The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1922-12-14

state Of Colorado. 10 do your fun dur,
In arriving at your verdict"
The jury, half risen from the chairs
some with their left hands held higf
above them. some with their right
swore in mumbling tones TO do theli
duty, whatever that might be. The
| coroner surveyed the asSemblage.
First witness" be called out
Harry Harkins"
Harry went forward, ciumsily seek.
ing the witness chair. He was cues
| toned regarding nothing more than
the mere finding Of the body. the iden-
uficatiOn by means OF the watch. and
the notification Of the coroner. Fair
child was called, 10 suffer 20 more
from the queries Of the investigator
than Harry. There was pause. IL
seemed that the inquest was over. A
few people began 10 move toward the
dOor-oDly to halt. The eoroner's
voice had sounded again:
Mrs Laura ROdainei"
PrOdded 10 her feet by the squint-
eyed man beside her, she rose and,
laughing IA silly fashion, stumbled to
the aisle. her straying hair, her ragged
clothing. her big shoes and shutting
gait all blending with the Wild, eerie
look OF her eyes. the constant MUNICH
ing OF the almost tOOthiess mouth.
Again she laughed. In a vacant, EN-
barrassed manner, as she reached the
stand and held up her hand for the
administration Of the oath. Fairchild
leaned close 10 his partner.
AT least she knows enough for
that"
Harry nodded.
~She knows a lot. that ole girl. They
say she writes down in a book every
thing she does every day. But what
can she be ere to testify tor
The answer seemed TO come IN the
questioning voice Of the coroner.
your name. pleasef"
Laura RodaIne. Least, that's the
name / 90 by. My real maiden name
Is Laura HastersOn, and"
'fRodaine will be sufficient. Your
agef"
II think It's sixty-four. II had my
book l could tell. +"
"Your bookT'
"Yes. keep everything In a book.
But II Isn't here i couldn't bring H."
'The guess win be sufficient In this
case. You've lived here a good many
Years Mrs ROdaine2"
Eyes. Around thlrty-fve. Let's see
yes. I'm sure it's thirty-ive. My boy
was born here-he's about thirty and
we came here five years before that"
81 believe you told me tonight that
you have a habit OF wandering around
the hillsT
"Yes. I've done that-I do 1t right
done IL ever since my hus-
hand and | split up-that was just a
little while after the boy was born"
Sufficient. / merely wanted TO es-
tabllsh that fact. In wandering about.
ild you ever see anything. twenty |
three or four years ago or so. that
would lead you TO know something OF |
the death OF the man into whose de-
mise we are inqulring?'
II know something. / know a lot |
But I've never figured II was anybody's
business but my own. SO haven't told
I. But / remember"
what. Mrs. Rodaine?-
"The day Sissie Larsen was sup
,0sed 10 leave town-that Was the day
le got killed"
do you remember the dateT
"No-I don't remember that"
would IL be In your book?"
''No-no-it wouldn't be In my book
looked"
"But you rememberT
"Just like as II II was yesterday"
"And what you saw-dId II give you
ny idea"
Il know what | saw"
"And did II lead TO any conclusion?"
ayes"
"what. may I ask?"
THAT somebody had been muir
cred :"
"Who-and by whom"
Crazy Laura munched at her tooth
IS gums for n moment and looked
gain toward her husband. Then. her
atery. almost colorless eyes search
u. she began survey of the big
,om. looking intently from one figure
another. on and on-finally to
zach the spot where stood Robert
airchlld and Harry. and there they
opped. A lean finger, knotted by
darkened by sun and
ind. stretched out.
"Yes. | know who did II. and know
no got Killed. II was 'Sissie' Larsen
he was murdered. The man who
"a II was fellow named Thornton
alrchild who owned the mine-if I
MT mistaken. be was the father Of
is young man"
II object = Farrell. the attorney.
as 90 his feet and struggling forward.
mining his horn-rimmed glasses Into
pocket as he did SO. This has
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