River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-02-15
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(cOntlnGeQ from page y
nature Of this machine lis vons;riit-
ton and purpose alike-was unknown
to SoameS. he had no basis upon which
to erect SlIrmiSeS for good or ILL.,
He had been away from the fat for
over all hour. and he doubted if even
the lax sense Of discipline possessed by
Mr.. LeroUy would enable that gentle
man to overlook this irregularity
Soames had a key Of the outer door.
and lie built his hopes upon the posi-
bility that Leroux had not noticed his
absence and would not hear his return
He opened the door very quietly, but
had scarcely set his foot in the lobby
ere the dreadful, unfOrgettable scene
met his gaze.
For more years than he could remem-
Der he had lived in dread of the law,
and III Luke Soames' philosophy the
words Satan and detective were inter
changeable. Now before his eyes was
a palpabe, unmistakable police officer
and on the floor
Just one glimpse he permitted him
self. and il a voice that seemed to
reach him from vast distance the de-
tective was addressing him!
Sinking to his room With his craven
heart missing every fourth beat and
his mind III chaos. Soames sank down
upon the bed, locked his hands togeth
er and Rugged them convulsiyely be
tween his knees.
1t was come! He had overstepped
that almost invisible boundary line
which divides indiscretion from crime
lie knew now that the voice within
him, the voice which had warned him
against Gianapolis and against becom-
ing involved in what dimly he bad
perceived to be an elaborate scheme.
had been not the voice of cowardice (as
he had supposed, but that of prudence
And it was too late. The dead wo.
man, he told himself-he had been un-
able to see her very clearly-undOubt-
eddy was Mrs. Leroux. What in heav
ems name had happened? Probably her
husband had killed her. which
meant? 1t meant that proofs-proofs-
were come into his possession. and who
should be involved, entanged in the
meshes of this fallen conspiracy. but
himself. Luke Soames?
AS must be abundantly evident.
Soames was not Il criminal of the dar
ing type. He did not believe in reach
ing out for anything until he was well
assured that lie could. if necessary.
draw back his hand. This last venture,
this regrettable venture-this ruinOuS
venture-had been Il mistake. He had
entered into it under the glamour of
Gianapolis' personality. OF what use.
now, to him was his swelling bank bal
ance?
But in Justice to the mental capacity
Of Soames it must be admitted that he
had not entirely overlooked such pos
sibility as this; he had simply refrain
ed. for the good of his health, from
contemplating it.
Long before he had observed with
interest that should an emergency
arise (such as a fire. means Of egress
had been placed by the kindly archi
tect adjacent to his bedroom window
Thus his departure on the night OF
the murder was not the fruit Of sud
den scheme. but OF one we'll matured.
Closing and locking his bedroom door,
SoameS threw out upon the bed the Ell
tire contents Of his trunk. selected
those things which he considered indis
penSable and those which might con
stitute clews. He hastily packed his
grip. and with last glance about the
room and some seconds of breathleSS
listening at the door he attached to the
handle a long piece Of cord. which at
some time had been tied about his
trunk. and. gently opening the window.
lowered the grip into the courtyard be
Meath. The light he had already eX
iinguished. and with the conviction
dwelling in his bosom that in some
way he was become accessory to a
nurder-that he was a man shortly to
| De pursued by the police of the civ
iized world-he descended the skeleton
| lift shaft. picked up his grip and pass
| ed out under the archway into the lane
at the back of Palace mansions and
! st. Andrews mansions.
He did not proceed in the direction
| which would have brought him out
| into the square. but elected to emerge
/ through the other end. At exactly the
moment that Inspector Dunbar rushed
Into his vacated room Mr.. Soames.
grip in hand. was mounting to the top
of a southwark bound bus at the cor
ner Of Parliament street
He was conscious of a need for re
lection, He longed to sit in some Sc
| Guided spot in order to think. At
present his brain was mere whirligig.
and all things about him seemingly
| danced to the same tune. stationary
objects were become unstable in the
eyes of Soames. and the solid earth
burst free Of its moOrings. no longer
afforded him a safe foothOld There
was a humming in his ears. and mist
foated before his eyes. BY the time