Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-06
CHAPTER XVI.
Imprint of 4 Womans Heel.


Again Bobby wondered if the mai
would bring matters to q head now
He could appreciate, however, tina
Robinson, with nothing to 60 on bu
Howells' telephoned suspicion.
might spoil his chances of solu
ton by acting too hastily. Raw
inns strolled in.
THE two women were asleep" h,
said. The old man knows nothing
beyond the fact that he heard Z
woman crying outside little Will,
ago.
Il don't think we need bother
about the back part of the house fol
the present." Robinson said. How
ells's evidence has been stolen. 1t:
your job to find it unless it's beer
destroyed. Your other job is to dis.
cover the instrument that caused
death in both cases. Then maybe
our worthy doctor will desert his
ghosts. Mr.. Blackburn, if you will
come with me there's a slight pos,
sibility of checking up some Of the
evidence of which Howells spoke
Our fine fellow may have made a
slip in the court"
Bobby understood and was afraid
more afraid than he had been al
any time since he had overheard
Howells catalogue his case to
Graham in the library. Why, even in
so much confusion, had Graham and
he failed to think of those tell-tale
marks in the court? They had been
intact when he stood there just before
dark. 1t was unlikely any one had
walked across the grass since. He
saw Graham's elaborate precautions
demolished, the case against him
stronger than it had been before
Howells' murder. Graham's face
revealed the same helpless compre-
hension. They followed Robinson
downstairs. Graham made a gesture
of surrender. Bobby glanced Il
Paroles who alone had remained
below. The Panamanian smoked
and lounged in the easy chair. His
eyes seemed restless.
81 shall wish to ask you some
questions in a few minutes, Mr..
Paredes," the district attorney said
"At your service, I'm sure,
Paroles drawled.
He watched them until they had
entered the court and closed the
door. The chill dampness of the
court infected Bobby as it had al
ways done. 1t was proper set
ting for his accusation and arrest.
For Robinson. he knew. wouldn't
wait as Howells had done to solve
the mystery Of the locked doors.
Robinson, while the others
grouped themselves about him, took
fashlight from his pocket and
pressed the control. Tlr brilliant
cylinder of light Illuminated the
grass, making it seem unnaturally
green. Bobby braced himself for the
inevitable announcement. Then,
while Robinson exclaimed angrily,
his eyes widened, his heart BIZ t rap
idly with vast and wondering re-
life. For the marks he remembered
so clearly had been obliterated with
painstaking thoroughness, and at
first the slate seemed perfectly
clean. He was sure his unknown
friend had avoided leaving any trace
of his own. Each step in the grass
had been carefully scraped out. In
the confusion of the path there was
nothing to learn.
The genuine surprise of Bobby's
exclamation turned Robinson to him
with look of doubt
You acknowledge these foot
marks were here, Mr.. Blackburn
certainly" Bobby answered. 81
saw Shem myself just before dark,
l knew Howells ridiculously con-
nected them with the murder"
you made a good job of it when
you trampled them out" Robinson
hazarded.
But is was clear Bobby's amaze
ment had not been lost on him.
"Or," he went on. "this foreigner
who advertises himself as your
friend! He was in the court tonight,
We know that"
Suddenly he stopped, and Bobby
got on his knees beside him. The
cylinder of light held in its centre
one mark, clear and distinct in the
trampled grass, and with a warm
gratitude, swift apprehension,
Bobby thought of Kathesine. For the
mark in the grass had been made
by the heel of a woman's shoe. .
"Not foreigner then" Robinson
unused mot yourself, Blackburn,
but a woman, a devoted woman.
That's something to get after"
"And if she lies, the impression of
the heel will give her away" the
coroner suggested.
Robinson grinned.
YOU'D make a rotten detective,
Coroner. Women's heels are cut to
a pattern. There are thousands of
shoes whose heels would fit this inn
preston. We need the SOLD for
identification, and that she hasn't
left US. But she's done one favor.
She's advertised herself as woman
and there are just three women in
the house. One of those committed
~ a. = -