The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1924-03-27
ATale of the Flatwoods
By DAVID ANDERSON
Author of THE Blue Moon"
Copyright by The Bobbs. Merrill Co.

IeNle was crying wildly in the arms
Of the housekeeper. The preacher
had just come from the. parlor bed
room and stood stopped and trembling,
.peering through his huge spectacles in
awed silence. But great as his haste
in dressing must have been, he had
found time to put on the frock coat
and high neck stock-dPmands Of Gus
tom that he had probably found i'm
possible to deny.
Jack found the dead man still warm.
He noticed that his night shirt was
torn to shreds at the neck and sleeves,
and that his face was scratched and
streaked with blood, but there was no
wound apparent that could have
caused his death.
The room presented every evidence
Of a struggle. A chair was over
turned the cover on a small stand
had beer brushed away; the rug was
dragged back a foot or two from be-
fore the dead bankers writing desk,
where, for an instant the wOJdsman
bent a searching eye upon some faint
markings that, in the dim candle-light,
could barely be traced pon the dusty
~floOr-boards thus laid bare.
The old mans sawed-off shotgun
was lying on the floor, where ii had
probably been wrenched frNm his hand
before he could use 1t.
Jack had only time TO note these
particulars when a rabble of people.
from the village, alarmed by TeXie's
screams, came running up the yard
and stOrmed into the house. A mo-
ment later Jerry Brown, the town
marshal, hustled In and took charge
and the peaceful cottage passed into
the hands of the law.
The house was cleared Of all but
the preacher, the wOodsman and two
or three women, a messenger sent to
the city for the coroner, and a deputy
put ON guard at the door pending his
arrival.
Seventy years ago the %cOroner's
office was in the saddle, the coroner.
then as now, always a physician. usu-
ally of the 'saddle-bags" type, a race
of men staunch and true, who, next to
the minister and teacher, did most to
nurse the young republic to manhood.
Early the nex morning the coroner
arrived. After a short consultation
with Jerry Brown, he entered the
room where the tragedy occurred and
began his inquest.
Aside from the disarranged furni-
ture, the torn garment, the scratches
ON the face, there was little evidence,
and no clue whatever to the person or
persons with whom the old man had
waged his fatal battle in the dark.
Not a cent Of money, or any article
of value. had been taken. The safe
was still locked, apparently just as
it had been left the day before.
Texie testified that she had heard a
struggle, and words strained and
muffied and indistinct-that she imme-
diately-sprang out of bed and ran into
the h~Ousekeeper's room-that they
lighted a candle and hurried down
stairs-that there was no one else In
the room except her father, and IL
lay back across the chair arm
Her voice choked into silence.
Were the doors all closedf"
"All but the door of the settin'-
room-it was open a little bit"
"Was II closed when you went to
bed?'
II s'pose so-fathe- never failed
TO shut and lock it,"
WAS there more than one key I
the doOr?"
mo, only one.
"Where was II kep'T"
"Hangin' blind the door"
Marshal" directed the coroner, Evil,
you see If that key is still hangin
there?"
The marshal peeped behind the door
Yes. It's thar yit, Y'ur Honor" ht
answered.
The o relaxed his gruff sever
ity long enough to offer the weeping
girl "a word of kindly sympathy. ant
then dismissed her.
The housekeeper was mex called
Her testimony agreed In every par
ticular with Texie's.
And then came the preacher. In hi.
peering, jerky way. he testified tina
lie was a heavy sleeper-that he hat
heard nothing till Miss Texie screame,
that he had then hastily thrown OF
the few articles Of dress necessary Il
make himself presentable before ladie,
that he had opened his door ant
hurried across the parlor, acros tn,
sittlng-room and into the Office. wher,
he wa Mortified to find his dear frien,
dead. and the room In its present dis
rrrHy.
lis II true that you carry a key L
the parlor door,"
cit is. Brother Colin placed II q
my disposal the evening | came"
where Is 1T"
"Here."
He drew II forth and held II towar,
the coroner. who waved II away.
Ibid you lock the parlor door las
nighty'
81 did"
You're excused"
The coroner looked In his book
danced into the corner of the room
here Jack Warhope stood nea
rexie's chair and motioned with hi
and. Tie wooisman approached tn
able.
.Whaf do~you know of ttis case7'