The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-10-13
Continued from last Week)

/ got up, removed the dagger from
my pocket. and examined II in the
electric light. 1t was a toy weapon,
yet sufficiently dangerous. for all that,
and I looked at IT with sense of hor-
ror. How could woman have ever
thrust even that keen blade with one
blow through to the heart? Yet the
evidence was before me. Those dark
stains were blood-human blood
dried now, but unmistakabe In their
nrOof OF crime. l washed the steel
'caving the blade bright and polished;
hen wrapped 1t carefully, and hid it
away ut the very bottom of my bag,
locking the latter against possible in
SpcctiOn by a curious maid. / felt re-
'eved once had the weapon out Of
sight.
The morning papers contained no
reference to the traCedy-the body of
he dead man had not been found in
ime. There would be noise enough
When II was, no doubt, for Alva must
nave hccn widely known and ranked
IS of some Importance. Even If his
IDENTITY was never established. if no
ion, and secret work I'm this country
ret the very mystery of the case would
'rcate a sensation. But perhaps he
ad papers on his person of value !
o"rettcd not having searched his
rockctS. Then the conviction came
hat possibly here might he the true
solution of the murI"r-a desire to Sc
'nre some documents the man carried.
went down 10 Costigau's place on
GOT, not being entirely certain of the
'Xact location. II was an ordinary
'orncr saloon. with n stairway leading
o rooms above. In the morning hours
he harru0m was nearly deserted but
lie man mt the bar. looking me over
HutiCUSly. said that "AIr. Parker" had
already gone out. and had left no
word rs TO when he would return. ]
vas rather glad. vet ! left tcle-
ph"nc number, with n request HAT
ne called whenever he came back. I
waited impatiently for the call i'm nv
room. but none came. 1t dawncd upon
me that in all probability Harris was
'rantically endcavOring Ia find the
whereabouts of Alva. as yet having no
suspicion Of his death. | tclcphOned
CoStigan'S, bur "Mr. Parker" had not
returned.
| sent out for noon edition. eager
ly scanning its columns. hut finding
nothing. Surely the deserted car.
with its grim burden, must have been
discovered before this. The police
must have suppressed the news 10 en-
able them Ia work in secret; they
might have found some evidence In
tn" dcGd mans pockets, or in the dark
re""s:"S o. The car, by which the! still
hope - cnptlre the aSsaS sin.
] remember eating in basement
--"."''"rut whare : was totally I'm.
known, and then departing for the
Temdc|' 0us OH I.c Compic street !
approached the number given with
serious miSgivlngS. If the police were
actually on the trail, some knowledge
OF this place might be in their posses
sion, and | COULD not he too cautious.
Ihere was no outward sign OF any
surveillance as | turned into the
dock; indeed except for a grocery
truck before one of the houses, and
an organ grinder at the farther cor
her, entertaining group of children
the street was entirely deserted. Mus
tering my courage, and with q feeling
or deep excitement, l advanced up
the steps of the house numbered DAT,
and, finding refuge I'm the outer vesti-
bule, rang the bell. I heard no dis
tant tinkle, but within a moment or
two the door opened a crack. held In