The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-12-30
n De1ecffJe Story
CHAPTER Ix-(Continued.o

!uS-tue cora Q1Q not cut the IlSSI.
The blood, then, must have come from
the murderer. He must nave been in
jured in some way-bleeding ~profusely.
Look at this handkerchief-it is fairly
! soaked"
/ am sure that, at that instant, the
same thought was in Godfreys mind
which flashed through mine, for our
eyes met, and there was a shadow ! n
his which l knew my own reflected.
Then / glanced at Hinman. He was
looking at the handkerchief thought
fully, his lips tightly closed. U
guess what he was thinking, but he
said nothing.
G~oldberger laid the handkerchief on
the table. at last, and turned back to
the body. He bent close about it, ex-
aiming h blood spots, and when he
stood erect again there was in his face
a strange excitement.
Lend me your glass, Simmonds," he
a small pocket ma~gnifying glass, he
unfolded it and ben above the stains
again. scrutinizing each in turn. At
last he closed the glass with an en-
phatic little snap. This S isn't go
ing to be so difficult, after all" he
said. Those spots are finger prints"
With an exclamation of %astonish-
ment, Simmonds took the glass and
examined the stains; then he handed
1t to Godfrey, who finally passed 1t on
to me. Looking through it, l saw that
Goldberger was right. The stains had
been made by human fingers. Most Of
them were mere smudges, but here and
there was n on which faint lines
could be dimly traced.
They're plenty clear enough for our
! purpose" a Goldberger; besides
they will come out much clearer in
photographs. It's lucky this stuff is
SO smooth and closely woven" he adj
1nI f,Nol-S,,r - ~ ~ fhn rnhn sop
we wouldn't have got even those. It's
as hard and fine as silk"
How do you Suppose those marks
came there, Mr.. Goldberger" Godfrey
asked, and there was in his tone a po-
lite scepticism which evidently an
| noyed the coroner.
Why, there's only n way they
could come there" Goldberger ans
wered impatiently. They were put
there by the murderer's fingers as lie
drew the cord tight. Do you see any
thing improbable in that?"
Only that it seems too good to be
true" Godfrey answered, quietly, and
Goldberger, after looking at him a mo-
ment, turned away with a shrug of the
shoulders.
See if you can get the cord loose,
Simmonds," ne said.
The cord was in the form
of a running moose, which had
been knotted to hold it in place
after being drawn tight. AL
| though it bad not cut the flesh of tho
neck, it had sunk deeply into it, and
Simmonds worked at the knot for some
moments without result l suspect
his fingers were not quite as steady as
they might have been; but it was evil
IDENTIFY an intricate knot.
That's a new one on me" he said
at last. Il can't get it loose"
Godfrey bent close above it and
looked at it.
st is a peculiar knot" he agreed
Goldberger, you'll cut the cord and
I leave the knot as it is. 1t may help Us
to find the mar who made it."
You're right" agreed Goldberger
promptly. Cut the cord, simmonds.'
Simmonds got out his pocket knife
opened it and slipped the blade under
the cord. He looked at it a moment
and then handed it to Goldberger. The
latter examined it carefully.
Its stained with blood, too he re-
marked. and passed it on to Godfrey.
1T looks like curtain cord" Godfrey
said, and made a little tour of the
room. "Ah!" he added, after a moment
fro mthe door opening into the grounds
See here!"
He was holding up the end of the
cord by which the curtains covering the
upper part of the double doors were
controlled.
You were right, Mr.. Coroner" M
! said, lin thinking that the murderer en-
tered by his door, for he stopped here
and cut off a piece of this cord before
going into the room"
Then he must also have stopped t.
make it into a moose" remarked Gold.
berger. IF he did that. he was Ger.
tainlE Q cool customer. It's a wondel
his victim didn't hear he noise ht
made"
Making Il knot ism a noisy opera.
ton" Godfrey pointed out: besides
the sack of the chair vas toward tn,
door. And then, of course, it's possible
his victim did hear him."
But then he would have jumped
from the chair" objected Simmonds.
Not necessarily. Suppose you wer,
sitting there, and heard a noise, ant
looked around and saw me standing
here, you wouldn't jump from the chair
would you?"
NO; I'd have no reason to juml
from YOU"
perhaps Vaughan thought he hat
no reason to jump from the man h,
saw--if he saw anyone. I'm inclined t
think, however. that he didn't suspec
anyone else was in the room until IL
felt the cord about his throat"
And, Of course said Goldberger
taking the cord again and looking a
it, 1T was while the murderer Wa
making it into a moose with his blood
stained fingers that he stained it il
that way. Don't you agree, Mr.. God
frey p"
That is a possible explanation,
Godfrey conceded.
But why did he make this secon'
knott" inquired the coroner: the lno
which holds the moose tight and pre-
vents it from slipping%
III he hadn't knotted it like thai h
would nave had to stand there holdin
it unit! his victim was dead. AS it was
he didn't rave to wait
shivered a little at the thought o
the scoundrel calmly tying the knot t
secure his moose, n then leaving hi
victim to twitch his life out.
It's no little trick to tie a M Xix
that Godfrey added. t~houghtfully. Z"
should like to study it"
All right" agreed Goldberger. "yo
can have it whenever you want it" an
he got a heavy manila envelope out Q
his pocket and placed the cord care
fully inside. Now we must get tina
robe off. We can't run any risk c
having those finger prints smeared.'
1t was a difficult Job and a revolt
ing one. for the body had stiffened int