Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1918-07-05
Dual was speaking.

such an edge would be to approach
the edge himself and look over. And
because 1t was dark he would exer.
else caution. That he did so we can
see by the fact that he pushed the
body over rather than having held il
up and thrown it out and down. He
would in all probability creep for
ward and seek to look over. Look
for the marks of hands rather than
feet here. Gordon"
He was right.
saw it even while he was speak
ing. Heffy heard, too, and joined in
the search a little way beyond Dual,
on the other side of the spot where !
was working. We all began to scan
the sandy soil along the edge, seeking
| If possible to determine IL some one
had knelt there, rested his weight on
his hands, and peered down into the
night-filled chasm, into which he had
cast his fellow.
! bent and scanned the reddish
brown sand closely. hunting for the
print of a hand If, perchance, 1t
should be there.
And it was! ! found 1t. Close to
the edge, pressed well into the sur
face, the mark of thumb and five
fingers, spread out to support the
weight of the body which had rested
upon it, until it resmblei almost the
impression of the claw of huge bird.
/ caught my breath as l found it.,
and Semi Dual heard. He lifted his
eyes, and they met mine. / nodded.
At once he came over and sank down
beside me. Together we studied the
thing / had found.
"You were right-you always are
right" l said in voice which trem-
bled. He knelt here and rested on
his hand and looked over, and the
darkness kept him from seeing the
ledge-and the body caught on it..
See. Semi, it is the mark of hand
with long, slender fingers and mar
row palm!"
My friend nodded. zone of the
fingers is partly missing" he pointed
out.
You mean in the print or on the
hand?" l questioned quickly. L, too,
had noticed that the mark OF the little
finger was short out of all proportion
to the others.
From the hand itself. A valua-
BILE clue" said Semi. observe, Cor
don, that the soil at the end of the
short finger has not been disturbed
any more than that about the others
The man who made this has lost u
part of one finger-the last on his left
hand"
Sufficient for identification In It.
SELF" l suggested.
Conclusive with the footprints"
said Dual.
"No doubt about it." agreed Os.
borne with emphatic assent.
"That settles It," declared Heffy
who had drawn up beside us and lis
tened with poorly controlled impa-
tience. Come on. Wen go back
and hunt up guy with part of one
fin missing. IL he's got toothpick feet
to boot, then we've got the goods on
him for fair. gotter hand it to your
friend, Glace. He's the pure quill"
But, senor," questioned Laredo,
lis it not possible that one of the
searchers may have leaned SO and
looked down, last night? distinctly
heard it said they lowered light on
rope and, later, this guide here.
Might not such mark have been
made at that timer"
1T might" snapped Heffy shortly;
but we can soon find out. If any Of
them searchers is shy finger-tip or
two, all right! If not, then the thing
holds, an i bet you it does. The Teller
who made this here print had a long
hand, like he had feet-that Is, IL 1t
was the same man, which is likely"
Precisely" said Semi Dual.
Both hands and feet were long and
slender. Your point is well taken, Mr..
Heffy. Now, one moment more. Let
US find the place where Professor
Wingarde was killed"
Killed." Heffy erupted. why
say Wudl . WIOuS Will ILLS pidSCi
Much" said Semi. I'VE all agree
that the murderer laid the body down
and pushed it over, and later looked
over 10 mark its fall. The mere fact
that he could lay it down and slide it
over the edge shows that the actual
death occurred at different point,
and the assassin then carried his vic
tim to this spot in order to dispose of
the remains"
Good glory! You're right again."
howled Heffy. what do we do?
Look for more of them slim slippers?"
Semi nodded. start here at the
lip and walk in a halfcircie back to
the lip above. Return at a wider dis
lance and repeat. In that way we
should cross the trail to this spot If
there is one"
Heffy started. l turned to assist.
Osborne, too. Dual had stopped again,
and was carefully measuring the
length and breadth of the hand
print. Laredo still Stood coldly OBJ
servant, taking no part in the hunt
which was forward. He stood quietly
ar,ol,;n. bia hondo tbrttof into hia