The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1921-09-16
CHAPTER \
The Proof Of Murder-The Back Room
Of costigan's

Inc Proof OF murdcf-tnc oacr NV"
Of costigsn's
watched her through the gisss
doors until she vanished among the
crowd IN the lobby. could not per-
nit her to 90 away like this; to get
beyond my sight and knowledge-yet
I hesitated too long. until she had
merged into the swirling crowd and
was lost.
II was indeed strange feeling o.
loneliness which swept over me In
that moment. Never before had i felt |
such depth Of interest In q woman. or |
experienced such regret at parting. |
With no apparent effort, seemingly ut
terly Indifferent. she had nevertheless
become intwined with my life, her
presence a necessity for my happiness.
The soft pressure Of her body, the
touch Of her hand. was intoxication;
the glance Of her eyes sent the warm
blood pulsing through my veins. She
had become to me an inspiration,
memory to dream over. Q hope no
longer to be resisted.
This was strange, so strange an to
be beyond understanding. argued
II with myself. but to no result. The
fact would not be denied. Here was
an unknown woman. original and
beautiful. to be sure, yet one whose
very identity was shrOuded In mys-
terry. To all appearances she was &C
lively engaged in conspiracy against
the government of Chile, In a crime
against human life. She was unques-
tionablY the authorized agent Of a
gang ofsrevolutionary plotters-I had
witnessed their reception of her as
one of their own, and could not doubt
the evidence of my own eyes. She
had borne them instructions. and stood
In their midst. in secret conclave,
speaking as one having authority.
More than that even. she had refused
to deny this connection, to reveal her
name, or acknowledge any other pur-
pose. She had used me to further her
ends. whatever they might be, prey
ing upon my personal interest In her,
and yet refusing to lift a single fold
of this curtain Of mystery.
What could 1t mean, but that she
was secretly ashamed to permit Of my
full understanding? The thought of
the stolen money, the murder of Alva,
REQUIRED to me; the invitation l had
overheard for her to accompany him
on his fatal trip, and her accept
ance; the positive assertion of Harris
that she had done so; her confessed
knowledge that the money had actual
~ been given into the possession OF
the Chilean captain; the nature Of the
weapon with which he had beer
killed; her remaining in New York in
stead Of returning to Washington.
could not blot these things out, nj
matter how hard endeavored t
| reconcile them with her denials.
| trusted her; would continue to trus
her against the world, yet deep dow
!. In my heart fingered question ur
answered. II she was honest, squar,
actuated by some worthy purpose, VIII
IT did she still refuse to confide In me
n Surely had been sufficiently tested
" and she knew who was. II she Wa
the sister of classmate whom kne
g. and loved, what necessity RENAME
for the cOncealment of her name
re What. indeed. except shame at Il
ze port she was playing In this sord
ee drama OF life? Some of my earli'
re suspicion had been eradicated. for no
n It was clearly demonstrated that
m could not have been her knife viii,
had pierced Alva's heart. Whatev
OK else l might believe against her, tn
H.. evidence no longer existed, for 81
Is still wore the dagger In her hat. Pee
oe. liar as the design was, the weap,
ny locked In my valise, which h,
re picked up blood stained on the no
ra- OF the car. was not hers; 1t had be-
welded In its deadly work by sol
he other hand. But whose? Did s
ire know? Did she even suspect the {
ng saSsin? Was she even now endeav,
OILS Ing to conceal his Identity? The
to questions were unanswerable; cou
only partially drive them back
'er memory Of the girl herself: It W
lto impossible to recall her wildly
yes mind. and yet associate her with
md foul crime
the was still Immersed In su
md thoughts. mentally struggling for b
honor, and my own justification, VIII
finally attained the quiet Of my roo
the was squarely up against a ste
wall; there was no light perceptil
to anywhere. Neither Harris nor w
ish dron was guilty Of this crime; III
were obliterated from further c,
sderatIon. These two worthless h
D ! undoubtedly done their hest, hut b
~ been outgeneraled by some one ell.
and. whoever that other might he.
'rry had made clear getaway. leav
al not even a lurking suspicion beh
re- him. II was the Job of a master-th
mer an expert In crlme--0r else had b,
for accomplished through the blind !,
seq Of some one whose very ldent
w." clOaked any possibility Of suspicion
(To BE CONTlNUEDJ
hey II In q poor policy to buy hooks