Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-03-25
CHAPTER VII.
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 its opinion
you will need substantial and incon-
troYertible 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, is the name of the man who
sauntered down the ravine ahead of
my husband. / cannot give it to you
now, but / do not despair Of learning
It. / have got to renew old acquain-
tances; revive old gossip; possibly, re-
call to life almost obliterated mem
cries"
Mr.. Black, dropping his hand from
his vest, gave her his first look of I'M
qualified admiration.
You ring true" said he. 'T 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 a forIorn one"
Mrs. Scoville rose. Then she sat
down again, with the remark:
i have strange notion. It's hard
thing to explain and you may not I'M
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"
Mr.. 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-
lion 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
Mir. 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.
knocking eye of the lawyer begin to
roam over the shelves, and beheId 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 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 Etheridge
case?"
Nothing but a stick with blood
marks on it. That, I'm afraid, wouldn't
be a very agreeable sight for lady's
eye"
She's proof" the lawyer whispered
in the officers ear. Lets see the
stick"
The sergeant considered this a very
interesting experience-quite a jolly
break in the dun monotony of the day.
Hunting up the stick, he 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 regain her equanimi-
y and hold out her own hand for the
weapon.
And so the three stood there, the
mems faces ironic, inQuisitive, Won
dering at the woman's phlegm if not
at her motive; hers, hidden behind her
veil, but bent forward over the weapon