The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-03-06
CHAPTER TWELVE. tcontinued.)

eyes, here they are" Hardy
handed over a sheaf of the grue-
some pictures, and Stone scanned
them eagerly. Yet their gruesome-
ness lay largely in the idea that
the subject of them was not a hv-
ing person-for in appearance
they were by no means unpleas-
ant to look at. The face of Miss
Darlington was serene and smil-
ing, her wide open eyes, though
staring, were filled with a lifelike
wonder, not at all al expression
of fright or terror.
"You see," volunteered Hardy,
"she was sitting there, admiring
herself, and happily smiling, when
the villain sneaked up behind her
and gave her that crack over the
head" ,u -
! "But she was already dead
when she was hit on-the head"
$50 the doctors think, but l be-
lieve they're mistaken. Why,
there's no theory that would &C
count for hitting a dead person!'
"And yet, that is what hap
pened. No, Hardy, the doctors are
not mistaken about the hour of
death, and about the poison in her
system and all that. But the most
obvious and most important clue,
for the moment, is that blackjack.
Just where was it foundf"
"Right here, Mr.. Stone, under
the edge of this couch. Hidden on
purpose, of course,
"No, l think not. Dropped by
the burglar, rather, when he was
startled by something unexpected.
You see, he doubtless stood here,
where the powder is busted about,
and, to drop the thing quickly, it
would fall or be flung just there
where it was found"
eyes, but what scared him if
he didn't hear anythingR"
Something that frightened
him so terribly that he fled with
out taking the jewels he had come
for! Something that made him
make quick, straight tracks for
the door and downstairs and out,
by the way he had entered"
"Good, Lord! Say, Mr.. Stone,
you think it was that make be-
lieve Count, don't your"
"Why make believed"
ooh, somehow, I feel sure he's
a fake. He's not the real thing
or I'm greatly MISTAKEN"
"Let me see that glove found in
her hand. Have you it with youf"
Hardy had brought some Of the
exhibits held by the police, and,
taking the glove from his bag, he
handed it to Fleming Stone.
Stone looked at the glove
hastily, but, raising it to his
nose, smellcd of it very carefully.
"No," he said, returning it,
"no, the Count is not the man who
welded the blackjack. I'm fairly
certain Of that" ".
"Well, I'm blessed if I can see
how you know by smelling! BY
the way, Mr.. Stone, 1 suppose you
heard all about the conversation
that Miss Frayne related as taking
place in this room after l o'clock
that night"
eyes, I've read the full account
of it. What do you think about
it2"
"Oh, l think it was the Count
talking to Miss Darlington before
he killed her. He has a very low
voice, and speaks almost inaudi-
bly, always. Then, you see, he is
down in her will for $4,000 of
those bonds, and he's very fond of
pearls" ",. .
"What's that7 Who said he
was fond of p~earls?" Z.
"Oh, maybe you didn't hear
about that. Why, Miss Frayne re-
mcmbered afterward that another
sentence she heard Miss Caring
ton say was: Il know how very
fond you are of pearls She for
got that speech in her evidence,
but found it afterward in the writ
ten account she had Of what she
overheard at the door. And his
countship is fond of pearls. He
talked a lot about those the lady
wore that last evening He says
himself pearls are a hobby with
him." III
$50 you really think the Count
was in this room that nightfe
"Surely lido. It's MO insult to
the lady s memory TO say so. She
had a right to receive him in her
boudoir if she chose to do 30. It's
no secret that she was trying ia
annex him, and he was not entire.
ly unwilling. You see-4the way
dope it out-she had him up here
A 49, IS - H+ EEF = 49,