The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-06-13
CHAPTER TX
The Cry In the Dark.


Every one was eager to see him, and
he became at once the center Of all
eyes.
Doctor King did not trouble BARLEY
with questions, but allowed him to tell
his story in his own way. He recount.
ed our arrival at the house and our ex
animation of the body. AS he told OF
his reasons for thinking that Slyke had
been murdered, the room became very
Still. He described our search for
clues In the tower rooms, and what he
had found on the balcony. Slowly the
audience realized that Slyke had not
been killed in any Of the rooms of the
house, but on tower sixty feet in the
air.
He pictured in short, concise words
how the body had been carried
down two flights of stairs, undressed
and put into bed. A gasp went around
the room at his words, and I could
see from the faces Of the listeners
that they could scarcely believe the
story he was telling them. The sensa-
ton was increased when he spoke of
the removal Of the revolver from the
dead mans hand while we were in the
upper room of the tower. This was,
without doubt, so far the most dra-
matte moment of the inquest.
While BARLEY had been giving his
testimony, the storm had come nearer.
A thunderstorm is never a cheerful
ha hAc nd
making every one very uneasy. At
each clap Of thunder, someone would
give a start and glance nervously
around.
The next witness, the photographer,
was only on the stand a short time. He
told of taking the pictures of the room
In which the body lay and of the body
itself, and stated that he had seen no
revolver in the dead mans hand.
The testimony of the following wit
ness was also brief. The boy who
worked around the garage, although
very much frightened, stuck to his
story that he was getting into bed
when he heard a shot, and that 1t
sounded as If 1t were up in the air.
The time, he thought, was somewhere
between two and three in the morn
ing.
When he had returned to his seat
the step-daughter took his place. Her
youthful face flushed under the many
eyes that were turned upon her, and
she never looked up. Her story was
the one that she had told to BARLEY
and she added nothing new to it. In
answer to a question as to whether
she had glanced at her step-father's
door when she passed it the night of
the MURDER she replied that she had
and that it was closed. Catching the
district attorneys eye at this point,
BARLEY motioned him to his side and
they whispered together for a moment.
The district attorney then asked the
girl If she had seen the dog when she
came in. Rather surprised at the |
question, she answered that the dog |
had met her at the front door, smelled |
of her dress, and followed her to the |
stairway before going back to his rug.
When. she left the stand, her testi-
mony had not added anything to what
we already knew.
l realized suddenly that we knew
no more about the crime than we had
when the inquest began. Though l
was sure in my own mind that Slyke
had been murdered had grave doubts
If it could be proved satisfactorily to
others. The almost entire absence of
clues made 1t seem more mysterious
han 1t had at first, if that were pos
;ible. Even the next witness, Mr. Law
.ence, added nothing to our knowledge.
lie said that, at the close of the party,
Mr. Slyke had asked him to stay be-
lind, for what he did not know at the
ime. After the others had left, Mr..
slyke had taken him up to his room in
he tower, and had asked him If he
would like to buy little whisky, as he
lad more than he needed.
There was a ripple of laughter at
his unexpected statement. Though it
vas the first time that whisky had
cen introduced into the case, l doubt
{ anyone regarded its mention as i'm
ortant. The laughter made Lawrence
lore nervous than ever, and he talked '
aster and more indistinctly. He had
tayed only a few moments, he said, {
hough Slyke had urged him to remain
,nger. A moment after he had been s
eleased from the stand, 1 remembered t
nat he had not mentioned the fact ,
lat Slyke had told him he was expect 8
lg another visitor. Whether Law y
,nce had forgotten 1t or did not wish b
, volunteer the information, l could 1
OF decide. 1t seemed to me to be a V
cry important point for him to have L
nitted. O
The butler, who came next, took his
,at to the accompaniment of one of il
lie worst claps of thunder that we G
i'd yet had, clap that seemed al "
ost in the room. Then a burst of p
in swept against tie windows. All "
rough his TESTIMONY the thunder =
ade II almost impossible to hear him, a
I'd he had to repeat many of his II