The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1915-10-28
CHAPTER WI.
A 0lt Of Steel.


When are you going to Judge o.
trander'sr
Tomorrow. This II my last Tree
day. So II there Is anything for mo to
Do, do tell me. Mr.. Black, and let me
get to work at once"
There II nothing you can do. The
natter II hopeless. I told you % the
ether night. and now. after a couple
of days Of thought on the subject. I
an obliged to repeat my assertion.
Your own convictions in the matter,
and your story Of the shadow and the
peaked cap may appeal to the public
and assure you some sympathy, but
tor IN entire reversal Of its opinion
you will need substantial and incon.
trovertible evidence. Find me some
thing definite to 60 upon and We will
talk"
Doubtfully she eyed him. What
you want" she observed at length, with
. sigh. "is tho name of the man who
sauntered down the ravine ahead of
my husband. l cannot give 1t to you
now. but I do not despair of learning
II have got to renew old acquain.
ances; revive old gossip: possibly, re-
call to life almost obliterated mem.
ories."
Mr.. Black. dropping his hand from
his vest, gave her his first look Of un-
qualified admiration.
you ring true" said he. II have
met men qualified to lead a forlorn
hope: but never before a woman. Al
low me to express my regret that It is
such forlorn one"
Mrs. scoville rose. Then she sat
down again. with the remark:
Il have a strange notion. It's hard
thing to explain and you may not un.
derstand me, but should like to see,
II 1t still exists, the stick-my hus.
bands stick-with which this crime
was committed. Do the police retain
such things? 10 there any possibility
Of my finding it laid away in some
drawer at headquarters or on some
dusty shelf"
Mr.. Black was again astonished.
Was this callousness or Q very deep
and determined purpose.
you shall see the stick II it Is still
to be found. l will take you to police
headquarters II you will 60 heavily
yelled. We don't want any recoeni.
ton Of you there yet"
"Mr. Black, you are very good. How
soon"
Now" he announced. jumping up
to get his hat.
There was one little fact of which
Mr.. Black was ignorant-that the DO
lice had had their eye on the yelled
lady at Claymore inn for several DAYS
now and knew who his companion was
the instant they stepped into head.
quarters. In vain his plausible ex.
cuses for showing his lady friend the
curiosities of the place; her interest
in the details of criminology was well
understood by Sergeant Doolittle.
Therefore. when he saw the small.
mocking eye Of the lawyer begin to
roam over the shelves. and beheld his
Jaw drop a. 1t sometimes did when he
sought to veil his purpose in an air Of
mild preoccupation. he knew what the
0SAs AoQoSSl WOuIu Uo, 3b well as II
the low sounds which left Mr.. Blacks
lips at intervals had been words in
stead Of inarticulate grunts. He was.
therefore. prepared when the question
did come.
ANY memorial of the Etheridse
case?"
Nothing but stick With blood
marks on It. That, I'm afraid, wouldn't
b . very agreeable sight for a lady's
eye"
She's proof" the lawyer whispered
In the officers ear. Let's see the
stick"
The sergeant considered this 4 very
interesting experience-quite q Jolly
break In the duh monotony of the day.
Hunting up the stick. ne laid It in the
lawyers hands. and then turned his
sye upon the lady.
She had gone pale. but 1t took her
bat an instant to re gain her equanimi.
u and hold out her own hand for the
weapon.
And 20 the three stood there, the
meas faces ironic. inquisitive, won
6ering at the woman's phlegm II not
u hof motive: hers. hidden behind her
~, ut ba04 forward over the weapon