Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1919-04-10
XVIII
LED

The days went by, leaving the
mystery unsolved. Count Char
lier was released from custody,
there not being sufficient evil
dence to hold him. Bates was in
Jail awaiting the action of the
grand jury, but it was recognized
that he was not the murderer Of
Miss Darlington.
. Search for the p%oisoner had so
far been fruitless, and the news
papers were clamoring for the ar.
rest of somebody. But the POI
lice detectives we're at their wits
end, and even Fleming Stone was
',afrled.
For hours, Stone sat thinking
over the many peculiar features
of the case. 1t was not in embar-
rassment that he felt himself IN
able as yet to trace the criminal,
it was rather with a sensation of
curiosity that he wondered what
point he had overlooked. There
must be some clue, some definite
indication, Of what way to look,
but so far he had not perceived it.
So interested vas he in the
search that he took no note Of the
passing of time Or the growing
impatience of those who watched
him.
cts the way, Hardy" he
would say to the younger detec-
tive, "the mystery centers about
that paper snake. When we find
out the reason for Miss Caring
toms sending for that thing,
we've the whole story"
"You believe, then, that she did
send for lit"
"Of course; why noti,' ~
3 "We've. only Miss STARTS
word for that; and it doesn't
seem as if Miss Darlington
would"
"Nonsensel It doesn't seem,
you mean, as il Miss Stuart
would. Why, man, what
possible sense could there be in
:. Miss Stuart's buying that snake
lon her own accounti If she set
out to poison her aunt-which she
:, didn t-she could have managed
1T in a dozen ways without lug
/ ging in that paper reptile. In
) fact, it never would have oc-
. Cured to her to do so. Why
would she do. iti"
L "In an attempt to brighten the
lady to deathi"
= "Rubbishl The first effect OF
such a fright would be a fearful
! outcry on Miss Carrington's part,
/ and immediate discovery Of the
lplot. Moreover, if Miss Stuart
bought that snake for any such
D purpose, she would have bought
! it secretly at some little, obscure
( shop, not at a we'll known empo
i rum. No, sir, the snake is the
' key to che puzzle, but howl That
! is the. question. You see, the doc
4 tors arc pretty sure that thu
4 thing was--put round the lady,
neck. before she. died. Therefor,
she was either unconscious at thu
time, or-she was willing"
"Never! Everybody says he
~ fear Of the things would never lie
her have it put or her willingly
lll II know they say SO, but the.
= may be mistaken. I'm beginning
to evolve . theory that will e
J. the facts, queer as they are Blu
= my theory needs q. whole lot 0
n other facts to back it up, an.
those facts l cant seem to find.
10 Does your theory implicit
a Miss STUART"
nj SIT does not"
81 thought not"
a. "You thought quite right.
does not implicate Miss Stuart
- because she is in no way respor
" sible for her aunt,s death. Blu
she may have knowledge, or sh
~ may think she has, that il. leadin
e. her 10 shield somebody else"
orsi "WhOmi,"
he nIsdon.t know. She ierather
pushing creature. aIsshs-u; Oh
- nxesyi3f c6iafSSfn:pf harsi
"a. Hav&lndig e
ssyyo. the one in Egypt.n
Ooh EanHa.EEs1HkE hn0~ -,