Williams news., 1915-06-10
CHAPTER. Vii.
A Bit. of Steel.

A Bit of Steel.
 When are you going to Judge os- trander's?"
 Tomorrow. This is my last free day. So if there is anything for me to do, do tell me, Mr. Black, and let me get to work at once"
 There is nothing you can do. The matter is. hopeless. told you so the other night, and now, after a couple of days of thought on the subject. am 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 for an entire reversal of it's opinion you. will need substantial and incon- trovertible evidence. Find me some thing definite to go upon and we will talk"
 Doubtfully she eyed him. What you want" she observed at length, with sigh, lis the name of the man who sauntered down the ravine ahead of my husband. I cannot give it to you now. but do not despair of learning It. l have got to renew old acquain- tances; revive old gossip; possibly, re- call to life almost ;obliterated mem- ories.''
 MT. Black, dropping his hand from his vest, gave her his first look of un- qualified admiration.
 F You ring, true," said he 'I have met men qualified to lead a forlorn hope; but never before woman. Al low me to express my regret that it is such a forlorn one"
 Mrs Scoville rose. Then she sat down again. with the remark:
 T have strange notion. It's a hard thing to explain and you may not un- derstand me, but I should like to see, If it still exists, the stick-my hus- bands stick-with which this crime was committed. Do the police retain such things? Is there any possibility of my finding it laid away in some drawer at headquarters or on some dusty shelf?"
 MT. Black was again astonished. Was this callousness or a very deep and determined purpose
 You shall see the stick if it is still to be found. I will take you to police headquarters if you will go heavily yelled. We don't want any recogni- tion of you there yet"
 MT. Black. you are very good. How soon-'
 Now" he announced, jumping up to get his hat
 There was one little fact of which MT. Black was ignorant-that the po- 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 we'll 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 as it sometimes did when he sought to veil his purpose in an air of mild preoccupation, he knew what the next request would be, as we'll as if the low sounds which left MT. 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 Etheridge case?"
 Nothing but a stick with blood marks on it. That, Pm afraid, wouldn't t be a 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 a very Interesting experience-quite a jolly break in the duh monotony of the day. Hunting up the stick, ne laid it in the lawyers hands, and then turned his eye upon the lady
 She had gone pale, but it took her but an instant to ro gain her equanimi- ty and hold out her dMHaad for the weapon. as.
 And so the three stoodsl thsT mems faces ironic, inquisitive : I6H dering at the womans phlegm if not at her motive; hers, hidden behind he1 veil, but bent forward over the weapon