The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-03-28
I11ustrutionsby
I1wihMyerS

After going through Sykes pockets
BARLEY said slowly, II have grave
doubts If he was even killed in this
ROOM"
He continued to examine the room,
searching the floor, looking into the
drawers of the desk, examining the
walls even; then he came back to the
clothing. Picking up the blue SILK
shirt from the chair, he examined 1t
a second time before he said: Il was
right. He was not killed in this room.
Here is the suit he wore. You will
notice that all his clothing is placed
on this chair in the manner that a
man would naturally place 1t If he
was undressing for bed. But there
to hold his collar, and one stocking
Is missing. Any man may lose a col
lar button, but If he does, that button
will be dropped at the place where he
undressed. No button is in this room.
1t was lost in the room in which he
was undressed. We find his shoes
here but only one stocking, and we
naturally ask where is the other stock
ing. Then, too, there are no blood
stains anywhere in this room. Though
his wound did not bleed much, it must
have bled some. These are the rea-
sons why l say he was not killed in
| this room, or even undressed here"
His explanation seemed reasonable
| enough, yet somewhat mystifying.
| Why had the murderer taken all this
| trouble to undress Slyke, and why had
he done it in some other room? The
next question was just as puzzling If
Slyke had not been killed in this room,
where had the crime taken place? AS
if he had read my thoughts, Roche
suggested that as there was another
room in the tower, we might see what
could be found there
The butler, who entered at this mo-
ment, did his best not to glance at
the bed. He was holding with great
difficulty a half-grown Airedale that
growled fiercely when he saw us. The
butler motioned to the doctor to come
to him. AS he reached his SIDE Doc
tor King placed his hand upon the
dogs head and it ceased to show It's
teeth and licked his fingers. For sew
eral moments he and the butler held a
low conversation, then King turned
to us to say that he had just been
called to the hospital for an operation
and would have o-leave at once.
BARLEY scrubbed something on a
piece of paper, and handing it to the
doctor said, II think there ought to
be a picture taken of the body so
it can be used at the inquest"
The doctor agreed and went out, &C.
companied by the butler. AS the door
closed behind them BARLEY went to
lock it, but the key was missing. |
After moments hesitation he de- |
cided 1t would do no harm to leave |
1t unlocked while we were gone, and |
we all started for the floor above.
The room we entered was of the |
same size as the one in which we had |
found Slyke. Here, too, there was
little furniture-three chairs grouped
around a little table in the center of
the room, lounge In one corner, a
small desk In another 1t was the
table that attracted Bartleys atten-
ton. On it stood a half-emptied
bottle of Scotch whisky, and beside
the bottle three glasses, one of them
holding about a spoonful of LIQUOR.
Near one of the glasses was q half
smoked cigarette and magazine, and
on the opposite side of the table the
stub of a cigar. BARLEY looked at
both of them with keen interest and
finally placed hem in an envelope
The cigarette must have been a very
one, for the end was of
the finest straw. The appearance of
the table suggested that three men
had been present and that two of
them had been smoking. A confer
ence, perhaps, at which a bottle of
whisky had assisted. Aside from the
table, there seemed to be nothing of
interest in the room.
While BARLEY was still glancing at
the table, l walked over to the large
window and drew aside the heavy cur
ain that reached to the floor. At my
FEET was playing card that had been
by its folds. CHANGING
around to see If there were any others
md finding none. brought the card
% BARLEY.
AS | stepped to his side, saw that
lie was examining the magazine. Like
many magazines. the back carried a
,audy advertisement that covered the
,ntire page. This one had an unusual
mount of unused white space. Bart
ey pointed silently to where someone
lad idly amused himself by drawing
N 1t with a pencil, habit many
PEOPLE have. The design was simple,
,nly mass of scrolls. with a little
igure here and there, and lines run
mug through them.
I-TSSN m z@CM 1Sc-