The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1923-05-31
CHARLES J. BUTTON
cspyrisht In BY DoiA Mod 4 Co. Ina.
CHAPTER x
is
Sudden Death.

FOR moment after the cry hnd
died away the only sound TO be heard
was the dashing Of the rain against
the windows and the flashing OF the
trees outside. Everyone was too star
tied and frightened to move. felt
Bartiey's hand on my arm. his fingers
sinking deep into my tsesh. Then the
spell WIS broken, and men asked each
other IN excited whispers what had
happened.
Tke cry had seemed TO come from
the front OF the room. II had been
one Of horror, dread and surprise. as
If the person usTering IL had met with
some unexpected and awful expert
ence II had been a mans voice and
/ wondered whose II could have been
Come on. Pelt."
BARLEY pushed back his chair ana
half dragged me TO my feet. We start
ed TO grope our way between the
chairs toward the place from which
the cry had come. The room was still
in darkness and our progress was very
slow. Then the lights began 10 Kicker
very dimly. and suddenly flashed on
again I'm all their power.
Al first glance. there seemed TO be
nothing wrong; then | noticed that
King was bending over his desk, MS
face dead white, his eyes fixed on
something on the floor In 'front.' OF
him. and fear showing In every Tea
ture. realized suddenly that the
chauffeur's chair was empty, and thai
Roche was on his knees before some
object. Miss Potter. who had also
been staring at the floor, tainted ana
fell sidewise into the arms OF her
niece. Then l saw what was the mat
ter: the chauffeur was lying on the
floor. with his face white. and his
eyes closed.
BARLEY dropped 20 his knees beside
Roche and gave one searching look
at the man, then Strengthened up with
queer expression on his face. lie
pointed silently 10 the chauffeur. On
his brown coat slowly darkening and
widening. was a spiotch of blood. and
from his breast protruded the hilt OF
knife.
For a moment my head swan. Only
a short time before the lights had
gone out the chauffeur had had a self
confident sneer on his face: now he
was lying on the floor. white and still.
knife In his breast. Another murder
had taken place In Sykes house. and
this time in room crowded with
people.
The district attorney and Doctor
Webster had by now reached our side.
and the doctor knelt down by the
chauffeur With glance at the ex-
cited crowd pushing fits way toward
us, BARLEY suggested TO Roche that
he clear the room Of oil but the fam
lily. II was not until he had called
some OF his men TO his aid nat he
was able TO make the excite, spec
tators obey his orders and withdraw.
Doctor King was assisting Ruth 10
restore her aunt 10 consciousness. AS
for BARLEY. myself and Black. who
had come forward. we had eyes for
nothing bur the silent figure OF the
chauffeur.
Doctor Webster opened his coat
and examined the wound. Then. when
he had turned back his eyelids and
felt his pulse, he slowly shook his
head and said TO Barriey: "He can't
live more than FIVE minutes. The
knife reached his heart"
"wnl he recover consciousness be
fore he diesT" Barley asked.
81 can't say. He might. for a mo-
ment."
Even as he spoke ske chauffeur
onened his eyes, eyes that still re
tanned their look 81 horror and dazed
surprise Weakly his glance Travelled
over the faces bending over him: he
tried 10 raise one hand. but the effort
was too much for Aim and his eyes
closed again. When he opened them
n xecond time. he seemed TO recog-
nize BARLEY and gave him such an
appealing look that he bent closer. His
ewes had begun 20 glare and MS face
70 take on a wsxen hoe. Though his /
iips moved feebly. ne words came /
from them. Then. witt a dnai effort. |
he gathered up what little strength |
he had left. and. IN Soice Sc low
we could hardly distinguish the words. /
he sfammered forth. Tbe-robbery-
robbery. Those men-inBeceni. ask
boy
His voice died away and his ese-
lids sank: then he opened rkem again
and gnsped. 'The-boy-he knows"
1 saw Bartley's face lighfen- bur
be did not speak. BriGeur 'ay 20 still
tina; we thought be had ceased to
breathe; but, as the doctor started to
rise. be made a sudden effort 20 ait
up. and Barley put hls arm under
him. With eyes flashing. be crsed In
|. loud voice. -Slyke-inur-murdered-
- His arm rose from his side and
pointed straight in front Of him. bis
nnz<r almost touching Doctor Web
ter. who gaEed down al him. przzled-
TIE chauffeur voice