The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-10-06
cHAprER w.

grasped the thing In my hand,
holding 1t mp inc-eduiously into what.
ever faint Light could and. There
was no question as to its identity;
could not doubt. This was the same
peculiar ornament had observed that
evening In the girls hat, or else its
exact mate. I recalled the quaint
shape Of the miniature hut too clearly
to be mistaken. Then this car was the
one In which she had departed with
Gustave Alva two hours before. What
had occurred In the meanwhilef Some
thing serious evidently. The dagger
on the hoor would indicate a struggle,
or at least hasty departure from the
vehicle.
I stood staring at It, slowly compre-
hending the probable meaning Of those
dark stains on the blade. Their ma
ture could not be determined In so
dim a light, yet when touched them
with my finger 1t became discolored.
My God could 1t be blood7- Blood It
was blood; then this had been q scene
Of tragedy. Of awful crime perhaps.
The discovery sickened me. but had
to 60 on. i wrenched open the for
ward door and peered fearfully with.
In. I could not but know instantly
what I saw-a dim, huddled form
leaning forward across the steering
wheel, one hand vet on the spokes,
with head dangling helplessly. upheld
only by contact with the windshield
knew the man was dead before
touched the cold hand; his very pos
ture told that-and how he had died !;
instantly, from stab in the back. I
could not see his features, the dark
ness hid them, but desperation drove
me to pass my hand over the con-
cealed face; the upturned mustache.
the exposed teeth, grinning ironically
In death, left no doubt as to who he
was-the Chilean soldier and attache.
Captain Alva. The awful horror Of It
paralyzed my very brain. She must
have done this! That girl must have
killed him! But why2 for what rea.
son7 for what purpose2 Could II have
been In answer to insult2 Had the
man dared to press his advances once
they were alonef and had she re-
sisted1 would not question his in
clination. yet this was not possible
The knife lay on the floor behind him,
just as plucke6. blood-stained. from
the wound. The girl, then, was not
even riding beside him; she could not
be to have dealt such q blow-she
must have been alone In the rear seat.
There in the dark, unnoticed by the
man driving she had leaned forward,
and driven that sharp blade unerring-
" home to the heart. He had sus-
Dssssd settling In time to raise even
an arm In self-defense. Then. dazed,
frasAtsnsd BY her terrible deed, for.
gstful even Of the knife In her terror
she haa dashsd 1t to the noor and fied
into the darkness, leaving the rear
dosr oDsa behind her.
That was the story; that must be
TIE story. Ny mind pictured the scene
In oil its horror. Yet what could &C
eoant for such IN actf What cause
could transform this woman, this
snilins-facsd girl, into q murderess1
Her leaving that weapon behind
would sssn to proclaim that the deed
was done IN haste. on the spur of the
moment: that 1t had not been In any
way prsmsditated and planned. 9th
srwiss she would have guarded
against such danger Of discovery.
Why, that carelessness alone might
ruin every hope OF escape. might bring
her to the electric chair-it was
daRnins evidence.
l. dare net remain there In the
presence Of this grisly spectacle. To
be found would fasten the hideous
crime upon me, while such . story an
! must tell would never be believed.
did not know even who she really was,
or where she might be. I cared moth.
ing for Alva's death; horrible as II
was, / was conscious Of no regret, but
l must not be mixed up In the affair
The only thing for me to do was to
disappear, and leave the polices to
make their own discovery. And the
knife1 the weapon which had done
the deed! What should do with
that1
% did not hesitate long. I would
protect her from discovery II could
at least until 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, shp had done
service to the country. The world
was better Off with this cOnspirator
dead; nor would denounce the one
who had taken his life. I hid the
knife in a pocket Of my coat, and
hastened down the side street toward
the nearest car line, my only desire
being to escape that neighborhood as
swiftly as possible.
BY . quarter Of three I was safely
In my room at the hotel. for the first
time feeling a sense Of real security
Yst It was not to sleep. I did not
sven undress, except to remove my
wet outer-garments before fiinsing my.
self on the bed. Ny brain wouldn't