Gunnison news-champion., 1923-08-10
True
Detective Stories
NUMBER 2695


f. q dying condlticn-a bullet
having drilled a hole through his lung
Z 1T vas oaIy natural that Dennis
Trace should take up the trail OF the
rnur,iersrs- Tracey was Lawrence's
closest friend on the force.
4 No one knew anything about tia
circunstHnces which led up TO the
crime, aad, apparently. there was lit
tie hofe Of discovering any clue, BE-
cause Lawrence. though no, dead when
discovered on the following morning.
was extremely weak from exposure
and loSs Of blood According TO the
physicians. II was practically a GER
tain,y that he would die without re-
covering consciousness.
After leaving orders at the hospital
mat b. vas 10 be notified at once n
his friend showed signs Of being able
TO talk, Tracey visited the scene of the
shooting In the hope OF being able TO
End footprints or other evidence which
would assist him In the search which
he Intended TO make. The inyestiyn-
Ion. however. was entirely fruitiess.
I ~ EtNp4NtE IAu
been frrd three times. but without
efYect-for Trneey found the bullets
lodge In the rafters OF nearby ware
I house, sufficiently close together to
[ provide = hazy outline OF the place
/ from which Lawrence's assaiiant must
have fred. So far as Tracey was able
10 recoustruct the affair. Lawrence had
I 80. 4,
INTO the warehouse. had probably
~arneA him by sho, over his head
md followed that by two other shots
/ who failed 20 take effect. The burg.
ar had then turned and fired point
Man al the policeman. dropping him
vA.rc be stood
Sat who was the other man?
-hs was the question to which
! Trsesy determined 10 devote as much
tins as necessary. the problem with
out Z clue.
IL vas late the following night be-
fore iawrence's condition showed any
sicns = change, and then only for the
worsG The physicians gave him only
few pouts to live. and Tracey hung
continually over the bed. hoping for
some word or sign which would pro-
vidc rE Indication OF the murderer's
Identity. Finally II came.
With IN almost superhuman effort
the lying officer rhiscd himself on one
elbow. and gathering every ounce Of
his fast-failing energy. whispered the
single word:
"WIl -kin-son!-'
Then he fell back. dead.
But that last word was enough Had
II not been Tracey who heard II. II
would have meant nothine-for the
two officers had been secretly working
on a number Of recent warehouse
burGlaries and they alone knew Of the
suspected connection OF Daniel VII
kinson. son OF prominent New Hamp-
shire family. with the one-man thefts
Now Tracey knew that not only was
Wilkinson guilty of the burgiaries. but
Of a far greater crime-the murder OF
Policeman Lawrence.
Putting himself In the place of the
criminal. Tracey felt certain that the
Inter would not remain In or around
Bath. He must have known that Law
renee had recognized him. and would
fear that the dying man would find
some way OF imparting this knowledge.
1t was probable. therefore, that he
would head for some hiding place
where he would be comparatively safe.
knowing that wilkinson's family. In
an effort to whlten the character Of
the black sheep. had sent him to sea :
number Of years before. Tracey
thought II likely that the fugitive
would attempt TO Join the crew OF a
sailing vessel and lose himself in n
foreign port. He accordingly warned
the authorities of all the New Eng.
land sea ports TO be ON the watch
for a man OF wilkinson's description.
and then. securing leave OF absence.
/ he took mn the se,rch-conh,n, .h.