Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-18
CHAPTER XVIII.
Blackburn's Queer Story

DIdNnDulh NOlCc lCSulllcu II
throaty monotone. As he spoke
glanced about shyy, suspecting, per
haps, the watchtulness of the fancie,
that had intimidated him.
| Il realized | had to get out i
they would let me. So l left tn,
bed. l went"
! He ceased, intimeting that he hae
told everything.
II know" Robinson said, "but tel
US how you got out of thesroom,fo
] when you-when the murder wa:
discovered, both doors were locked
on the inside, and you know bow i'm
possible the windows are"
u tell you" Katherine said hys.
terically, 1T was his body in the
bed"
Bobby knew her assurance was
justified, but he motioned her to ST.
lence.
Let him answer" Robinson said
Silas Blackburn ran his knottet
| fingers through his hair. He shook
his head doubtfully.
That's what | don't understand
myself. That's what's been worry
ing me while these young ones have
been talk ign as if | were dead and
buried. | recollect telling myself
must go. T seem to remember leav-
ing the bed all right, but l don't
seem to remember walking on the
floor or going through the door.
You're sure the doors were locked?"
mo doubt about that" Rawlins
said.
Seems to me-" Blackburn went
on, that | was in the private stair
case, but did | walk downstairs?
First thing | see clearly is the ad
through the woods, not far from the
station"
What did you wear" Robinson
asked.
I'D had my trousers and jacket on
under my dressing gown" the old
man answered, because l knew the
bed wasn't made up. That's what |
wore except for the dressing gown.
| reckon | must have left that n
the room. l wouldn't have gone
back there for anything. Ny mind
was full of those angry people. |
wante dto get as far away from the
Cedars as possible. | knew the last
train from New York would be
along about three o'clock, so |
thought I'd go on into Smithtown
and in the morning see this detective
I'd been talking to. lie went to
Robert Waters house. I've known
him for a long time. l guess you
know who he is. He's such book
worm I figured he might be up, and
he wouldn't ask lot of silly ques-
tons, being selfish like most people
that live all the time with books. He
came to the door, and | told him |
wanted to spend the night. He Of
fered to shake hands. That's funny,
too. l didn't feel like shaking
hands with anybody. | recollect
that, because I'd felt sort of queer
even since going in the old room, and
something told me I'd better not
shake hands"
Paroles looked up, wide-eyed.
The cards slipped from his fragile,
pointed fingers.
DO you realize, Mr.. District At
torney, what this man is saying"
But Robinson motioned him to 81
lence.
Let him gon on. What happened
them
That's all" Blackburn answered,
"e%-ept this long sleep CANT make
out. Old Waters didn't get mad at
my not shaking hands He was too
tied up in some book. / guess. | told
him | was sleepy an didn't want to
be bothered, and he nodded t the
spare room off the main hall, and |
tumbled into bed and was off almost
before I knew it"
Paroles sprang to Ns feet and
commenced to walk abodt the hail.
Tell US he said, when you first
woke up?"
II guess it was late the next at
trenoon," Silas Blackburn quay
cred, fumbling with his pipe again.
But it was only for minute"
Paroles stopped in front of Rob-
inson.
when he turned! You seep
1T was Waters knocking on the
door," Blackburn went on. 81 guess
he wanted to know what was the
matter, and he talked about some
food, but | didn't want to be both
ered so I called to him through the
door to go away, and turned over
and went to sleep again"
"He turned over and went to
sleep again." Katherine said breath
lessly, land it was about that time
that I heard the turning in the old
bedroom"
"Katherinew Graham called.
"What are you talking about? What
are you thinking about?"
What else is there" she asked.
"She's thinking about the truth"
Paroles said tensely. 1--WE always