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

Slnlle, as OF Il man ~apologising for do
ing an unpleasant duty. and ] uNrne(
TO find Swain standing there. his face
lined with perpleXity.
You heard?' I asked.
Yes; and believe Mr.. Sylvester is
right. / can't understand it,"
Well I said, suppose we go ano
hay" some lunch. and then We cor
talk 1T over and thanking Sylvester
for his courtesy, ] led Swain away
Godfrey fell into step beside us. and
for some moments we walked on in
silence.
"Therc is only ono explanation that
l can see" said Godfrey, al last
swain. o remember. got to the Ii
Drafy about a minute ahead of us, and
when we reached the door he was lift :
ing Miss Vaughan to the couch. In
mat minute, he must ave touched
the dead man.
Swain shook his head doubtfully.
II don't see why | should have done
that" he said.
Ut II a question of why you did
IT. Godfrey pointed out. Its a ques-
ton of whether you did. Go over the
scene i'm your mind, recalling as many
over 1T together. step by step, after
lunch"
1T was n silent meal. and when it
was over Godfrey led the way into his
study.
Now" he began. when we were
seated, where was Miss Vaughan at
the moment you sprang through the
door?"
SHE was lying on the floor by the
table, in front of her fathers chair"
Swain replied.
You are sure of that?'
Yes; / didn't see her until l ran
around the table,"
Il was hoping" said Godfrey, that
h had tainted with her arms ciasped
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 l didn't
touch him."
Then how did the marks get
there?"
II don't know" said Swain HELPLESS
Nov. see here, SWAIN" said God
frey, a little sternly, there is only one
way in which those finger prints could
have got on h a garment. and that
is from your fingers. If you didn't
put them there consciously, you must
aren't explained in some way, the jury
will very probably old you respon-
sible for the crime"
Il understand that" Swain answered
thickly; but how can they be ex-
planned? don't see why 1 should put
my hands on Mr.. Vaughan's throat,
even unconsciously. And Their there's
the fact that at no time during the
evening was ] really unconscious-I
was only confused and dazed."
"Goldberger's theory is plain
enough" said Godfrey, turning to me;
and / must say hat it's a good one.
lie realizes that there wasn't provo
F Dffn nnn1 Srv m $1,000. 81
Swain to commit murder, with all his
senses about him.; but his presumD-
ton is that the crime was committed
while Swain was in n daZed condition
and not wholly self-controllcd. such
a thing is possible"
NO, 1t isn't" cried Swain, his face
ivid. ut isn't possible! I'm not a
murderer. / remember everything
else-do you think 1 wouldn't rclnem-
Der a thing like that!"
Il don know what to think" God
trey admitted. "a straight line between
his brows. Besides. there's tho hand
k%erchief."
said Swain. There's only one way
that could have come there. it
dropped from my wrist when / stoopcd
over Miss Vaughan"
Godfrey looked at me, and | nodded.
Swain might as well know the wornt.
That would be an explanation. sure
enough" said Godfrey, slowly. but for
n fact-you didn't have my band
z on your wrist when you came back
over the wall. Both Lester and saw
your wrist and the cut IN 1t distinctly.
Therefore, II you dropped the hnndker-
chief there. IT must have been before
that"
The blood had run from swnin.s
cheeks, as though drained by m open
artery. n for Il moment nc nat Ill
ent, staring ut the speaker. Then ne
raised his trembling right hand and
looked Mt 1t. Il though II might bear
some mark to tell him whether II
were Indeed guilty.
"But-but don't understand" he
fntimate-you don believe--but I
wasn't Unconscious. / toll you! 1
wasn't near the house until after We
heard the screams! I'm sure OF II!
ia stake my soul on III"
"Get q grip OF yourself. SWAIN" said
self go like that. No. ! don't believe
you killed Vaughan. consciously
or unconsciously. said ~Goldbergcr's
theory was a good one. mud It is; but
don't believe II. My belief Ia that
the murder Yns done by the Thug:
there's nothing to support It. ex-
ground and that a noose was used.
There's not a bit Of direct evidence to
connect him with tho crime. and there's
q lot of direct evidence to n
you with u. 1!!iar up TO W to explain
1t away. Now. think carefully before
you answer my questions: Have you
any recollection, however faint. OF
having seen Mahbub before this morn
ing"
Swain sat for Quite,a minute search
ing his CONSEQUENCES. Then. to my
great disappointment. he shook his
head.