The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1920-02-21


after supper"
The doctor looked round the room
frownlng
"I don't like II. ] can't understand
II. II this had happened In India
should have said the man had dicd
from some form of snntc-bIte. was
out there two years. and I've seen
hundred cases Of II. They oil looked
Just like this. The things ridiculous
How could man he bitten by n snake
In n waterfront boarding housep The
whole things md. Was the door
locked when you found him, Mrs.
Pickettf'
Mrs. Pickett nodded.
IL opened II with my own key.
had been calling to him, and he didn't
answer, so l guessed something was
wrong"
ghe policeman spoke:
"You ain'i touched anything, mn'amf
They're always mighty particular
nbout that. II docs right. and there's
been any funny work here. that's the
first thing they'll ask"
"I1very,hiug Is Just ms found IT,
"Whats that on the floor besidn
himf"
That's his harmonlca. lie liked te
play IL OF m evening in'his room. I've
had complaints abont II from some ~
the gentlemen: but never saw any
harm. so as he didn't play too late"
"Scems ms " he was playing II when
1t happened. That don't look much
like suicide. doc"
Il didn't say II was suicide"
OGieer Grogan whtstled.
"You don't think"
81 don't think any thing-till after
the inquest. All I Say. is that its
queer" =.
Another aspect Of the matter.
seemed to strike the policeman.
IL guess this amt going to help
the Excelsior any. ma'am," he said
sympathetically.
Mrs. Pickett shrugged her shoulders.
silence fell upon the room.
IL suppose had better telephone to
the coroner" said the doctor.
lie went out and after momentary
pause the policeman followed him.
Oaicer Grognn was not greatly trou'
bied with nerves. but he felt n decided
desire 20 be somewhere where he
could not see those staring eyes.
Mrs. Pickett remained where she
was, looking down NJ the dead man
Her fnce was still expresslonless hut
lnwardly she was In fernent. This
was the first time such thing as this
had happened NJ the Excelsior, anu
ms officer Grogan had hinted. u was
not likely 20 Increase the attractive
ness OF the house In the eyes of pos
slble boarders.
However well established the repu'
tatiOn of house may be for comfort
and the excellence OF lts cuisine, " II
IL n house OF tragedy. people. for n
time Mt any rate. will look asknnce
at IL.
IL was not the possible pecuninry
loss which was troubling Mrs. Pickett.
Az far as money was concerned. she
could have retired from business years
before and lived comfortably on her
savings. She was richer than those
who knew her supposed.
II was the blot on the escutcheon
Of the Excelsior-the stain on the Ex'
celsior's reputatlon-which was tor
menting her.
The Excelsior was her life. Start
Ing many years before, beyond the
memory Of the oldest boarder, she
had built up this model establishment.
the fame Of which had been carried
to every corner OF the world.
In saloons and places where sailor
men gathered together from Liverpool
10 Yokohama. from Cape Town "a
Marseilies. the reputation Of Pickett's
was Of pure gold. Men spoke of II NJ
q place where you were well fed.
cieaniy housed. and where petty rob
berry was unknown.
Such was the chorus OF praise from
end to end Of the world that II is not
likely that much harm could come Ia
Pickett's from q single mysterious
death; but Mother Pickett was not
consoilng herself with such reflections.
She was wounded sore. Picketts
had had clean slate now II had not.
That was the sum Of her thoughts.
She looked at the dead man with
pale. grim eyes. From down the pas
sage came the doctors voice Az he
spoke on the telephone.