Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-08-15

was much heavier than it looked.
On inspection, it proved to be
surmounted by a cubical metal
box, measuring about eight inches
square, which box, being fastened
inside the ceiling between the iron
clamps, had obliged Don Luis to
knock away the plaster that con-
cealed it.
What the devils this?" ex-
claimed M. Desmalions.
"Open it for yourself, Monsieur
lie Prefet there's a lid to it" said
Percnna.
M. DESTINATIONS raised the lid.
The box was filled with springs
and wheel, a whole complicated
and detailed mechanism resem-
bling a piece of clockwork.
by your leave, Monsieur lie
Prefet,' said Don Luis.
He took out n piece of ma
chinery and discovered another
beneath It, joined to the first by
the gearing of two wheels; and
the second was nor like one
OF those automatic apparatuses
which turn out printed slips.
Right at the bottom of the box,
just where the box touched the
ceiling, was a semicircle groove.
and at the edge of it was a letter
ready for delivery.
"The last of the five letters"
said Don Luis, "doubtless continu-
ing the series of denunciations.
You will notice. Monster lie Prefet,
that the chandelier originally had
a fourth damp in the center. 1t
was obviously removed when the
chandelier was altered, so as to
make room for the letters to
pass"
He continued his detailed expla-
nations:
$50 the whole set of letters was
placed here, at the bottom. A
clever piece of machinery, con-
trolled by clockwork, took them
one by one at the appointed time,
pushed them to the edge of the
groove concealed between the
lamps and the pendants, and pro-
jected them into space"
None of those standing around
Don Luis spoke, and all of them
seemed perhaps a little disap-
pointed. The whole thing was
certainly very clever; but they
had expected something better
than a trick of springs and wheels,
however surprising.
"Have patience, gentlemen"
said Don Luis. 81 promised you.
something CHASTITY and you shall
have it,"
"Well, l agree said the pre-
feet of police, "that this is where
the letters started from. But a
good many points remain obscure !;
and, apart from this, there is one
fact in particular which it seems
impossible to understand. How
were the criminals able to adapt
the chandelier in this waye And,
in a house guarded by the police,
in a room watched night and day,
how We're they able to carry out
such a piece of work without being
seen or heard?"
"The answer is quite easy, Mon
sleur lie Prefet: the work was done
before the house was guarded by
the police"
Before the murder was com
mitted, therefore?"
Before the murder was COM
mitted."
"And what is to prove to me
that that is 500"
"You have said so yourself.
Monsieur lie Prefet; because it
could not have been otherwise"
"But do explain yourself, mon
.sieur!'' cried M. Desmalions, with
a gesture of irritation. eff you
have important things to tell us,
why delay9"
ct is better, Monsieur lie Pre-
fet, that you should arrive at the
truth in the same way as l did.
When you know the secret of the
letters, the truth is much nearer
than you think; and you would
have already named the criminal
If the horror of his crime had not
been so great as to divert all sus-
picions from him"