Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-14

Whe1, I looked around the edge Of
the blind five minutes later he was
goin' over the papers in the desk
the blind five minutes later. he was
goin over the papers in the desk-and
an automatic pistol was there right by
his hand
''llc was alone?'
AT first he was. In about a minute
his brother an Miss Hartman came
into the room. She screamed when she
saw yorc uncle an most tainted. The
other brother. the young one. kinda
caught her an steadicd her. He was
struck all Of a heap himself. You could
see that. He looked at James. an he
said. My God, you didn't That was
denied it. He'd jumped up to help sup
port Miss Hartman outa the room.
Maybe a coupla minutes later he came
back alone. He went right straight back
to the desk. found inside OF three seconds
the legal document l told you I'd seen
his uncle readin'. glanced it over. turned
to the back page. jammcd the paper
back in the cubby hole, an then
switched off the light. \ minute later
the light was switched off in the big
room, too. Then reckoncd it was time
to beat it down the fire escape. I did.
went back into the Wyndham carryin'
the clothes line under my coat. walked
upstairs without meetin' anybody. left
the rope on the roof. an got outa the
, house without being seem
That's the whole story" Kirby
said.
The whole story. I'd swear 1t on
stack of Bibles
Did you fix the rope for lariat up
on the roof or wait till you came back
| to the fire -escape:'
II fixed it on the root-made the
loop an all there. Figured I might be
seen if ] stood around too long on the
| platform"
so that yor must "a been away
quite little while"
Il reckon 50. Probly a quarter OF
an hour or more
Can you locate moro definitely the
! exact time you heard the shot?"
NO. ! don't reckon can
Kirby asked only one more question.
You left next mornin for Dry
Valley. didn't you:"
"lcs. None o. nv business IL they
stuck Hull for it. He was guilty as
sin, anyhow. If he didn't kill the old
man, it wasn't because he didn't want
to- Maybe he did. The testimony at
the inquest. as l read the papers. left
! it that maybe the blow on the head had
killed Cunningham. Anyhow, I wasn't
gonna mix myself in it,
Kirby said nothing. He looked out
of the window of his room without see
, focused on the problem before him.
The other man stirred uneasily.
! Think ] did it?" he asked.
/ The cattleman brought his gaze back
to the Dry Valley settler. You? Oh,
/ no. You didn't do it,
There was such quiet certainty in his
manner that Olson drew 0 deep breath
of relief. by Jupiter, I'm glad to hear
you say so. What made you change
yorc mind?'
Haven't changed II. Knew that all
tho time-well. not all the time. | was
millin' you over in my mind quite n
bit while YOU were holdin' out on nc.
Couldn't be dead sure whether you
were hidin' what you knew just TO
hurt Hull or becaus" of your own
guilt
Still. ] don't see how you're sure
yct. ! might n gone in bv the win
dow an gunncd Cunningham like YOU
said.
Yes, you might have, but you
rested. Olson, but | want you to stay
in Denver for day or two until this
is settled. We may need you as n wit
ness. It won't be long. I'll see your
expenses are paid while you're here
I'm free TO come an so as
please"
absolutely. Kirby looked at hin,
with level eyes. He spoke quite as a
matter Of course. You're no fool,
t Olson. You wouldn't stir up suspicion
against yourself again by running away
now, after tell you that my eye is on
the one that did it."
The Swede started. "You mean
now?'
G Not this very minute" Kirby
laughed. II mean I've got the person
spotted, at least / think ! have.
! 1--WE made lot of mistakes since
I started roundin up this fellow with tht
brand OF Cain. Maybe I'm maxim an.
. other. But I've hunch that IH
ridin' herd on the right one this time. =
lie rose. Olson took the hint. III
, would have liked to ask some questions
: for.AiS mind was filled with burnins
3 curiosity. But his hosts manner die
q NOT invite them. The rancher left.
Up and down his room Kirby paced
beat from the window to the door
y and back aga IN. His mind was bus!
discussing, analyzing, classifying. Som'
one had once remarked that he had {
$ single track mind. In one sense he had
. The habit of 1t was TO follow trair
e of thought to its logical conclusion. lit
e did not hop from one thing to an
other inconseIuently.
Q Just now his brain was working OF
Q his cousin James. lie went back t,
t the first day Of his arrival in Denve
4 and shifted the evidence for and agans
him. A stream of details. fugitive i'm
, pressions, and mental reactions foode,
through.
I'd For one of so cold a Temperament
: James had been distinctly friendly L
4im. He had gone out Of ~ ~ :.