The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1920-11-11
"Certainly, here it is" an,

in such sadness. We were at
school together, and though
younger than I, she was always
one of my favorites."
"You didn't care to go to the
party9"
Ono it was yesterday, and 1
had that luncheon engagement
here, you know. And oh, Flea
nor, isn't it fortunate I am here
and not in Philadelphia"
"Why? You can't do any
thing"
"E know it. But it would have
been awful to be away making
merry when uncle was-was
breathing his last! Who do you
suppose did it2"
"Some highway robber, Of
course. always told your uncle
he ought not to go off in those
lonely woods all by himself. He
ran a risk every time. And now
the tragedy has occurred.
cit doesn't seem like a high
way robber to S a dagger. They
always have a club or a-what
do the call it2 a blackjack"
"You seem to know a lot about
such things, Avice. Well, I'm
going to my room, and you'd
better do the same. We've a
hard day before us tomorrow. I
think it's dreadful to have an in
quest here. | thought they al
ways held them in the courtroom
Or some such place"
"They do, sometimes. In
quests are informal affairs. The
coroner just asks anybody, hit
or miss, anything he can think
Of. That's why l wish we had
a cleverer coroner than hat Berg
person. I can't bear him"
81 don't care what he's like
if he IL only get the scene over.
Shall we have to be present?"
"Gracious! You couldn't
keep me away. [ want to hear
every word and see if there's any
clue to the truth"
The two went up to their
rooms, but neither could sleep.
Ayice sat in an easy chair by her
open window, wondering and
bordering as to who could have
been the criminal. Mrs. Black,
on the other hand, thought only
Of herself and her own future.
She was a very beautiful wom-
an, with finely cut features and
raven black hair, which she wore
in glossy smooth waves partly
over her small ears. Her eyes
were large and black and her
mouth was scarlet and finely
curved. She was Of Italian par
entage, though born in America.
Her husband had been a New
York lawyer, but dying, left her
in greatly straitened circum-
stances and she had gladly ac-
cepted the position Of house
keeped in the Trowbridge home.
At first, she had rejected the ad-
vances of Rowland Trowbridge,
thinking she preferred a younger
and gayer man. But the kind
ness and generosity Of her en-
ployer finally won her heart, or
her Judgment, and she had prom
ised to marry him. 1t is quite
certain, however, that Eleanor
Black would never have come to
this decision, had it not been for
Rowland Trowbridge's wealth.
Late into the night, Avice sat
thinking. 1t seemed to her that
she must by some means ferros
out the facts Of the case,-must
find the dastardly villain who
killed her uncle and let justice
mete out his punishment. But
where to turn for knowledge, she
had no idea.
Her mind turned to what Mr..
Berg had said about enemies. It
couldn't be possible that either
Of the men she had mentioned
could be implicated, but
mightn't there be some n else9
Perhaps some one she had never
heard of. Then the impulse
seized her to go down to her
uncle's library and look over his
recent letters. She might learn
something of Importance. Not
for a moment did she hesitate to
do this, for she knew she was the
principal heir to his fortune, and
the right to the house and it's con-
tents was practically hers.
And her motives were of the