South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-05-05

The Cedars' final tragedy. yet il
was he most graceful exit he could
have made"
Maria struggled to her feet. Her
eyes were the eyes OF a person
without reason. That familiar. hys-
terical quality which they had heard
before at a distance vibrated in her
voice.
Then he wss the one l wanted
to kill him, / couldn't kill him be-
cause / never was sure"
Did you see him go out an hour
or so age?" Paroles asked.
Il saw him." she cried feverish-
ly, run from the back OF the house
and down the path TO the lake. l.
I tried 10 catch him, but my feet
were frozen, and the snow was
slippery. and l couldn't find my
shoes. But 1 called and he
wouldn't stop. l had TO know, be-
cause I wanted TO kill him IL il was
Silas Blackburn. And I saw him
run TO the lake and splash in un-
til the water was over his head"
She flung her clenched hands
out Her voice became a scream.
shot with all her suffering, all her
doubt, all her fury.
You don't understand. He can't
be punished. l tell you he's at the
bottom of the lake with the man he
murdered. And I can't pay him.
tried TO go after him, but tit was
too cold"
She sank in one of the chairs
shaking and sobbing.
Unless we want another trag
edy." the doctor said, this woman
must be put TO bed and taken care
Of She has been terribly exposed
You've heard her. She's delirious. &"
Not so delirious that she hasn't
told the truth" Paroles said.
The doctor lifted her in his arms
and with Rawlins' help carried her
upstairs Katherine went with
them Almost Immediately the doc
tor and Rawlins hurried down.
II have told Katherine what to
do" Doctor Groom said. The
woman may be all right in the
morning. What's she been up to
here?"
Then" Bobby cried. there was q
connection between the dinner party
and the murders. But what about
my coming here unconscious What
about my handkerchief"
Il can see no answer yet" era
ham said.
Paroles smiled.
Not when you've had the an
swer to everything? have shown
you that Silas Blackburn was the
murderer. The fact stared you in
the face Everything that has hap
pened at the Cedars has pointed 10
his guilt"
Except" the doctor said. his
own apparent murder which made
his guilt seem impossible And I'm
not sure you're right now. for there
is no other Blackburn he could
have murdered, and Blackburns
look alike You wouldn't mistake
another man for one of them"
This house" Paroles smiled.
has all along been full of the pres
ence of the other Blackburn. There
has been evidence enough for you
all TO have known he was here"
He stretched himself i'm an easy
chair. He lighted a cigaret and
blew the smoke toward the ceiling.
Il shall tell you the simple facts.
| if only 10 save my skin from this
blood thirsty district attorney"
Rub it in" Robinson grinned
III take my medicine"
They gathered closer about the
Panamanian. Jenkins sidled TO the
back of his chair.
Il don't see how you found il
| out" he muttered
Il had only one advantage over
you or the police. Graham" Pa
redes began. and you were in a
| position TO overcome that Maria
did telephone me the afternoon of
that CHASTITY dinner. She asked me
TO get hold Of Bobby. She was plain
| " anxious TO keep him in New
York that night. and 10 he frank.
was glad enough TO help her when
I you turned up, trying To impress us
with your puritan watchfulness.
Even you guessed that she had
| drugged Bobby. I suspected II when
I saw him go TO pieces in the cafe.
He gave me the slip. as ] told you.
in the coat room when / was try
ing 10 get him home, so I went back
and asked Maria what her idea was.
She laughed in my face, denying
everything. l. too. suspected the
stranger. but I've convinced myself
that he simply happened along by
chance.
Now here's the first significant
point: Maria by drugging Bobby
defeated her own purpose. He had
been drinking more than the Band
OF Hope would approve OF. and on
top OF that he got an overdose OF
/ a powerful drug. The doctor can
/ tell you better than / OF the likely