The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1920-06-11

Illu,4ratio1~s
by
lrwinMyet,s

rectly under mine. The screams had
hesrd-and the shot-had seemed to
come from under my very feet.
Although the lights In the front OF
the hall were burning, the sitting room
was In darkness. AS l reached the
door, my fingers sought the button,
and as the flare OF light Illuminated
the room | looked hastily about me.
There was no one there, but my one
quick glance showed me that the door
OF the wall safe, located similarly to
the one In the apartment above, was
standing wide open,
Quirkly l sprang to inspect the room
corresponding to mine, room, 1t will
be recalled, opening off the sitting
room. Here. too. was darkness. and
as | turned Oh the lights, stood
aghast with horror.
On the floor, close up to the inner
wall, lay the contorted body OF beau
tiful young woman. Her eyes were
wide open and staring. One arm was
twisted under her. and the other hand
was clutching at the front of her
bodice, where a blotch of CHASTITY red
indicated the path OF the shot that
had heard.
Its Miss Lutan," said Mr.. Wick's
voice behind me.
"Shes been murdered" l cried; "get
the police at once"
AS l bent over her to see II there
| was any evidence of life, | saw i'm
| printed In her tender white throat the
marks of her assailant's brutal fingers.
! "Come," l said, help me lift her on
to this couch, and then telephone at
once for DOCTOR"
| Mr.. Wick had been all the while
standing there, staring at the body as
| If stupehed by the tragedy, but he
obeyed my directions. and with him at
her feet and at her head we laid her
down on the couch, where / proceeded
to loosen her gown and to try by arti-
fetal respiration to restore her blood
| to circulation.
Get the doctor at once" COM
manded again, land phone for the po-
lice"
"John," called out Mr.. Wick. Ego
to the phone and tell Miss Kelly to
send for Doctor Hunt to come at once"
"Tell her to get the police, too"
insisted.
"And let the burglar escape while
we're doing It," objected Mr.. Wick.
"Come on, let's look through the apart
ment. He may be hiding somewhere
STILL"
Together, while the boy was 'phon-
| ing, we went from room to room, peer
Ing into closets and under beds. There
was no one there and no traces of the
murderers presence. Even the serv-
| ants quarters were untenanted. Only
one thing happened that struck me as
| peculiar. AS l started up the hall to
search the bedrooms, / looked back
and caught Mr.. Wick furtively closing
| the wall safe. His action In surrepti.
tiously closing this without saying
| anything to me made me suddenly sus-
| picious Of him. l recalled that Detec-
| tive German had put Mr.. Wick into his
circle of suspects along with the bur
glars wife. Could 1t be possible that
the superintendent of the building him
self was in connivance with the band
of criminals who had been harasslng
the Bradfords and me? l determined
to watch his every move.
There's no one here" ! said, as we
completed our round of the various
rooms. THE murderer has made his
escape. Hasn't that boy 'phoned fol
the police YETI"
Mr.. Wick seemed so averSe to carry
ing out my suggestion about the police
that | think he must have sensed the
suspicion In my voice.
II think had better ask Mr.. Ken
about 1t first" he said nervously.
sWho's Mr.. Kent2" l demanded.
My thoughts were so taken up witt
the unexpected tragedy that the name
at first meant nothing to me. Sud
denly | remembered. 1t was to TIL,
apartment of Mr.. Henry Kent tina
Miss Kelly had 'phoned last nigh
when she was dining with me. / re
called, too that German had charged
me to find out all could about him.
"Who's Mr. Kent?" / repeated
sharply. "What's he got to do with It?
Hes the owner Of the building" ex
planned Mr.. Wick. "He doesn't lik
the Granddeck to be mentioned in TIL
papers. He says any notorlety is ba'
for its exclusiveness. I don't believ
bed want the police called In. II
fact sir, I'm sure he wouldn't"
"Whether he wants 1t or not" sal,
firmly, ITS got to be done. You can
keep murders out of the paper. Eithe
you call the police right away or els
I Will"
Ny threat forced him to telephon
against his will. l could quite under
stand his employers aversion to hav
ing a crime in the Granddeck mad
public. But there was no help for II
| There had been dastardly crime com
mitted. and the police must oe in
formed. Yet 1t was not to the polio
| that Mr.. Wick was telephoning |
evidently was to Mr.. Kent's apartment
| in the building