American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1921-06-24
PAGE THREE

presence of this grlsly spectacle. To
be found would fasten the hideous
crime upon me, while such a story as
| must tell would never be believed. 1
did not know eyen who she really was, /
or where she might be. l cared moth
ing for Alva's death; horrible as IL
was, l was conscious OF no regret, but
/ must not be mixed up In the affair
The only thing for me to do was to
disappear, and leave the police to
make their own discovery. And the
knifeS the weapon which had donel
the deedf What should 1 do with
thatf
| did not hesitate long. I would
protect her from discovery II I could:
at least until I was myself convinced
of her guilt. There was no longer
the slightest doubt In my mind but
what this was her act. Everything
pointed straight toward her. Yet
there might be a reason, a worthy
cause, and, In any case, she had done
a service to the country. The world
was better OF with this consplrator
dead; nor would I denounce the one
who had taken his life. l hid the
knife In a pocket Of my coat, and
FASTENED down the side street toward
the nearest car line, my only desire
being to escape that neighborhood as
swiftly as possible.
by a quarter OF three l was safely
In my ut the hotel, for the first
time feeling a sense OF real security.
Yet II was not to sleep. l did not
even undress, except to remove my
wet outer-garments before nlnging my
self or the bed. My brain wouldn't
rest, and l lay there staring up at the
ceiling, while my mind reviewed over
and rye again every Incident OF the
night, and planned for the morning.
How would the murder of Alva AFFECT
the plot I had started to overcomef
Would II continue under some other
leadership Who7 And the money!
what would become OF thntf What
rendjustment OF plans would Harris
consider necessary Once l knew his
conception OF the situation, I could
better regulate my own action, Mean
while the only safe COURSE was to re-
main stilI, and profess ignorance.
Then | had the engagement Mt PAT La
Compile street-that might reveal
something Of Importance to help me
solve the problem.
| got up, removed the dagger from
my pocket, and examined II In the
electric light. II was a toy weapon,
vet sufficiently dangerous, for all that,
and | looked az II with q sense of hor-
ror. How could n woman have ever
thrust even that keen blade with one
blow through 10 the hearth Yet the
evidence was before me. Those dark
stains were bloOd-human Mood
dried now, but unmistnkable In their
proof of crime. | washed the steel,
leaving the blade bright and polished;
then wrapped II carefully, and hid IL
away Mt the very bottom of my bag.
locking the latter against possible in
spection by a curious maid. felt re-
lleYed once I had the weapon out of
sight.
The morning papers contained no
reference 20 the t~rngedy-the body Of
the dead mar had not been found I'm
time. There would be noise enough
when II was, no doubt, for Alya must
have been widely known and ranked
~ OF some importance. Even II his
identity was never established, II no
suspicion was aroused as To his posi-
tlon, and secret work In this country.
yet the very mystery OF the case would
create n sensation. But perhaps he
had papers on his person OF value. u
regretted not hnving searched his
pockets. Then the conviction came
that possibly here might be the trucl
solution Of the m%urder--a desire 10 Sc
cure some documents the man carried.
| went down 10 COstlgan's place on
foot, not being entirely certain Of the
exact location. II was nm ordinary
corner saloon, with n stairway lendinRl
to rooms above. IN the morning hours
the barroom was nearly deserted. but
the man NJ the bar, looking me over
cautiously, said that "Mr. Parker' had
aJrendy gone out, and had left no
word NJ 10 when he would return.
was rnther glad, yet / left a tele-
phone number, with a request that I
be called whenever he came back. I
waited i%mpntiently for the call in my
room, but nome came. II dnwnsd upon
me that In all probability Harris was
frnnticnlly ~endeavoring 10 find the
whereabouts OF Alva, ns yet having no
suspicion OF his death. I telephoned
COstlgan's. but Mr.. Parker" had not
returned.
! sent out for a noon edition. eager
~ scanning It's columns. but finding
nothing. Surely the deserted car,
with It's grim burden, must have been
discovered before this. The police
must have suppressed the news to en-
able them 10 work In secret; they
might have found some evidence I'm
the dead mans pockets, or IN the dark
recesses Of the car. by which they sti1
hoped 10 capture the assassin.
I remember eating In n bnaemeBt
restaurant. where I was totally IN
anown, and then departing for the
rendezvous on lie Compile street.
aUTFgg gIgH fh. s..It-w -. ..fsk