The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1920-03-04

NoS
Mrs. Pickett looked at him as il h.
had disappointed her.
81 had always hear you Spoken
of as a man with common sense, Mr
Snyder"
II have always trieL to use com
mon sense"
'"Then why ere you trying now t.
make yourself believe that something
happened which could not possibly
have happened just because it fits in
with something which isn't easy t.
e~xplain?"
you mean that there is another
explanation of the dead dog?"
: mot another. Mr.. Cakes is not an
explanation. But there is an explana.
ton, and if he had not been SO head.
strong and conceited he might have
found it"
you speak as if you had found
it,"
81 have"
Mr.. Snyder stared.
you haveF"
yes"
What is itT'
you shall hear when I am ready
TO tell you. In the meantime try and
think it out for yourself. A great
detective agency like yours, Mr.. Sny-
der, ought to do something In return
for a fee."
There was something so reminis.
cent of the school-teacher reprimand-
ing a recalcitrant urchin 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-
Der, we guarantee nothing. The public
employs us at its own risk"
Mrs. Pickett did not pursue the sub.
ject. She waited grimly till he had
finished speaking, and then proceeded
to astonish Mr.. Snyder still further
by asking him to swear out a warrant
for arrest on a charge Of murder.
Mr.. Snyder's breath was not often
taken away in his own Office; as 9
rule, he received his clients commu
nications, strange al they often were
calmly.
But at her words he gasped. The
thought crossed his mind that Hrs
Pickett was not quite sane.
The details of the case were fresh
in his memory, and he distinctly recol.
lected that the person she mentioned
had been away from the boarding
h1,,ra ON fhn nfohf ~ Tonfofn Gun
ner's death, and, he imagined, could
if necessary bring witnesses to prove
as much.
Mrs. Pickett was regarding hin
with an unfaltering stare. To all out
ward appearances she was sane.
But you can't swear out warrants
without evidence"
II have evidence"
"What is it?"
eff 1 told you now, you would think
that I was out of my mind"
"But, my dear madam, do you
realize what you are asking me to do
1 cannot make this agency responsible
for the casual arrest of people in this
way. 1t might ruin me. At the least
it would make me a laughing-stock.'
"Mr. Snyder, listen to me. You shall
use your w judgment whether oil
not to make the arrest on that war
rant. You shall hear what / have tC
say, and you shall see for yourself
how it is taken. If after that yor
feel that you cannot make the arres1
you need do nothing"
Her voice rose. For the first time
since they met she began to throw
off the stony calm which served tt
mask all her thoughts and emotions
81 know who killed Captain Gun
ner. I can prove it. l knew it from
the beginning. 1t was like a vision
Something told me. But I had no proof
Now, things have come to light, anC
everything is clear"
Against his judgment Mr.. Snyder
Tas impressed. This woman had the
l~agnetism which makes for persua-
iveness. He wavered.
Tit sounds incredible" /:
Even as he spoke he remembered
nat it had long been a professional
laxim of his that nothing was incred-
lie, and he weakened still further.
mi. Snyder, L ask you to swear out :
nat warrant"
The detective gave in. :
very we'll" :
Mrs. Pickett rose. :
IF you will come and dine at my :
ouse tonight, L think / can prove to :
that it will be needed. Win you :
ome?' :
"Tn come" said Mr.. Snyder. :
ITO be Concluded Next Week :