Evening star., 1918-04-14

tnat can get everything nAea up ia
my mind so I can have grand mys-
terry solving tonight instead Of the
anatomical lecture, Allie. but I'd like
to IL can. I amt scared about having
Henry House on hand-he'n come down
to talk to me this afternoon. He's
bound to. rye got ali the knowledge
I want now, Allie. This afternoon l
want you to go back and see Josie
again and arrange for her to be down
here on the boat tonight when my
show starts. Have Mrs. Galway come,
II you can. too. Allie"
Shagbark rubbed his tangled beard.
His eyes sparkled.
IT'S a shame this Josie girl has to
Allie. You know, Allie, Henry House
choked Ben Bratman to DEATH"
"The paper says Ben Bratman must
was no mark of violence on his body.
I went up and looked at him myself.
1t was SO. No stab wound, no gun
WOUND. no mark of a. blow. No mark
Of any kind on him, Allie. except
where The rope around his neck had
chafed his neck little. Well, Allie.
claws can chafe neck as well as a
rope can.''
shagbark. using his own neck as a
model, placed his fingers at the back
windpipe.
Like that" he said You see. Allie,
Ben Bratman could go up to the island
and ask Henry House to hide him or
row him down river at night and show
Henry House he could pay him. There
was eight hundred dollars in Ben's
pocket, Mack and Wenty says. Sup
pose he had two thousand when he
went to the island: suppose Henry
House. coming behind him, choked
him and took twelve hundred and left
eight hundred SO nobody would sus-
pect anything; and suppose, Allie. after
he had done this. Henry House took the
body and tied it and tied stone to 1t
and got ready to sink it in the river
where nobody would ever find 1t: Who
would ever think of looking for Ben
Bratman's body in the river up there
by the island? Nobody!'
mo, nobody would" said Alice.
Shagbark. looking down into the
skIff. did not doubt that Henry House
could have managed alone, although
the clothing of the dead man, being
water soaked, must have added much
to the weight. The suicide must have
yond all question, for the rope that
fettered him had been tied around his
neck and then looped around his waist,
over his black coat. The stone that
was tied to the end of the rope was a
heavy one-quite heavy enough to sink
beneath the water. Evidently Ben
Bratman had doubted his. courage, had
feared the touch of the water would
be too much for him.
A pool Of water had gathered in the
rear of the skiff, running there as 1T
dripped from the garments of the dead
man, and water still dripped from the
skirt of his coat. His hair was still
wet. and the moisture stood on his face
and hands Even the rope was dark
with the water in which 1T had been
soaked. The shirt sleeves of Henry
House were wet to the elbows yet.
And as Mack Green stepped outaof the
boat he shook one foot.
My shoes are full of water" he
said. Somebody run uptown and get
the undertaker's wagon. George
Smith. you go. will you? l want to
wiring out my socks.
Shagbark still stood looking down
into the skiff. Mack and Wenty. talk
ing, sat on the edge of the skiff and
wrung their socks, and Henry House
stood as he had been standing. patient
and dumb, except when he answered
some question with monosyllable.
;. A town policeman arrived before the
undertaker's wagon. He had already
and cut the rope midway between the
knot and the dead mans waist and the
knot that bound it to the heavy stone,
The wagon came moment later and
backed down to the skiff: minute or
two later it was driven away again.
Many in the crowd followed. Henry
House went with the wagon, seated
beside the driver. The policeman sat
in the rear of the wagon, his legs
hanging down. Mack and Wenty, their
Importance dimmed for the moment.
clambered the length of Chicken
Coop's skiff and into their own and,
casting off rowed around the Bess Dali
ton to leave their boat at the boat
house.
Shagbark looked out upon the levee.
The last of the crowd was dribbling
away
Pete" he said to the negro, you
can go to bed If you want to. Not a
bottle of Shagbark Oil got rid of, and
the best crowd right out there that we
ever drawed together in this town!
Amt it bad?"
Mighty bad. boss" said Pete, grin
ming.
"And the worst of it is" said shag-
bark. there aipt no mystery in this
crime that spoiled good nights bust
ness. That's the worst Of it, amt it, Or
lando?"
That's the Dan-u-el J. Worst of it,
Shagbark; it is so.' said Orlando.
We'll. then said Shagbark. you
put out them dod-whixed gasoline
flares and go to bed. I'm goin' to set