The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-03-02
CHARLES J. BUTTON
Copyright ,sz7 By Dodd. Hs.d 4 Co.. La.
CHAPTER K
IL
Sudden Death.

For moment after the cry lat
died away the only sound to be heart
was the dashing of the rain agains
the windows and the lashing of this
trees outside. Everyone was too star
tied and frightened to move. fell
| Bartley's hand on my arm. his finger:
sinking deep into my flesh. Then the
| spell was broken. and men asked each
other IN excited whispers what had
happened.
The cry had seemed to come from
the front of the room. 1t had been
one of horror. dread and surprise. ms
If the person uttering 1t had met with
some unexpected and awful expert
ence. 1t had been mans voice. and
! wondered whose 1t could have been.
Come ON, Pelt."
BARLEY pushed back his chair and
half dragged me to my feet. We start
ed to grape our way between the
chairs toward the place from which
the cry had come. The room was still
In darkness and our progress was very
slow. Then the lights began to flicker
very dimly, and suddenly flashed on
again In all their power.
AT first glance, there seemed to be
nothing wrong; then I noticed that
King was bending over his desk, his
face dead white, his eyes fixed on
him, and fear showing in every fea-
ture. l realized suddenly that the
chauffeur's chair was empty, and that
Roche was on his knees before some
object. Miss Potter, who had also
been staring at the floor, tainted and
fell sidewise into the arms of her
niece. Then l saw what was the mat
ter: the chauffeur was lying on the
floor, with his face white. and his
eyes closed.
BARLEY dropped to his knees beside
Roche and gave one searching look
at the man, then Strengthened up with
queer expression or his face. He
pointed silently to the chauffeur On
his brown coat, slowly darkening and
widening, was splotch of blood. and
from his breast protruded the hilt of
knife.
For moment my head swan. Only
a short time before the lights had
gone out the chauffeur had had self
confident sheer on his face; now he
was lying on the floor, white and still.
n knife in his breast. Another murder
had taken place in Sykes house, and
this time in a room crowded with
people.
The district attorney and Doctor
Webster had by now reached our side.
and the doctor knelt down by the
chauffeur. With a glance at the ex-
cited crowd pushing Its way toward
us, BARLEY suggested to Roche that
he clear the room of all but the fam
lily. 1t was not until he had called
some of his men to his aid that he
was able to make the excited spec
tators obey his orders and withdraw. |
Doctor King was assisting Ruth to |
restore her aunt to consciousness. AS |
for BARLEY. myself and Black. who |
had come forward. we had eyes for |
nothing but the silent figure of the
chauffeur.
Doctor Webster opened his coat
and examined the wound. Then when
he had turned back his eyelids AMI
Felt his pulse he slowly shook his
head and said to hartley: "IIe can't
i've more than five minutes. The
Knife reached his heart"
"Will he recover consciousness be-
ore he dies?" Barley asked.
81 can't say. He might. for a mo-
nent."
Even as he spoke the chauffeur
'pened his eyes. eyes that still re-
aimed their look of horror and dazed
urprise. Weakly his glance Travelled
ver the faces bending over him; he
ried to raise one hand but the effort
ras too much fer him and his eyes
losed again. When he opened them
second time. he seemed to recog-
lie FARLEY and gave him such an
ppealing look that he bent closer. His
yes had begun to glaze and his face
0 take on waxen hue. Though his
ps moved feebly. no words came
rom them. Then. with n final effort.
e gathered up what little strength
e had left. and, In n voice so low
e could hardly distinguish the words.
e stammered forth "The-robbery- '
Those men-innoccnt, ask
oy." y
His voice died away and his eye l
DIS sank; then he opened them again
nd gasped. "The-boy-he knows"
saw Bartley's face tighten, but I
e did not speak. Briffeur lay so still
iat we thought he had ceased to I
reathe; bur as the doctor started to {
Sc. he made sudden effort to sit :
p. and BARLEY put his arm under S
IN. With eyes flashing. he cried in y
loud voice. "Slyke-mur-murde
=" His arm rose from his side and d
1inted straight In front of him. his l
1ger almost touching Doctor Web h
err, who gazed down at him. puzzled.
killed" The chauTeur's voice a
'oke; his lips ceased to move: and. c
ithout even a sigh, his head fell v
Ick. The chauffeur would never a
eak again. h
Silently we rose TO our feet and | a