Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-12-30

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coroner picked up the rob- and held it
out at arms length.
What kind of a freak dress is this,
anyway" he asked.
It's a robe" said Godfrey. Mr..
Vaughan was a mystic"
"A what?"
"A mystic-a believer in Hinduism
or some other Oriental religion"
Did he dress this way all the time?"
Il believe Sc 1t is probably the
dress Of his order"
Goldberger rolled the rob up care
fully. n said nothing more; but /
could see from his expression that he
had ceased to wonder why Vaughan
had come to q strange and violent
end. Surely anything might happen to
a mystic. Then he placed the blood
stained 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
dld You happen to discover the crime?"
The question was asked carelessly,
but | could feel the alert mind behind
it. l knew h Godfrey felt it, too.
from the way in which he told the
story, for he old it carefully, and yet
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 it, told of the arrangements
for the rendezvous, dwelling upon it
lightly, as a owe affair which could
nave no connection with the tragedy.
He passed OF to his own arrival from
the city, to SWANS return from the
rendezvous, and finally to the screams
which had reached us, and to the dis
covery we had made when we burst
into the house.
Il summoned DIR. Human imme-
diately," he added, for Miss Vaughan
seemed to be in a serious conditions.
then I called Simmonds, and suggested
that he stop for you, Mr.. Coroner, for
l knew that the case would interest
you. DR.. Hinman arrived perhaps
half an hour ahead of you, and had
Miss Vaughan put to bed at once. And
l guess you know the rest" he con-
Guided.
We had all listened i%ntently. 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 that | was right to
do so.
Where is his man Swain?" he
asked.
He was suffering from the shock"
said Godfrey and Lester and DIR.
Hinman took him over to my place
and put him to bed. That's where they
We're when you got here"
II seemed to be suffering from a
slight concussion," Human eS-
planned. There "a a swelling on
one side of his head, as though some
one had struck him, and the pupils of
ms eyes were unsymmetrical. He had
also a cut on the wrist" he added,
after an instant's hesitation.
"a hfo rnf,N, ,n,ltnl C11Jl--u-. -,
a glance at Godfrey. Had it beer
bieeding?"
He cut himself when crossing the
WALL Godfrey explained; "a mere
scratch, but l believe it did bleed a
gooa deal"
"Ah!' said Goldberger again: and
then he turned to the doctor. Did I
understand you to say that he went
to sleepo'
He certainly did. / gave him a good
strong opiate to make sure of it,
ID you think he'll sleep till morn
ing"
Hell sleep nine or 10 hours. at
least"
Then that's all right said Gold
berger, n settled back in his chair
again. But didn't anybody live in
this house except that old man and
his daughter? Aren't there any
s~ervants?"
4 us pe SClile somewhere
about answered Godfrey, to whom the
question was addressed; but Lester
and | looked through the lower floor
and part of the upper one and didn't
find any. There's a bell there by the
door, but nobody answered when
rang. We didn't have time to go all
over the house. We did find one thing
though" he added, as if by AN after
thought.
What was that?"
There's an adept in one of the
rooms upstairs"
G~oldberger sat up and stared at him
AN adept?" he repeated. What's
that?"
An expert in mysticism. | iudpe
that Vaughan was his pupil
DO you mean he's a Hindu 2" asked
the coroner as though that would ex-
plain everything.
But Godfrey was having his revenge
II don't know whether he's a Hindu
or not" he said. airily. Il didn't get 8
very good look at him"
What was he doing?" Goldbergel
demanded.
HE was just sitting there
Again ~Goldberger stared at him, this
time suspiciously.
But, good heavens, mani" he cried
That was three or four hours ago!
You don't suppose he's sitting Their
yeti"
Yes" said Godfrey, drily, II thinl
he is"
Goldberger's face flushed. and hi
sprang to his feet impatiently.
Show me the ROOM" he commanded
Glad to-" said Godfrey laconically
and led the a Il into the hall.
The whole crowd tailed along aftel
him. AS l rose to follow, l saw tina
the outside world was turning gre,
!, with the approaching dawn.
The nurse, hearing our footsteps OF
the stairs. looked out in alarm, ant
E held up a warning finger. Godfre,
!, paused for a word with her.
How is she?" he asked.
Sleeping quietly" said the nurse
but please don't make any more nois,
than you can help"
I'VE won't" Godfrey promised, ar
crossed the hall to the door leading
into h little entry. Then he PAUSED
and looked around at Goldberger
Better go slow here" he cautioned
The adept has a pet cobra"
E "A snake?"
THE deadliest snake in the world.
Goldberger drew back a little, a.
did all the others.
Il don't think it will bite us
though" added Godfrey, cheerfully
IT we don't crowd it. It's sittint
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