The Meeker herald., 1920-12-18


come from under my very feet.
Although rhe lights In the front Of
the hall were burning. the sitting room
was In darkness. Az reached the
door. my fingers sought the button.
and as the dare Of Light illuminated
the room ! looked hastily about me.
There was no one there, but my one
quick glance showed ne thst the door
VI the wall safe. located similarly TO
the one iD the apartment above. was
standing vide open.
Quirkiy sprsnY 70 inspect the room
corresponding 10 nine. room. 1t VIII
he recalled. opening on The sitting
room, Here. too. was darkness. and
lis turned OD the Lights, ] stood
aghast with horror.
On the door. close up 70 the inner
wall. lay the contorted body Of beau
tiful young woman. Her eyes were
wide open snd st,Tiog. Que arm WAS
twisted under her. and the other hand
WAS cIutcbiDg ct the front Of her
bodice. where = bl0tcb Of CHASTITY red
indicated the path Of the shot that ]
had heard.
-Its Miss Lutan." said Mr. wicks
voice behind ms.
She's been murdered" cried: "xei
the police " once"
As ! bent over her TO xee n there
WIS any evidence Of life. ] saw I'M
printed IN her tender white throat the
ma rks of her nssHiIsDt's brutal fingers.
4 SufI M 1pT
to this couch. BDd then telephone NJ
once for doctor"
Mr.. Wick had been all the while
Standing there. staring III the body AS
II siupefied by the pDzedy, but be
Obeyed my directions. and with him at
her feet and sf her head We laid her
down on the couch. where proceeded
10 loosen her gown and 10 try BY nri-
fci1I respiration To restore her blood
10 circulation.
"Get the doctor Mt once" com
minded again, -aDd phone for the Do-
lice"
John" called out Mr. Wick, Ego
10 tie phone and tell Miss Kelly TO
send for Doctor Hunt "a come ut once"
Tell her to yet the police. too."
insisted.
"And let the burglar escHpe while
we're doing H." objected Mr.. Wick.
Come on, let's iOok through the apart.
ment lie mny he 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
murdere-'s presence. Even the serv-
ants quarters were unteDnntet, Only
one hing happened that struck me M
peculiar. As ! started up The hnii to
search the bedrooms. ] looked back
and caught Mr.. Wick furtiSsly closing
the wall snfn. His action In surr"pu-
iiOusiy closing this without saying
anyihiD. 10 me made me suddenly sus-
picious Of him. ] recalled fhht Detec'
tive German had put Mr.. Wick into his
circle of suspects along with HE bur
CHRIS wife. Could II ba possible that
the superintendent, Of the building him
self WIS In c0nniynncs with the banh
Of criminals who Ind been harnssing
The BrndfOrhs and mef ] determined
to wntch his every move.
"rhere's no one here" I said. M we
completed our round Of the various
rooms, "The murderer Inns mndc his
escape. Hasn't that hoy phoned for
The police yetW
Mr., Wick seemed no ayerse to carry
Ing out my suggestion about the police
TINT I think he must have sensed the
suspicion In my voice.
~ think ] had better ask Mr., Kent
about II first" he said nerVOusly.
"Wh0s Mr.. Kentf' ! demanded.
My thoughts were so tnken up with
the unexpected tragedy TINT the nnms
at first meant nothing To me- Sud
denly I remembered. II WIN Ia tho
apartment of Mr., Henry Ken, that
Miss Kelly had 'phoned last night
when SHE was dining with me, re-
called, too, that German had charged
mo to ind out all I could about him.
"Whos Mr., KentT I repeated
sharply, "Whnt's he got TO do with u 7"
He's the owner Of the building" ex-
planned Mr., Wick. "ile doesn't like
the Grahddeck to he mentioned In the
papers. lilo says any notoriety In bad
for itA exclusiveness, I don't believe
he'd want the police called In. In
fact, sir, I'm sure he wouldn't"
"Whether he wants II or not" said
firmly. "its got to he done. You can't
Keep murders out of the paper. Either
you call the police right away or elise
l will"
My threat forced him to telephone
against his will, ! could quite under
stand his employers aversion to hav-
INK a crime In the uranddeck made
public. Hut th0re was no help for II.
There had been = dsstartily crime COM
United. and the police must b. In
formed. Yet It was not to the police
that Mr.. Wick was tslephonins. II
evidently was to Mr.. Kent's apartment
In the building.
"Miss Lutau's hssn shot BY burglar