The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-02-03

e4aI minute, he must have touched
TIE dead man"
Swain shook his head doubtfurly.
Il don't see why / should have done
| that" he said.
1t isn't q question OF why you did
~ Godfrey pointed cut. It's a eues1
1lon OF whether Q did. Go over the
scene in your mind. recalling as nany
lunch"
1t was a silent meal. and when II
was over, Godfrey led the way into his
| study.
Now. he began. when we were
door?r -
She was lying on the floor BY the
table. in front OF her fathers chair"
Swain replied
You are sure OF that?s
Yes: I didn't sec her until I ran
around the table"
Il was hoping" said Godfrey. shat
she had tainted with her arms clasped
about her fathers neck and that, in
freeing them, you made those marks
on his robe"
But Swain shook his head.
No" he said; I'm positive I didn't
touch him"
Then how did the marks get
there?'
Il don't know" said Swain helpless
~.
NOW. see here. Swain" said God
frey. a little sternly. there is. only one
way in which those finger prints could
nave got on that garment, and that
Is from your fingers If you diGn't
put them there consciously. you must
have done so -unconsciusiy. II thew
aren't explained in some way, the Jury
win very probably hold you respon-
sfGle for the crime"
u understand that" Swain answered
thfckly; but how can they be ex-
plained2 1 don't see why I should put
my hands on MIR. yaughan's threat.
even unconsciously- And then there's
the fact that at no time during the
evening was I really unconscious
was only confused and dazed."
"~Goldberger'S theory Is plain
enough" said Godfrey, turning to me:
and l must say thai it's a good one.
He realizes thai there wasn't provo
cation enough to cause q mar like
Swain TO commit murder, with all his
senses about him; but his presump-
ton is that the crime was committed
while Swain was In a dazed condition
and not wholly self-controlled. Such
a thing Is possible"
No, it isn't" cried Swain. his face
liyfd. 1T isn't possfbles I'm not a
murderer. l remember everything
else-do YOU think I wouldn't remeru-
Der a thing like thatI'
Il don't know what to think God
Trey admitted. q straight line between
his rows. Besides. there's the hand
kerchief."
i don't see n mystery about that"
said Swain. There's only one way
that could have come there. It
dropped from my wrist when 1 stopped
over Miss Vaughan"
Godfrey looked al me, and I nodded
Swain might as well know the worst.
That would be an explanation, sure
enough" said Godfrey, slowly. but for
one fact-you didn't have n band
age on your wrist when you came back
over the wall. Both Lester and I saw
Your wrist and the cut on IT distinctly.
Therefore, If you dropped the handker-
CHIEF there, it must have been before
that"
The blood a u from SWANS
cheeks, as though drained by an open
artery, and for a moment ne sill
ent, staring at the speaker. Then he
raised his trembling right hand and
looked at 1t, as though It might bear
some mark 10 tell him whether il
were indeed guilty.
"But-but I don't understand" he
cried thickly. "fou-you don't mean to
tntimat-you don't belieye-bur I
wasn't unconscious. tell you! I
wasn't near the house until after we
heard q screamsi Pm sure OF il!
I'd stake my soul on i'll"
Get a grip of yourself, Swain" said
Godfrey, soothingiy. Don't let our
self go like that No, 1 don't believe
you killed Vaughan, consciously
or unconsciously. 1 said Goldbergers
heory was g good one, and il is: but
| don't believe 1t. My belief is that
the murder vas lone by the Thug:
out there's nothing 70 support it, ex-
cept the fact that he was on the
ground M that a moose was used.
There's not a bit Of direct evidence to
connect him with the crime, and there's
q lot OF direct evidence TO connect
you with it. Its up TO US to explain
II away. Now, think carefully before
You answer my questions: Have you
any recollection, however faint, OF
Eav1ng e Mahbuo before this morn
ing?"
Swat sat for quite a minute search
ing MS consciousness Then, to my
head
No" ne said: Il am sure I never
saw him before"
Nor SILVIA"
NO. nor Silva-except. Of course. the
time. three or four months ago, when
hee gave me Mr.. Vaughan's message"
Have you a distinct recollection
Il the library was empty when you
sprang into it,"
Yes; very distinct. I remember
-uoalnS ABOUT It. ana CaeU running
past the table and discovering Miss
Vaughan"
You saw her father also?"
Yes; but l merely glanced at him.
l realized that he was dead"
And you also haye a distinct recol-
lection that You did not approach him
or touch him.
Il am quite certain OF that" an
swered Swain. positively.
Then / give IL up" said Godfrey.
and lay back in his chair.
Tkere was a queer boiling OF ideas
in my mind; ideas difficult to clothe
with words. and composed OF 1 know
not what farrago OF occultism, mysti-
cism, and Oriental magic; but at last
| managed to simmer them down to a
timid question:
I know 1t sounds foolish. but
wouldn't 1t be possible, Godfrey, TO
explain all this by hypnosis. or occult
InIiuence. or something Of that sort?"