Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1921-08-31


plicity. But was this truel II so.
how was / 20 account for the strange
coincident that both she and Harris
had named the same number. and
street, IL could not have occurred
merely through chance. Something
must have happened IN the mean
while 10 overthrow all her plans and
70 cause this rahid housekeeper TO
even deny her very existence. And |
held the key Of explanatiOn-the MUIR
der OF Ava.
Beyond all dAubt here was both
cause and effect. The girl had intend
ed to either see me herself. or by
proxy In the form OF this mysterious
Miss Conrad. But what had since
occurred had compelled a sudden
change in plans. a necessity for con-
cealing her escape. There was no
way In which she could notify me. but
she might very easily have telephoned
TO her landlady. And. II the place
was what / susplcioned IL 10 be. she
might have every confidence that her
secret would be guarded
I glanced up at the front Of the
house, searching the windows but
withCut results. The curtains were
closely drawn 10 keep out the sun.
and the place appe'red forlorn and
deserted. At the delicatessen shop on
the corner I gained a CLEAN Of light,
but merely enough 20 strengthen my
former judgment. The keeper. flax
en-haired Swede. was loquacious
enough. but had only been In business
there n 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 I never ask the names: n
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: Il Is on the books; an! you
read as she wrote Il for me-AIrs. Au-
gusta Waldron: maybe a widow
What you think7 Bah. she never like
anything I have 20 sell. ] care moth
ing for trade with her-a cat this Mrs.
Augusta Waldron."
left him with the familiar sound
~ the name ringing in my ears-the
whole thing was travelling I'm a circle,
and the circle was growing continual
ly more compact Blindly. I was
stumbling up against II 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.
I returned 70 the hotel. Only as ]
stood before the door did / realize
that the newshoys were calling out,
Extra! AN about the murder"
felt that my face was white. and that
hy hand shook, yet I hastily bought
copies az half a 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 tie police possessed
no real clue as 10 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 ~ 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 70 mud on the floor.
Outside all footprints had been OBJ
liberated by the falling rain No one
In the neighborhOod had heard
sound. or witnessed any movement.
The whole affair was shrouded In mys-
terry.
What. under these conditions. was
nv duty? What could / either do, or
say. TO clarity this tragedy, and bring
the guilty 10 justiceY l sat there Tor
an hour thinking and smoking, en-
deavoring 10 answer these queries.
could study out no clear way TO any
confession, which would not directly
involve myself In the tolls OF the po-
lice. or else implicate Marie Gessler'
50 as 10 make any defense on her part
almost impossible. No doubt she was
guilty yet could not drive myself TO
onenlv charge her with the crime.
There must be some extenuaung cir
cumstances. some unknown cause
which had led 70 the act. l could not
forget her face. her manner, the clear
womanly look Of her eye-she was no
murderess. and Il was not In my heart
to denounce her as such. Besides i
/ took this responsibility II would
only serve TO shield other crimes OF
more Importance than the violent
death OF this Chilean revolutionary
the murder perhaps OF many innocent
victims. and the destruction OF much
valuable property. For Alva's death
would hardly stop the plotting already
on foot. The money was still here In
New York ready 10 be used; the propa-
sandlsts at Washington would never
49,