The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-05-30
OutoftheD Darkness

my suggestion to BARLEY had bee
that she might have committed tn
murder.
When 1 returned to the Jail, abou
an hour later, l found that Bartle.
had gone to Doctor Kings office, ant
followed him there Mt once. 1t wa!
the usual physicians office, Will
cases of instruments along the walls
and fat-top desk In the center OF
the room. BARLEY and the doctor
were bending over small pad when
the doctor had been drawing for him
little map of the roads around the
Slyke estate. The doctor looked older
than when l had seen him first, far
more tired and nervous. 1t took sew
eral years to get over shell shock,
from which he suffered, he told US, and
he had been very foolish to start to
practice again so soon after his re-
turn from the front. He recounted a
| few Of his war experiences, and they
were enough to have broken any man.
He said that, as soon as his duties In
regard to the Slyke case were over,
he was going to take a rest. All the
time he talked to US he played with
pencil or tapped the desk In front
Of him.
We spoke Of the inquest. and he
told US that he did not need to call
coroner's jury unless he wished. The
facts were so complex or 30 simple
1t was hard to say which-that jury
would be confused by them. He ad-
mitted that there was no doubt that
Slyke had been murdered, but doubt
ed II any jury would bring in a YER
dict Of murder on such slight evidence
as we had. He suggested that, If 1t
were murder, some one from Saratoga
might have committed the crime. 1t
was not bad suggestion, and to my
surprise BARLEY seemed to regard 1t
favorably. The doctor mentioned the
chauffeur's arrest, and said that he
had only known the man by sight. We
talked for an hour or moro, then re-
turned home.
BARLEY was in his room changing
his suit for luncheon, when a tele-
phone call came for him. When he
returned he told me that the call had
been from Mr.. Sykes lawyer. He
had 'phoned him, BARLEY said, that
among the papers in the safe was an
envelope with ten thousand dollars
In bills In 1t, and that the bank had
informed him that, on the day Of our
arrival Slyke had deposited thirteen
thousand dollars with them.
While this was Interesting news, I
could not see that It was Of any i'm
portance to US, and said as much to
BARLEY. He half smiled IS he re-
minded me that ten thousand dollars
was lot Of money to keep In the
house, and added that II was strange |
that Slyke should deposit thirteen and
retain another ten in his house. He
wondered II his keeping the money
had any relation to the visitor that
he was expecting. At any rate, the
nan had not gotten the money, II that
had been what he was after.
Luncheon over, Currie, BARLEY and
started for the inquest. The news
papers had evidently received a tip
hat there was more In Sykes death
han had appeared, for when we ar
lived we were forced to run a gaunt-
ct Of reporters, who recognized Bart
ey at once and crowded around him.
They realized that If he were inter-
'sted in the case. 1t was Of more i'm
,ortance than they had suspected,
md wanted to know II he did not
ave some information to give them.
With laugh at their inslstence, he
eplled that he did not; but, when he
ad, he would see that they were the
mes to get 1t.
There were a number of cars In
ront Of the house and small crowd
t men standing about In twos and
hrees. Just as we turned to mount I
he steps, Lawrence drove up and Z
reeted us with a rather forced smile. :
The inquest was to be held In the
irge living room In which the bur-
lars had been found. Though 1t was
OF public hearing open to every
ne, there were a goodly number of
eople present.
Doctor King and the other officials
ad not yet arrived; and Black, who
as talking to a group of men, left
lem and came to greet us. He told
s that the chauffeur. Briffeur, was to
e brought from the jail by Roche,
nd that he thought his testimony
ould make sensation. BARLEY
eemed to understand what he meant,
Rough I did not. The chauffeur had
,fused to talk and had answered all
uestions by saying that he would tell
hat he knew at the inquest. All at
,mpts to find out what that might be
ad failed.
BARLEY asked Black II he still
fought that the chauffeur was guilty
the murder. Black countered by
atng that he did not believe that
1yone else knew as much about the
fair as he did. 1t was his opinion
lat, If the chauffeur had not killed
IN, he at least knew something
bout the crime. One thing the man
I'D admitted when questioned. and