The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1915-04-09

/ nettlo0 toeS No unoulo nave entlctp9teo
me even % much in he case. But
you haven't heard the latest"
what - IT." be asked with provok.
Ing calmness.
Taylor Dodgs."I blurtsd ont. has
the clue. Tomorrow 10 viii track down
the mani
Kennedy fairly jumped - ! repeat
ed the news.
How long has be known!" he de-
manded eagerly.
Perhaps three Or four hours." has.
srded.
Kennedy Gsxsd at mo nxediy.
Then Taylor Dodge 10 deadl" he
exclaimed. throwing Oh his acid-stained
laboratory Jacket. and hurryins into
his street clothes.
"lmpossible!" ] calculated.
Kennedy paid NO attention to the OBJ
lection. Come. Walter" he urged.
I'VE must hurry before the trail gets
cold"
There was something positively un-
canny about Kennedy's assurance. l
doubted-yet I feared.
Il was well past the middle Of tho
night when We pulled up In . night
hawk taxicab before the Dodge house.
mounted the steps and rang the bell.
Jennings answered sleepily. but not
30 much 90 that he did not recognize
me. He was about to bang the door
shut when Kennedy interposed his
foot.
Where 10 Mr.. Dodge?" asked Ken.
nedy. rs he all rishtf"
"Of course no is-in bed" replied
the butler.
Just then We heard faint cry, like
nothing exactly human. Or was 1t our
heightened imagination. under the
spell Of the darkness?
"Ldsten!" cautioned Kennedy.
We did, standing there now In the
hall. Kennedy was the only one Of us
who was cool. Jennings face blanched.
then he turned tremblingly and went
down to the library door. whence the
sounds had seemed to come.
He called. but there was no answer.
He turned the knob and opened the
door. The Dodge library was large
room. In the center stood big. fat
topped desk Of heavy mahogany. 1t
was brilliantly lighted.
At one end OF the desk was tele-
phone. Taylor Dodge was lying on the
floor at that end Of the desk-perfect-
ly rigid-his face distorted-a CHASTITY
figure. A pet dog ran over, shifted
frantically at his masters legs and
suddenly began to howl dismally.
Dodge was dead!
"Help!" shouted Jennings.
Others of the servants came rush
ing in. There was. for the moment,
the greatest excitement and confu-
sion.
Suddenly n wild figure In flying gar.
ments fitted down the stairs and into
the library. dropping beside the dead
man. without seeming to notice W at
all.
"Fatheri" shrieked . woman's voice.
heart. broken. Father! Oh-my God
-he-he 10 dead"
Il was Elaine Dodge.
WIN y Highly kuG uctohS GIL
seemed to pull herself together.
Jennings" she cried. call Mr.. Ben.
nett-immediatelyi"
From the one-sided. excited CONVEX
sation Of the butler over the telephone.
! gathered that Bennett had been In
the process Of disrobins in his own
apartment uptown. and would be right
down.
Together. Kennedy. Elaine and my.
self lifted Dodge to sofa and Elaine's
aunt. Josephine. with whom she lived.
appeared on the scene. trying to quiet
the sobbinS girl.
Kennedy and I withdrew little way.
and he looked about curiously.
what was III" whispered. WAS
II natural. an accident. or-or muir
derf The word seemed to stick In
my throat. II II was = murder. what
was the motive! Could It have been
10 get the evidence which Dodge had
that would incriminate the master
criminal?
Kennedy moved over quietly and ex.
amined tho body Of Dodge. when he
rose his face had . peculiar look.
"Terrible!" he whispered to me.
Apparently he had been working at
his accustomed place at the desk when
the telephone rang. He rose and
crossed over to II. See! That brought
his feet on this register let into the
floor. A he took the telephone re-
ceiver down . fash Of light must have
shot from II to his ear. II shows tho
Characteristic electric burn"
"The motive!" ! Queried.
Evidently his pockets had been
gone through. though none Of the valu.
ables were missing. Things on his
desk show that . hssty search has
been made"
Just then tho door opened and Ben.
nett burst In.
A he stood over the body. casing
down At II. depressing the emotions Of
. strong man. he turned to Elaine. and
In . low voice exclaimed: The