The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1920-03-06

That he should have succeeded 50
swiftly and brilliantly IN this matter
Of tho death of CaptnIn Gunner was
nothing less than disaster.
To Mr.. Snyder, medtatIng thus
there was brought the card of a caller,
Mrs. Pickett would he glad IL he could
spare few moments.
Mr.. Snyder was glad Ia see Mrs
Pickett. He was student Of chnrac-
ter, and she had interested him nj
their FIRST meeting.
She fell into none Of the groups into
which he divided his fellow men and
women. There was something about
her which had seemed 10 him unique,
He welcomed his second chance Of
studying her at close range. She
puzzled Mr.. Snyder. and when any one
or anything puzzled him, he liked ia
keep him, her, or IL under observation.
She came In and sat down stlilly,
balancing herself on the extreme edge
NJ the chair IN which a short while
before young MIR. Oakcs had iounged
so luxurlously.
Her hands we're folded on her lap,
aud her eyes had the penetrating stare
which In the enrly periods Of the In
vestignton had disconcerted Elliott
Oakes. She gave Mr. Snyder, an cx-
pert I'm the dlficu,t art of weighing
people up. n extraordinary impress
sion OF reserved force.
"Slt down, AIRS. pickett" said Mr
Snyder leninlly. VERY glad you looked
In. well. so 1t wasn't n.-ricr, after
aI.."
"Sirr
"pve Just been seeing Mr.. Oakes."
explained the detective. "lie has told
me oil about it."
'Hc ~ ne oil about H." said Mrs.
4 Pickc.y drsl ly.
A.r. Snyder looked NJ her inquirIng-
IT,. Ter manner seemed more sug.
gcstl,c than hor words.
"a conccitcd. headstrong young
fool" said Mrs. Pickett.
IL was no new picture Of his assist.
ant tnnt she had drawn. Mr.. Snyder
had often drawn II himself. but NJ
the present iuncture II surprised him.
Oates. In his nour OF triumph surely
did not deserve this sweeping con
domination.
"Dld not Mfr. Cakes solution ~ the
mystery satisfy sou, Mrs. PickettT
"No."
'It struck inc ne logical and con
vnclng."
'You may cell Il all the fancy
names you please, Mr. Snydcr; hut II
was not the right one"
"lIavc you al alternative 20 Of.
TERI
Eyes"
7 should liEe 20 hear H."
az the proper time you shall"
"Nhnt makes YOU 40 certain that
Mr. Onkcs n wronry
"Ilc tnkes for granted what Isn't
possible. and makes his whole case
stand On n. There couldn't have been
u snake In that room. because II
couldn't have got out. The window
was too high"
"But surely the evidence of the dead
dogY"
Mrs. Pickett looked ut him NJ n he
had disappointed her.
II had always hear you spoken
Of as a man with con mon sense. Mr..
Snyder"
II have always trlei 70 use com.
mon sense"
"Then why ;re yoi trying now 10
make yourself believe that something
happened which could not possibly
have happened Just because u Bts In
with something which isn't easy to
explnIni"
"You mean that there is another
explanation of the dead dogf"
"Not another. Mr.. Oakes IL not an
explanation. hut there In an explana.
ton. aud II he had not been so head
strong and conceltcd he might have
| found H."
"You speak as II you had found
H."
~ have"
Mr.. Snyder stared.
sYou havev
| "Yes."
"What In itT'
| aou ShHu utuT Wucu uul teouy
to tell yon. In the meantime try and
think II out for yourself. A great
detective agency like yours, Mr.. Sny.
der. ought to do something In return
| for fee"
There was something so reninis-
cent of the school-teacher reprimand-
Ing recalcitrant urchn that Mr.. Sny-
der's sense of humor came TO his res.
Gus.
"Well. we do our best Mrs. Pick
EFT. We are only human. And. remem-
her, We guarantee nothing. The public
employs us at It's own risk
Mrs. Pickett did not pursue the sub
ject. She waited grimly till he had
finished speaking, and then proceeded
TO astonlsh Mr.. Snyder stlll further
by asking him 10 swear out warrant
for arrest ON charge Of murder.
Mr.. Snyder's breath was not often
taken away In his own office; as
rula ha raeaivab his eIlantat aoup,u-