The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1923-06-01

"They came, at least some OF them
came"--Santoine had risen. fighting
down his grief over his cousins death
for what was in your safe, Har-
riet."
II know; l saw 1t open"
"What Is gomez" Santolne de-
manded.
He heard her picking up the con-
tents of the safe from the floor and
carrying them to the table and ex-
aiming them.
"Why-nearly all the formal papers
seem 10 be gone; lists and agreements
relating to n dozen different things"
None OF the correspondence"
mo; that all seems 10 be here"
Santoine was breathing quickly the
trust for which he had been ready to
die-for which B%latchford had died
seemed safe.
"We don't know whether he got 1t.
then, or not" 1t was Avery's voice
which broke in upon him; Santoine
merely listened.
HE? WhoY" He heard his daugh-
ter's challenge.
"Why, Eaton. 1t 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 been! He
came prepared to force the safe and
get It! But he was surprised"
"By whom?" the blind man asked.
"By whoever il is that has been fol-
lowing him. l don't attempt to ex-
plain who they were, Mr., Santolne;
for / don't know. But-whoever they
were-in doing this, he laid himself
open to attack by them. They were
watching-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 So" Harriet de-
MED.
Her father checked her; he stood
an instant thoughtful. "Who is "a.
recting the pursuit, Donald"
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 a struggle
nea my SAFE" she said. Chairs
everything there is knocked about"
"YeS."
There Is also blood there-a big
spot OF it on the floor"
81 found that" said Santoine.
'"There are bullet marks every
where-above the mantel. all about"
"How was the safe ~opened?
1.-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 h%and-drill,
tool think 1t Is a hand-drill. The
inner door has been drilled through,
and the catches drawn back"
"Who Is thls?"
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. / found
oil his shoes In his room"
During the report the blind man felt
his daughters grasp on his arm be-
come tense and relax and tighten
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
theirs arm. Santoine let the servants,
at his daughters direction, help him
to his room. His daughter stood be-
blood-splotches from his hands and
feet.
"FatherT" she questioned.
q "Yes."
you don't agree with Donald, do
you?-that Mr.. Eaton went to the
study to-to- get something. and that
whoever has been following him found
him there and-and interrupted him
and he killed Cousin Wallacew
" SantOine was silent an instant.
THAT seems the correct explanation,
Harriet" he evaded. ut does not
fully explain; but ii seems correct as
FAR as 1t goes. If Donald asks you
what my opinion is, tell him 1t is
that"
He felt his daughter shrink away
from him.
The blind man made no move to
draw her back to him; he lay perfectly
still: his head rested fiat upon the pill
lows: his hands were clasped tightly
together above the coverlet. He had
accused himself. In the room below,
because, by the manner he had chosen
to treat Eaton, he had slain, the man
he loved best and had forced q friend
ship with Eaton on his daughter
which. he saw, had gone further than
mere friendship; II had gone, he knew
now. even to the irretrievable between
man and woman-had brought her.
that Is, to the state where, no matter
what Eaton was or did, she must suf-
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