The Dolores star., 1923-04-13
The Blind Mans Eyes

| person from the house who was miss
| ing.
"They came. at least some OF them
cnme"-Santone had risen. hghtihs
down his grief over his cousins death
-"for what was in your safe, hnr-
rlet"
.'I know: I saw II open"
"What Is gomez" Santoine de-
manded.
He heard her picking up the CON
tents Of the safe from the floor ana
carving them to the table and eX-
amining them.
"Why-nearly all the formal papers
seem to be gone; lists and agreements
relating to n dozen different things.
"None Of the correspondence
mo: that all seems TO be here"
Santoine was breathing quickly; the
trust for which he had been ready to
dle-for which Blatchford had died
seemed safe.
1--WE don't know whether he got It..
then. or notr" 1t was Avery's voice
which broke in upon him; Santoine
merely listened.
He? Who?" He heard his dnugh-
ter's challenge.
"Why. Eaton. II Is plain enough
what happened here, isn't it?' Avery
answered. "He came here to this
room for what he was after-for what
he has been after from the first
whatever that may have beeni He
came prepared to force the safe and
get It! But he was surprised"
"By whomT" the blind man asked.
"By whoever It is that has been fol-
lowing him. I don't attempt TO eX-
plain who they were, Mr.. Santoine =;
for don't know. But-whocver they
were-in doing this. he laid himself
open to attack by them. They were
watchnC-saw him enter here. They
attacked him here. Wallace switched
on the light and recognized him; so
he shot Wallace and ran with what
ever he could grab up of the contents
Of the safe. hoping that by luck he'd
get what he was after"
at isn't so-it Isn't sol" Harriet de
MED.
Her father checked her: he stood
an instant thoughtful. "Who is d.
recting the pursuit, DonaId?"
Avery went out at once.
"NOw, Harriet" he commanded.
She understood that her father would
not move till she had seen the room
for him.
"There was some sort of struggle
near my safe" she said. Chairs
everything there is knocked about"
"Yes."
There is also blood there-a big
spot Of it on the floor"
~ found that" said Santolne.
"There are bullet marks every.
where-above the mantel, all about"
How was the safe openedT
THE combination has been cut com.
pletely away; there is an-an instru.
ment connected with the electric.
light fixture which seems to have done
the cutting. There is a hand-drill,
tool think 1t is a hand-drlll. The
inner door has been drilled through,
and the catches drawn back"
"WhO is this?'
The valet, who had been sent to Ea-
tons room. had returned with his re-
port. "Mr. Eaton went from his room
fully dressed, SIR" he said to San.
tome, Except for his shoes. l found
all his shoes in his room"
During the report the blind man fel,
T.
come tense and relax and tighter
again. Then, as though she realized
she was adding to his comprehension
of what she had already betrayed, she
suddenly took her hand from her ia
TIERS arm. Santoine let the servants
at his daughters direction, help hin
to his room. His daughter stood be
side him while the nurse washed the
blOod-splOtches from his hands ant
feet.
"Father?' she questioned.
"Yes."
you don't agree with Donald, dc
you?-that Mr.. Eaton went to the
study toto get something, and tha,
whoever has been following him found
him there and-and interrupted hin
and he killed Cousin Wallace"
Santoine was silent an instant
"That seems the correct explanation
Harriet" he evaded. at does moi
fully explain; but it seems correct az
FAR as 1t goes. If Donald asks YOU
what my opinion Is, tell him it Is
that"
He felt his daughter shrink away
from him.
The blind man made no move tc
draw her back to him; he lay perfectly
still; his head rested fiat upon the Dill
lows; his hands were clasped Tight,
together above the coverlet. He hat
accused himself, in the room below
because, by the manner he had choser
to treat Eaton, he had slain the mar
he loved best and had forced a friend
ship with Eaton on his daughte,
which, he saw, had gone further thar
mere friendship; it had gone, he knew
now. even to the irretrievable between
man and woman-hHd brought her