The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-02-02

| things ! had discovered. Above all.
wanted TO know what his opinion
would be of Lawrence's statement
that Slyke was expecting some one
TO call after he left. To my surprise
he was much more interested In the
fact Of Sykes having offered the
whisky for sale. had expected. when
| had finished with my story. that he
would tell me what he had discovered
after | left him M Sykes. But as he
did nothing of the sort, l finally found
courage TO Inquire.
"Well. Pelt." he said with quizzi-
cal smile. there are two things that
| want very much TO discover. The
| first thing ! would Ike to know is.
what has become of Sykes chauf-
| feur?"
Seeing did not understand. he
went on "You know we sent for him
but they could not find him. Up to
the time left the house they were
still looking for him. Not only that,
but the chauffeur and Slyke had
quarrel yesterday afternoon"
"A quarrelT
"Yes. No one was near enough TO
hear all that was said. but the cook
| heard the chauffeur say, I don't dare
to do It,. and Slyke reply. i should
have done II before The butler. you
remember. told us that while we were
| In the tower he saw the chauffeur on
the steps leading to the second story.
The chap has disappeared. no one
tho
for him and may get him. ! hope so.
There are few things | should like
TO ask him."
Maybe II was he who took the re-
volver" | suggested.
HAS IL occurred TO you that II Is
strange thing that man like Slyke
should spend most Of his time up
here? For the past two years he has
lived here almost entirely. His Of
flee In New York is closed, and he
is rumored to have lost money. Why
did he stay here all the year round?"
BARLEY suddenly changed the sub
ject. Miss Potter cleared up one
thing for us today. knew that, II
the murderer was shrewd enough to
go to the trouble of placing Slyke in
bed. he knew enough to know how
the eyes should look. Their being
closed puzzled me. | wondered how
he had made such a mistake. But
when Miss Potter told us II was she
who had closed them. ] knew that |
had not been mistaken. Whoever
killed Slyke knew what he was doing.
There was only one chance in thou
sand that he would not get it across"
at was well planned I suggested.
ut was not planned at all. Ii was
a sudden impulse, a quarrel. | don't
believe that, when the murderer
went into that tower room to see
Slyke. he had the least Idea of kill
ing him."
But think of the pains he took.
Ii must have been planned"
NO" he replied, 1.-The planning was
done afterward."
after he was killed."
Eyes. Look at the facts, Pelt.
Slyke was killed on the balcony of a |
tower, fifty feet above the ground |
A man who planned q murder would |
not pick out such a place. 1t was the
last place in the house he would have
chosen Just suppose that some one
had heard the shot and investigated
The murderer would have been
trapped with the dead body of his vic
tim. To escape he had TO 90 down
two flights of stairs and through the
big room. Let us say that Slyke in
vited the man to go upon the bal
what, we cannot say-and
then they quarreled and the person
killed him on the Impulse of the mo-
ment. The next thing TO do was to
get rid of the body Finding the coast
clear. he took 1t into the next room
and undressed It, and carried 1t down
to the bedroom and placed il In bed
He knew how body should look
after suicide and that a gun could
he placed in its hand"
'He seemed to be pretty sure no
one would disturb. him at it," ] ven
tured.
BARLEY nodded. Eyes, there is no
doubt of that. That brings up another
fact. Down In the big
room was young dog that did nor
like strangers. The murderer. in
order to get out of tie house, had
to go through that room. yet the dog
did not bark"
''Then II was someone in the
house 7" | Interrupted.
THE GOODNESS with which the muir
lerer took plenty of time in undress-
ing the body and the fact that he did
not seem to be afraid Of being found
out makes 1t seem probable. Why
iidn't the dog bark Because he knew
whoever II was. That makes II seem
IS If IT were someone In the house,
,r at least as If Ii we're someone that
knew both the house and the dog well.
"Of course, Pelt. until We discover
he motive we cannot get very far.
Al present there seems to be none.
There is nothing missing and no APP
parent reason for Sykes murder. II
seems an absurd sort of a crime.
IA