Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1922-01-13

was done In haste, on the spur OF the
moment; that it had not been In any
way premeditated and planned. 9th
| erwise 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
damning evidence.
l dare not remain there in the
presence Of this grisly spectacle. To
be found would fasten the hideous
crime upon me, while such story as
l 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 it
was, was conscious Of no regret, but
I must not be mixed up in the affair.
The only thing for me to do was to
disappear, and leave the police to
make their own discovery. And the
knife? the weapon which had done
the deed2 What should I do with
| that?
ulu hVL hCSlLoIC AOh6' WYNN
protect her from discovery II l couldk
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, she had done
a service to the country. The world
was better off with this conspirator
dead; nor would l denounce the one
who had taken his life. l 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 a quarter Of three was safely
in my room at the hotel. for the first
time feeling a sense Of real security.
Yet it was not to sleep. I did not
even undress, except to remove my
wet ter-garments before fiinging my
self on the bed. My brain wouldn't
rest, and lay there staring up at the
ceiling, while my mind reviewed over
and over again every incident OF the
night, and planned for the morning.
How would the murder Of Alva affect
the plot 1 had started to overcome?
Would it continue under some other
! leadership? Who? And the money?
what would become Of that? What
readjustment of plans would Harris
consider necessary? Once knew his
conception Of the situation, I could
better regulate my own action. Mean
while the only safe course was to re-
main still, and profess ignorance.
Then I had the engagement at PAT lie
Compte street-that might reveal
something Of Importance to help me
solve the problem.
l got up, removed the dagger from
my pocket, and examined it in the
electric light. 1t was a toy weapon,
yet sufficiently dangerous, for all that,
and looked at it with sense Of hor-
ror. How could a 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 unmistakable in their
! proof of crime. washed the steel,
f, leaving the blade bright and polished
then wrapped it carefully, and hid 1t
away at the very bottom Of my bag,
locking the latter against possible in
spection by a curious maid. felt re-
| lieved once I had the weapon out OF
sight.
The morning papers contained no
reference to the tragedy-the body OF
the dead man had not been found in
time. There would be noise enough
when it was, no doubt, for Alva must
have been widely known and ranked
as of some Importance. Even If his
identity was never established, If no
suspicion was aroused as to his posi-
ton, and secret work in this country,
yet the very mystery Of the case would
create sensation. But perhaps he