Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-02-02

past the table and ~discovcrinG Miss
Vaughan"
You saw her father also?"
Yes: but ] merely glanced Mt him.
l realized that he was dead"
And you also have q distinct rccol-
lection that You did not approach him
or touch him.
II ann quite certain of that" an
sWered Swain, positively.
Then 1 give it up" said Godfrey,
and lay back in his chair.
There was u queer boiling of ideao
III my mind: ideas difficult to clotlc
with words. and composed of | know
not what farrago OF occultism, mysti-
cism, and Oriental magic; but at last
| managed to simmer them down Ia Il
timid questions:
II know it sounds foolish. but
wouldn't it be possible. Godfrey. 70
explain all this by hypnosis. or occult
Influence. or something of that sort?!'
Godfrey turned and looked at me.
Silva seems to have impressed
YOU" he said. has. But isn't such
an explanation possible??"
Il don't think so. L don't deny that
the Orientals have zone farther along
certain paths OF psychology than we
nave. but as to their possessing any
occult power. it is. in my opinion. all
bosh. AS for hypnosis. the best au-
thorities agree that no man can be
hNpnotised to do Il thing which. in his
normal condition.. would be profoundly
r%epugnanl TO him. Indeed. few men
can be hypnotised against their will.
10 be lypnotised, YOU have to Weld
Yourself. of course. the more you Yield
yourself. the weaker o grow, but
that doesn't apply to Swain. 1 shouldn't
advise You to use that line of algu-
ment to Il jury" he added, with u
smile. You'd better just leave the
whole thing up in the air."
:ANa11 ~ said ..Il1 mako fl,r l,ac+
light l can. l was hoping Swain could
help me; since he can't. Well nave to
trust to luck
Godfrey left us to get his story Of
the morning hearing into shape. ana
! fell into u gloomy revery. / could
See no way out of the maze: either
Swain had touched Vaughan's body,
or it had been touched by another man
with the same finger markings. I
sat suddenly upright. for if there was
such a man. he must be one of two
What is it" Swain asked. looking
at me.
"A long shot 1 said. AN exceeds
ingly long shot--a three-hundred-mil-
lion to one shot. How many people
are there in the world. SWAMI:
I'm sure l don't know and he
stared at me in bewilderment.
Il think it's something like a billion
and a half. 1t that is true then it's
possible that there are four people in
the world. beside yourself. with tho
thumb and two fingers OF the right
hand marked exactly as yours are"
We nus have a reunion. soms
day" Swain remarked. with irony.
But l refused to be diverted.
ALLOWING for imperceptible differA
ences." 1 went on, Il think it is sad
to assume that there are 10 uch peo1
pie"
Well" said Swain. bitterly. 4
know n thing that ii isn't safe I'd
assume. and that is that either of those
Hindus is one of those 10. 1 supposd
that is the assumption YOU will mako
next?'
It's an assumption l intend to put
to the proof anyway" l answered.,
somewhat testify. land if it fails, Tn
can dig up some more evidence
He turned toward me quickly. IL
face working.
See here. Mir. Lester he said
don't misunderstood me. I'm awfullg
grateful for all you're doing for me;
but l don't mind going to jail-not on
my w account. I'm innocent. and
LII be able to prove 1t in time. But
Marjorie mustn't be left alone. I'd be
ready To face anything IL l knew that
she was safe. She mustn't be left in
that house-not a single night. Prom
III, me llIII you IL tIHc Ilci WIFI YOU
AZ sooa AZ the inqueat's Overt"
IN promise that. Swain, gladly"
gaid. "providcd. OF course. the doctor
conBcnts.'
I'VE must get him." and Swain
sprang TO his feet. w must explain
I" him how IMPORTANT 1t is" ~.
phone" I said; but the person VINO
answered told me that he had already
started for the inquest. And. "A mo.
mcnt later, Mrs. Hargis tapped at tho
door OF the study and said that the
doctor WAS outside. 4 told her To show
him In at once.
"T,he truth H." said Hinman. shaking
hands with both Of us. II thought I'd
drop In to find out II there was any
thing 1 could do. No reasonable per-
on" he went on. turning To Swain,
believes you killed that ~dcfcnsclcss
old man: but those finger prints GER
tainly do puzzle me"
They puzzle me. too" said Swain:
but III prove my UNCONVENTIONAL 1t
Will take time"
1T looks to me-" said the doctor,
slowly. that about tho only way you
can prove your innocence liz to catch
the real murderer"
That's exactly what we're going to
try to do" ] asHented.
And meanwhile Mr.. Swain will be in
Jail?" asked the doctor.
Pm afraid there's nO help for It," /
admitted ruefully.
II waa just telling Mr.. Lester that I
didn't min that" said Swain earnestly,
that I could stand anything, IL / was
only sure that Miss Vaughan was safe.
Lester has arranged to place>he with
the family Of his partner. Mr.. Royce,
whore she will be properly taken care
OF. ls there II reason why shc