Charlevoix county herald., 1918-07-19

prove me Buiity VI WHAT you oSSuHo
in court of law?"
mo"
"Then-" Laredo paused and
smiled thinly.
"Heffy Is seeking It now" said
Dual.
"Ah, yes! Heffy-" Again La
redo smiled.
! felt a sudden desire to chuckle.
Gripping as the situation was. l could
not help it. The Mexican's sang
froid was splendid, and he had said so
much in the one word ''Heffy." II
was an expression of absolute con-
tempt.
threw my eyes toward the bath
room. from which various sounds ad-
vertised the hotel detectives search.
There was scraping of feet. grunt-
ing, as he doubtless stopped to peer
here and there; the sound of water
running, as he possibly tested the
pipes And then he appeared. sha-
king his head to show us clearly that
his search had been vain.
But he was on the trail, and had no
notion of desisting.
AS by common accord, We all fell
silent and watched his effort. With
out pause he attacked a dresser and
drew out its drawers. He took them
clear out and poked into the space be-
hind them. Without ceremony he
dumped their contents on the floor.
and replaced it bit by bit in order to
overlook nothing.
In the end he got down and looked
under the dresser itself.
Next he attacked the pictures on
the wall, looking behind them! and
from them he climbed up and poked
over the top of the window and back
of it's shade; got down and inspected
the drawer of a small night-stand by
the bed, Strengthened, and scratched
his head.
In a moment he made up his mind
and attacked the bed itself.
Say, doc, if you'll move" He
addressed Osborne, laid hold of the
bedding and swept it on to the floor.
On the exposed mattress he got up
and began a careful prodding and
feeling, and a careful search for any
evidence of rips or tears.
He lifted the mattress itself and
inspected the springs; put the mat
tress back and shook out each sheet
and comfort and blanket as he laid
them back one by one. After that he
uncased each pillow and went over
them closely. One by one he threw
them from him. darted into closet,
and kept up his examination.
And all the time his heavy face was
growing redder and redder. He was
SO in earnest that once more felt that
insane desire to chuckle and TO cry,
Hotter, colder!" to him as we used
to do when playing a childish game.
Now and then as he worked l saw
him throw a half-pleading, half-re-
sentful glance toward Semi, as
though he suspected some. sort of
a game at his expense. But Semi did
not seem to notice.
Since Laredo's last words he had
been sitting partly relaxed. leaning
back in his cnair, his eyes fIxeu
straight before him, seeming to stare
at the bed in total oblivion as re-
garded Heffy's frenzied search.
Sounds of that search still came
from the closet.
l glanced UP to find the eyes of Os-
borne and Dayton upon me in mute
sort of question. l shook my head.
l was as much mystified by it all as
they were. Save the closet it seemed
to me every possible spot of conceal
ment had been exhausted and surely
no man in his senses would have put
such objects in his trunk. Where
then was the gigantic emerald and the
Image of Quetzal, with its poisoned
dagger, which Dual felt so sure 1t
contained?
Without it, as Laredo had said, l
could see no chance of conviction.
The mere fact that his footprints and
the mark of his hand had been found
at the scene of the tragedy Of the
night would never serve to fasten the
crime upon him.
What, then?
The strain was telling. Dayton
rose and walked to the window back
of Laredo. Osborne went over and
stood looking down at Laredo's trunk,
as though half-minded to have 1t
open. The Mexican followed his
movements, and once more l saw the
thin-lipped smile writhe across his
face.
He had been sitting half turned,
apparently listening to Heffy in the
closet. Now his eyes came on around
from the physician and fell on Semi
Dual. OF sudden saw them widen,
then narrow as quickly to Sits. With
out sound his lips moved slightly.
He cleared his throat as IL to attract
attention.
Heffy came out of the closet.
I'm beat" he complained In a
growl of disappointment. Unless
he's planted 'em In his trunk, which
amt likely, they amt here. Still"
Never mind the trunk, Mr..
Heffy," said Semi D'tl without NOV
ing.