The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1921-08-12


cealing her escape. There was nc
way in which she could notify me, but
she might very easily have telephoned
/ TO her Iandlady. And, if the place
was what 1 suspicioned it to be. she
might have every confidence that her
secret would be guarded.
/ glanced up at the front of the
| house, searching the windows but
without results. The curtains were
closely drawn to keep out the sun
and the place appeared forlorn and
/ deserted. At the delicatessen shop on
| the corner 1 gained a CLEAN of light,
/ but merely enough to strengthen my
| former judgment. The keeper. a flax
! enough, but had only been in business
| there a few weeks.
"247 lie Compile, you say. Yes, she
| takes roomers; some are men. and
some are women. They come in here
and buy, but / never ask the names I; it
was all cash so why should | care?
Sometimes / hear them call names
sure; but never Conrad. The woman
what keeps the house? Wait and
tell you; it is on the books; ah you
read as she wrote it for me-Mrs. Au-
gusta Waldron; maybe a widow?
What you think? Bah, she never like
anything I have to sell. 1 care Moth
ing for trade with her-a cat this Mrs.
Augusta Waldron."
l left him with the familiar sound
of the name ringing in my ears-fhe
whole thing was travelling in a circle,
and the circle was growing continual
~ more compact. Blindly, l was
stumbling up against it here and
there most unexpectedly. Augusta
Waldron, beyond doubt, was Ivan Wal
dron's wife. No wonder her house
was designated tire meeting place for
those people.
1 returned to the hotel. Only as 1
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 l hastily bought
copies of half a dozen sheets. showing
them into my pockets.
The reports were mostly alike, ex-
ceedingly brief and unsatisfactory, ex-
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 1 either do, or
say, TO clarity this tragedy, and bring
the guilty TO justice? 1 sat there for
an hour thinking and smoking, en-
deavoring to answer these queries.
could study out no clear way to any
involve myself in the tolls of the po-
lice, or else implicate Marie Gessler,
so as to make any defense on her part
almost impossible No doubt she was
guilty. 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. 1 could not
forget her face, her manner, the clear,
look of her eye-she was no
and it was not in my heart |
to denounce her as such. Besides, if |
l took this responsibility it would /
only serve to shield other crimes of /
more Importance than the violent /
leath of this Chilean revolutionary
he murder perhaps of many innocent |
-ictims, and the destruction of much /
property. For Alva's death |
would hardly stop the plotting already
N foot The money was still here in
New York ready TO be used; the propa-
,andists at Washington would never
permit it to long lie idle. They would
ind somewhere another leader. and /
lone seemed TO be in a position to
'alk their hellish purpose. Perhaps
t was even by their orders that Alva
lad thus been put out of the way.
he had acted too slowly, and sus-
icion might have been aroused as to
is real purpose. On every side l was
ssailed with doubts.
Yet, even if ! held silent, / knew
ot in which direction to turn. l had
apparently lost all touch with the
irl. She had failed me completely
ither by accident. or design. Her APP
ointment with me had served TO re-
cal only one fact which might prove
f importance-247 lie Compile street
as undoubtedly a link In the chain
f the conspiracy: 1t was the home of
van Waldron. Once / told this dis
overy TO Harris the way might be
pened to closer investigation But
hat had become of Harris? 1t was |
lready approaching six o'clock. and
le man had not telephoned me. Sure
he must be aware by this time of
lie murder of Alva; the uselessness
I seeking longer TO find him alive.
Tas he also endeavoring TO avoid me? | /
as his purpose deceit? or had some I
lspicion arisen in his mind as to my i
.ally being Harry DAILY? i
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