The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-08-22
CHAPTER IU-Contlnued.

pockets. l cared nothing who he was,
and did not want to know. My sole
desire was to acquit J~acqueline Of his
death, In the worlds eyes.
That he had come deservedly by 1t
| was positive.
Four o'clock was striking while l
was climbing back into the room
again. ~Jacquellne lay on the bed In
the same position; she had not stirred
during that hour.
/ took the knife from the floor
where ] had flung II, scrubbed 1t, and
placed IL In my suitcase. Then /
scrubbed the floor clean, afterward
It's appearance uniform.
thought I had finally removed all
traces Of the affair; but, coming back,
I perceived something upon the floor
which had escaped my notice. 1t was
the leather collar Of the Eskimo dog,
with It's big silver studs and the max
er's silver name plate.
All this while the animal had re-
manned perfectly quiet in the room
crouching at JacqueIine's feet and be-
side the bed.
/ came to the conclusion that there
might have been a struggle; that 1t
had run to Its mistress's assistance,
and that the collar had been torn
from It by the dead man..
I picked the collar up and carried
~ fntns tha nnwt vnnrr md hAId - nm
der the light. The letters Of the
makers name were almost o~bliterated,
but after a careful study / was able
to make them out. The lame was
Naclay & Robitaiiie. and the place of
manufacture Quebec. This confirmed
my belief concerning Jacqueline's ma
tivity.
/ pried the plate from the leather
and slipped It into my pocket. / put
the broken collar into my suit case.
together with the dagger, and then I
net about packing my things for the
When / had finished packing I went
back to J%acQueline and sat beside
her while she slept.
In q little while Il would begin to
tighten, and the advent Of the day
filled me with a sort Of terror.
I watched the sleeping girl. Who
was she1 How could she sleep SO
calmly after that nights deed7 The
mystery seemed un~fAthomable; the
girl alone In the city, the robbers, the
dog, the dead man, and the one who
had escaped me.
JacQueline's bag lay open on the
bureau and disgorged bills. There
were rolls and rolls Of them-eight
thousand dollars did not seem too
much.
/ raised her hand and held 1t In my
own, and / sat thus until the room be-
gan to tighten, watching her all the
while.
AT last she stirred, her eyes opened.
and she sat up. She gazed at me with
apathy, but there was also recogni-
tion In her look.
"Do you know me, JacQueline?" /
asked.
my friend Paul"
"Jacqueline, I I'm going to take you
home" I said. hoping that she would
tell me something. but / dared ask her
no more. I meant to take her to Que
bee and make inquiries there.
~ am going to take you home,
JacQueline." I repeated.
"Yes, Paul." she answered In that
docile name Of hers.
"It is lucky you have your furs, be-
cause the winter Is cold where your
home is"
"Yes, Paul." she repeated as before,
and a few more probings on my part
convinced me that she remembered
nothing at all. Her mind was like a
persons newly awakened In a strange
land. But this state brought with 1t
no fear, only a peaceful quietude and
faith which was very touching.
"Now, Jacqueline." I said. 1--WE shall
have to begin to make ready for our
Journey"
had Just remembered that the stor-
age company was to call that
day. The van would probably be at
the house early in the morning. and It
was essential that we should be gone
before 1t arrived.
showed JacQueline the bathroom
and drew the curtains. Then / went
Into the kitchenette and made coffee
n the gas range, and, since 1t was
- early for the arrival Of my morn
ing loaf, which was placed just within
DO street door by the bakers boy ev-
ny day. / made some toast and but
tered II.
When / took In the breakfast
SaequeIine ~ waiting for me, look