The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1923-05-31
Out of the Darkness


speak again
silently we rose to our feet. and
stood looking down az the dead man.
We were all too overcome by what
had taken place. 10 speak. II seemed
impOssible that a man could have been
done 60 death la roomful OF people
with the chief OF police on one side
OF him aud three detectives near him.
But murdered he had been. BARLEY
seemed To feed as dazed as ! did; for
he took the knife the doctor handed
ffim. without looking AT 1t. his eyes
upon the chauffeur and on his face
very odd expression None OF us
seemed fully able 10 grasp that a man
had been murdered almost before our
eyes.
Doctor King had been working over
Miss Potter, and she now opened her
eyes and glanced around wildly. She
saw the body AT her feet. and with
a little cry asked. whats happenedT'
No one answered for a moment /.
and then BARLEY replied simply.
Someone has murdered the chauf-
feur"
AT the word murder she gasped and
covered her eyes with her hand. After
moment she removed Il. and STAN
mered. "H-how-whof"
No one attempted to answer The
truth was that no one could. An we
knew was that he had been killed by
the knife that was now In Bartley's
hand. But how. why. and by whom
II was done, none OF us knew. II
seemed incredible that anyone could
have crept up TO the murdered man
In the dark without being heard by
those seated on either side OF him.
His cry had lasted but the baresi
fraction of second; IL seemed scarce
ly time enough between the moment
when the lights went out and the time
when the cry came for anyone TO have
come up TO him, murdered him. and
gotten away again. The murder must
have been committed by someone near
him. On one side OF him had been
Miss Potter: and. ON the other. Roche.
Roche was above suspicion; a police
chief does not kill his prisoner unless
he attempts TO escape. Then ! re-
membered the strange look that had
passed between Miss Potter and the
chauffeur when the latter had entered
the room.
Though there had evidently been Ill
feeling between the two. II seemed
absurd to suppose that she had killed
him. To have done IL. she would have
had TO have known that he would be
seated beside her. | knew that no one
but the coroner had known before
hand how the witnesses would be
placed. Nor could she have known
that the lights would go out just
when they did. and thus give a chance
to strike the blow. IL dawned on me.
AT this point. that she could not
have Known that the chauffeur would
be called as witness. and might NOT
have even known that he had been
arrested. Yet the blow had been
struck by some one near her. and
very near TO him.
what shall | do with those people
outsider" he asked the district att0r-
ney. Il got them out OF the house
but the reporters are bowling their
heads on They want 10 know what
has happened"
The attorney gave BARLEY an sp-
pealing look.
"If ! were you" BARLEY told him,
II would call the inquest OF for to
day al least. You have heard all the
important evidence. What Brlffeur
might have said we shall never know
Our duty now is to try and discover
what happened TO the poor chap"
He turned TO Docto. King. III I
were you. Doctor. would take the
name OF every one that was IN the
room this afternoon You might tell
the reporters. Roche that ue VIII
talk 10 them later
As both King and the district stior.
ney nodded. Roche hurried frosn the
room. but returned moment later
Again we stood hesifatlng. 10 one
seeming 70 know just what to do Dext.
waiting for BARLEY 10 take the lead.
Seeing that we were depending on
him. he walked TO the desk where
King had sat. and called US around
him.
Silently he turned the knife over
and over In his hand. then gave Il n
each OF US in turn to examine. n
was a curious kind OF knife. looking
rs II Il had had hard usage. The
handle was OF wood. rather heavy
md the blade. some four inches long.
,ame 10 fine. sharp point. As the
blade did not close. Il was an nwk-
yard weapon TO carry around. snd /
wondered where the murderer had
hidden Il. The more looked NJ Il.
he more ! wondered what II had been
ised for. T. was not a hunting knife.
II somewhat resembled one.
4 that was sure. n fact. "a was
mike any knife that had ever seen.
We all looked 81 u silently; and
Ffsen the las; 10 handle Il had PLACED
/ hack on the desk. BartIe- picked
! 10 for g second time
-TsSs IL the weapon thsf killed
'rinerr. You wonder why allowed