Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-04-28

with IL unless the evidence--disap-
pears. Youth have no defence"
Bobby drew back little.
"You want me to go there--and--
and take from his pocket those
things?"
She nodded.
"You remember he suggested that
he hadn't sent his report That may
be there, too"
Bobby shook his head, HE must
have said that as a bait
AT the worst" she urged "a re-
port without evidence could only turn
suspicion against you, II wouldn't
convict you as those other things
may. You must get them, You must
destroy them"
Graham slipped quietly in and
closed the door,
"The district attorney Is coming
himself with another detective" he
said. Il can guess what Katherine
has been talking about. Shes right
I'm lawyer. and know the penalty
OF tampering with evidence, But
don't believe you're u murderer, and
/ tell you as long as that evidence
exists they can convict you. They
can send you TO the chair. They
may arrest you and try you anyway
on his report, but | don't believe
they can convict you on 1t alone
You're justified in protecting your
self, Bobby, in the only way you can
No one will see you go in the room
Wen arrange it so that no one can
testify against YOU"
Bobby felt himself at cross roads.
During the commission OF those
crimes he had been unconscious, II
he had, in fact, had anything TO do
with them. his personality, his real
self, had known nothing had done
no wrong His body had merely re-
acted to hideous promptinss whose
source lurked at the bottom OF the
black pit. To tamper with evidence
would be a conscious crime. All the
more, because of his doubt OF him.
self, he shrank from that. Rather
inc saw his hesitation.
It's matter of your life or
DEATH
But altho Katherine decided him it
wasn't with that. She came closer.
She looked straight at him. and her
eyes were full of an affection that
stirred him profoundly:
"For my sake, Bobby"
He studied the dead ashes of the
fire which a little while ago had
played on Howells, vital and antag-
onistic, by the door Of the private
staircase. The man had challenged
him to do just the thing from which
he shrank. But Howells was no
longer vital or antagonistic, and 1t
occurred to him that little of his
shrinking arose from the thought of
approaching and robbing the still
thing upstairs. all that was left or
the man who had not been afraid of
the mystery of the locked room.
For my sake" Katherine re-
peated
Bobby squared his shoulders. He
fought back his momentary cow
ardice. The affection in Katherine's
eyes was stronger than that
"All right" he said "Howells
never gave me a chance while he
was alive. He'll have to now, he's
dead
Katherine relaxed. Graham's face
was quite white, but he gave his in
structions in a cold, even tone:
Wen go to the hall now. Kath-
crime will go on upstairs She
mustn't see you enter the room, but
she will watch in the corridor while
you are there to be sure you aren't
disturbed. You and | will chat for
awhile with the others, Bobby, then
you will go up. You understand?
Paroles mustn't even guess what
you are doing. I'll keep him and
| Groom downstairs. If he spied, if he
knew what you were at. he'd have a
weapon in his hands I'd hate to
| think about. He may be all right,
but we can't risk any more than we
have to- We must go on tiptoe."
He opened the door. Katherine
gave Bohbys hand a quick, encour-
aging pressure.
| "Fake the stuff to my rOom,' Ora
ham whispered. THE first chance,
we'll destroy it so that no trace will
be left"
They went to the hall. Without
speaking. Katherine climbed the
stairs. Graham drew chair be-
tween Paroles and the doctor. Bobby
! loun ged against the mantel, trying to
| find in the PanamanidH $ face some
clue as to his real feelings. But Pa
redes' eyes were closed His hand
dropped across the chair arm. His
slender, pointed fingers held, as if
| from mere habit, lifeless cigaret.
Asleep" Graham whispered.
Without opening his eyes Paroles
spoke: NO; l feel curiously awake"
He yawned.
Doctor Groom glanced at his watch.
"The powers of prosecution" he
grumhled, ought to he here within
the next fifteen or twenty minutes"
! Bobby glanced at Graham. Then
it wasn't safe to delay too long.
More and more as he waited he
shrank from the invasion of the
room of death. The prospect of
reaching out and touching the still,
cold thing on the bed revolted him.
Was there anything in that room
capable of forbidding his intention?
Was there, in short, surer, more
ma fieio"s force for evil than his I'M
\ conscious self, at work in the house?
He was about to make some formal
comment to the others, TO embark on
his distasteful adventure, when Pa
redes. as if he had read Bobby's
mind, opened his eyes, langridly left
his chair, and walked to the foot of
the stairs.
Where you going?" Graham asked
sharply.
Paroles waved his hand indiffer-