South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-03-10

you can't convict a man on mo-
tive" Graham said shortly. You
spoke of evidence"
More" the detective replied.
than any jury in the land would
ask"
Bobby held his breath, shrinking
from this information, which, how
ever, he realized it was better he
should know.
When ! got here" the detective
said, 81 decided on the theory Of
murder TO make careful search as
soon as day broke. I didn't have to
wait for day, though, to find one
crying piece of evidence. For a long
time I was alone in the room with
the body. Queer feeling about that
room Mr. Graham. Don't know how
70 describe il except to say it's un-
comfortable. Too old, maybe. May
be II was Just being there alone with
the dead man before the dawn, al
though l thought l was hardened
to that sort of thing. Anyway. /
didn't like it. To keep my spirits
up, as we'll as to save time. I COM
menced searching the place with a
candle. Nothing about the bed. Moth
ing in the closets or the bureau"
He grinned sheepishly
you know I kind Of was afraid to
open the closet doors. Then I got on
my knees and looked under the bed
The light was bad and l didn't see
anything at first. After a minute
close against the wall, I noticed
something white. I reached in and
pulled it out. Il was a handkerchief
and it had a monogram, Mr.. Graham
r B. in purple and green"
He paused Graham exclaimed
sharply. Bobby felt the net tighten
If that evidence was conclusive ia
the others. how much more so was il
for him, He recalled how. after
awaking in the empty house, he had
searched unsuccessfully in all his
/ pockets for his handkerchief, intend
/ ing TO brush the dirt from his shoes
'I went TO his room" the detec-
| tive hurried on, land found a lot Of
his clothes and his stationery and his
toilet articles marked with the same
/ cipher. I knew my man had make a
/ big mistake-the sort Of mistake
| every criminal makes no matter how
| clever he is-and 1 had him. But
that isn't, by any means all Don't
] look so distressed. Mr.. Graham
There isn't the slightest chance fol-
him. You see 7 repaired the lock
and. as soon as il was day, closed the
! room and went outside TO look fol
| signs. Since nightfall no one had
come legitimately through the cour
except DR.. Groom and myself. Oul
footprints were all right-making &
straight line along the path to th'
/ front door. In the soft earth by the
fountain I found another and {
smaller print. made by a very nea
shoe. sir. and I said 20 myself
I There is almost certainly the foot
print OF the murderer
There were plenty Of others com
ing across the grass. He'd evidentl,
avoided the path. And there was on'
directly under the open window
where the body lies. It's still there
perhaps YOU can see IL. No HidlItL
That's the last one I found. Th'
prints ceased there. There wasn't {
one going back, and I was fair VI
a stump. Then I saw a little undo
fined sign Of pressure on the grass
and I got an idea Suppose I says
: my man took his shoes of and wen
around I'm his stockinged feet!'
couldn't understand, though. why n
hadn't thought OF that before. I wen
back to Robert Blackburn's room
and got one Of his shoes. and raj
into a snag again. The sole OF tn
shoe was a trifie larger than tn
footprints. Every one Of his shoes
tried was the same way. 1 argue,
that the handkerchief was enough
but I wanted this other evidence.
simply had 10 clear up these quee