South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-04-13


,onrn, who was found Gead with a small
nole az the base OF his brain, IN an
abandoned and locked room OF his hone
the Ceda-s Circumstantal evfden e Q
points to the guilt OF Bobby who Is IN
able % establish an alibi az a result OF
loss Of memory after a night Of gay
lie IN New York, spent IN company
u Parades. from Panama. and Marie. a
epanish woman. He avakes In a de-
serted shack near the Cedars and goes
20 the boase, where be meets his cousin.
Katherine, and Graham, q friend All
agree that mystery surrounds the death
OF TIE old man. who was one 81 many
ElaekbErns 20 de IN same manner.
Strange signs Invariably mark the coca
ssion OF q death IN the room.
-r-U'ts.
But Bobby fingered. oddly fascin-
iated. supporting the ordeal to its
if:nal moment The blows Of the
backs OF the spades on the com
pleted mound beat into his brain the
end. The workmen wandered off
Through the woods. From dis
lance the harsh voice OF one Of them
came back:
I don't want 70 dig again in such
q place. People don't seem dead
there"
Robinson tried 70 laugh.
THAT mans wise" ne said 20 the
doctor. IF Paroles spoke OF this
cemetery as being full Of ghosts,
could understand him"
The doctors deep bass answered
thoughtfullyi
''Paredes is probably right. The
man mas a special sense. but I have
felt It myself. The Cedars and the
i forest are full OF things that seem
j to whisper, things that one never
sees. Such things might have ar
excuse for evil"
Lets get out OF it," Robinson
! said grufiy.
Katherine withdrew her hand
Bobby reached for il again. but she
seemed not 10 notice. She walked
ahead OF him along the path. hel
shoulders a trihe bent Bobby
caught mp with her.
Katherine he said.
Don't talk TO me, BOBBY"
He looked closer. He saw that sh'
was crying at last. Tears stained he
cheeks. Her lips were strange t
him in the distortion Of a grief tina
seeks TO control itself. He slaclSen
ed his pace and let her walk ahead
He followed with sort OF awe tina
there should have been grief 70
SiIas Blackburn after all. He blamed
himself because his own eyes wer'
not moist.
Back OF him he heard the muir
mufing conversation Of the docto
and the district attorney. Strangel,
IL made him sorry that Robinson
should have been more impressed
than Howells by the doctors beliefs
They stepped into the clearing
The wind had dissiDated the smok
shroud. It was no longer low owe
the roofs Against the forest ant
the darker clouds the house had
stark appearance. 1t was like
frame from which the flesh has fal
len.
The black wagon had gone. Tn
Cedars was left alone 10 the solution
OF its mystery.
Paroles. Graham, and Rawlin
waited for them in the hall Their
was nothing TO say. Paroles places
with a delicate accuracy fresh log
upon the FIRE. He arose. fiecking tn
wood dust from his hands.
How cold il will be here" h
unused. chow impossible OF entranc
when the house is left as empty a
the woods to those who only so un
scent"
Bobby saw Katherine's shoulder
shake. She had dried her eyes, but ii
her face was expressed an aversion
for solitude, a desire for any com
pany, even that Of the man she dis
liked and feared.
Robinson took Rawlins 10 the ii
brary for another futile consultation
Bobby guessed. Katherine sat o
the arm of a chair. thrusting on
foot toward the fresh blaze.
1T will snow" she said 1T is yer
early for that"
No one answered The strai
frightened. The flames leapt. throw
ing evanescent pulsations of bril-
Hancy about the dusky hail. The
welcomed jenkins aurouncemeu
that luncheon was ready but the
scarcely disturbed the hurriedly pre-
pared dishes, and afterward the
gathered again in the hall siler
and depressed, appalled, by the Ions
dreary afternoon. which howeve
possessed the single virtue OF divid
ing them from another night.
For long periods the district al
torney and the detective were close
ted in the library, Now and the
they passed upstairs and they coul
be heard moving about, but no on,
save Graham. seemed 20 care A
ready che officers had had ever
opportunity 20 search the house tn
= old room no longer held an inhab
tant 10 set its fatal machinery i'm mC
ton. Yet Bobby realized in a du
way that az any moment the wv
ner might come down 20 him, sal
ing:
I'VE have found something. Yo
IRE guilty"
The heavy atmosphere Of III
house crushed such forecasts, mao
them seem a little trivial Bobl
fancied 10 gathering density 20 Grad
new mysteries. The long minute
!! ioitered. Doctor Groom made
movement 10 go
why should 1 stay?" he grun
bIed. What IS there 20 keep me