly did 1 gave him a soot
L re ,n n ~ y,Snfo fo n01,0 e,,,, - -.
do o think he'll sleep till morn
ing?"
Hell sleep nine or 10 hours, u,
least"
Then that's all right" said Gold.
berger, and settled back in his cha:,
again. But didn't anybody live i.
this house except that old man ant
his. daughter? Aren't there an;
servants"
There must be some sonlewhcre
about" answered Godfrey, to whom thu
question was addressed; but Lester
and l looked through the lower flooi
and part of the upper one and didn't
find any. There's a bell there b. the
door, but nobody answered when
rang. We didn't have time to go nj
over the house. We did find one thing
though" he added. as if by an afte:.
thought.
What was that?"
There's an adept in one OF thu
rooms upstairs"
Goldberger sat up and stared at him
IAN adept?" he repeated. What:
that:"
IAN expert in mysticism. . judg.
that Vaughan was his pupil"
do you mean he's a Hindu" aslSe.
the coroner, as though that would ex
plain everything.
But Godfrey was having his revenge
II don't know whether he's a Hind.