The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-08-20

proxy in the form of this mysteriou
Miss Conrad. But what had sine
occurred had compelled a suddel
change in plans, necessity for con
cealing her escape. There was n
way in which she could notify me, bu
she might very easily have telephone'
to her landlady. And, if the place
was what l suspiciOned 1t to be, sh'
might have every confidence that he
secret would be guarded.
glanced up at the front of thu
house, searching the windows. bu
without results. The curtains wer'
closely drawn TO keep out the sun
and the place appeared forlorn ant
deserted. At the delicatessen shop OF
the corner ] gained CLEAN of light
but merely enough to strengthen m!
former judgment. The keeper, flax
en-haired Swede, was loquaciOu:
enough, but had only been in bushes:
there a few weeks.
"247 lie Compile, you say. Yes, she
takes rOomers; some are men. ant
some are women. They come in here
and buy, but never ask the names; II
was all cash, so why should | care,
Sometimes i hear them call names
sure; but never Conrad. The woman
what keeps the house? Wait and
tell you; it is on the books; all you
read as she wrote 1t for me-Mrs. Au-
gusta Waldron; maybe widow
What you think? Bah, she never like
anything l have TO sell. l care moth
ing for trade with her-a cat this Mrs.
Augusta Waldron."
left him with the familiar sound
Of the name ringing in my ears-the
whole thing was travelling In a circle,
and the circle was growing continual
ly more compact. Blindly, l was
stumbling up against 1t here and
there most Unexpectedly. Augusta
Waldron, beyond doubt, was Ivan Wal
dron's wife. No wonder her house
was designated the meeting place for
those people.
l returned to the hotel. Only as
stood before the door did l realize
that the newsbOys were calling out,
Extra All about the murder!"
felt that my face was white, and that
by hand shook, yet / hastily bought
copies Of half dozen sheets, showing
them into my pockets.
The reports were mostly alike, ex-
ceedingly brief and unsatisfactory, ex-
cept that they conveyed the impress
sion that thus far the police possessed
no real clue as to the perpetrator of
the crime. No one connected with
the meeting the night before was men,
toned in any article, nor was any sus-
picion of such a meeting mentioned. |
read the last line with a distinct feel
ing Of relief, dropping the paper on
the floor.
They had discovered no clue, MOTH
ing whatever to work upon. The in
terror of the car had yielded no evil
dence Of its former occupant, the only
reference being to mud ON the floor.
Outside all footprints had been OBJ
liberated by the falling rain. No one
in the neighborhood had heard a,
sound, or witnessed any movement.
The whole affair was shrouded In mys-
terry.
What, under these conditions, was
my duty? What could / either do, or
say, to clarity this tragedy, and bring
he guilty to justice? / sat there for
an hour thinking and smoking, en-
ieavOring to answer these queries.
Gould study out no clear way to any
which would not directly
INVOLVE myself in the tolls Of the po-
ice, or else implicate Marie Gessler,
70 as to make any defense ON her part |
Utmost impossible. No doubt she was
utility. yet l could not drive myself to |
openly charge her with the crime.
There must be some extenuating cir
some unknown cause,
which had led to the act. / could not |
orget her face, her manner, the clear,
look Of her eye-she was no
lurderess, and Ii was not in my heart
o denounce her as such. Besides, If
took this responsibility it would
My serve to shield other crimes of
lore importance than the violent
cath of this Chilean revolutionary
he murder perhaps of many innocent
ictims, and the destruction of much
property. For Alva's death
'ould hardly stop the plotting already
n foot. The money was still here In
ew York ready to be used; the propa-
lndists at Washington would never
ermit it to long lie idle. They would
nd somewhere another leader, and /
one seemed to be In position to
ilk their hellish purpose. Perhaps
was even by their orders that Alva
Id thus been put out of the way.
e had acted too slowly, and sus-
cion might have been aroused as to
S real purpose. On every side / was
sailed with doubts.
Yet, even If ! held silent, 1 knew
It in which direction to turn. 1 had :
)parently lost all touch with the ,
RI. She had failed me completely
Their by accident. or design. Her APP I,
'intment with me had served to re- :
al only one fact which might prove |
importance-247 lie Compile street s
rs undoubtedly link in the chain c
the conspiracy; 1t was the home of r
an WaldrOn. Once l told this dis r
very TO Harris the way might be
'ened to closer investigation. But +
nat had become of Harris? 1t was /"