Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-05-28
Continued from last week

AoAC hClp UCihS pat AoAllAidS az Ills
moment than a dog could help bark
ing after retrieving it's masters walk
ing-stick from pond.
Eyes" he replied, 81 must say it
did surprise me. l didn't gather from
your report that you had even found
a clue. Was it the Indian theory that
won out, or did you catch Mrs. Pickett
with the goods?"
Cakes laughed tolerantly.
"Oh, that was all moonshine. / never
really believed that truck. put it in
to fill up. I hadn't begun to think
about the case then-not really think.
"No?"
mo. was just looking around it
giving it the once over"
"And having given it the once
over"
"Why, took my coat off and waded
in"
you weren't long about it"
Mr.. SNYDER extended his cigar-case.
'Light up and tell ne all about It."
"Nell, I won't say I haven't earned
his" said Cakes, putting smoke.
Shall L begin at the beginning?"
"Sure. But tell me first, who was
that did it? Was it one of the board
.rs?'
''No."
Somebody from outside, then?"
Cakes smiled quietly.
eyes, you might call it somebody
from outside. But / had better trace
NY reasoning from the start"
That's right. 1t SPOTS story know
ing the finish. Go to it."
Cakes let the ash of his cigar fall
1elicately to the floor, another action
which seemed significant to his en-
DlOyer. AS a rule, his assistants, unless
particularly pleased with themselves,
used the ash-tray.
"My first act on arriving" he said,
"was TO have talk with Mrs. Pickett.
A very dull old woman"
Curious. She struck me as rather
intelligent"
''Not on your life. She doesn't know
beans from buttermilk. She gave me
no assistance whatsoever.
II then examined the room where
the death had taken place. 1t was
much as you had described it. Locked
door. Window high up. No chimney
I'm bound to say that, at first sight,
it looked fairly unpromising.
"Then I had chat with some OF
the other boarders. They had nothing
to tell me that was of the least use
Most of them simply gibbered.
81 then gave up trying to get help
from outside, and resolved to rely on
my own intelligence
He smiled conn lacently.
ut is a theory of mine, Mr.. Sny'
der, which have found valuable, that
in nine cases out of ten, remarkable
things don't happen
81 don't quite get that"
81 mean exactly what say. / will
put it another way if you like. Wha'
I mean is that the simplest explana
ton is nearly always the right one
"Well, I don't"
ST have tested and proved it. Con
slider this case. Was there ever case
which was more entitled by rights tt
a bizarre solution? One was almost
inclined to believe in the supernatural
1t seemed impossible that there shoulC
have been any reasonable explanation
of the mans death. Most men WoulC
have worn themselves out guessing a
wild theories. If I had started to &c
that, I should have been guessing now
"As it .is-here l am. l trusted t(
my belief that nothing remarkable
ever happens, and won out"
Mr.. Snyder sighed softly. Cakes was
| entitled to a certain amount of gloat
ing, but there was no doubt that his
way of telling a story was little
| trying.
81 believe in the logical sequence O.
events. l refuse to accept effects uh
less they are preceded by causes. III
other words, with all due Difference e
you, Mr.. Snyder, simply decline Z
believe in a murder unless there is
motive for it.
"The first thing set myself to as
certain was-what was the motive 10
this murder of Captain Gunner! Anu
after thinking it over and making
every possible inquiry, | decided ina
| there was no motive. Therefore. ther'