The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-11-19
NOW GO ON WITH TIE STORY

Eric placed the absurd WntSEc NJ
his mouth and blew blast Judith
sat aown weakly beside him on the
steps
He rose, pulling her 10 her feet.
"Flivvcr's down the street i little
way. Let's go for q ride Parked
it down there to avoid drawing
crowds to your from. door. Every
body knows my car.
Judith went down the sidewalk
with him and climbed into the little
car. Ecric drove through the town,
past the campus and out into tha
Granville road "a. law-brca!sing speed,
When they were we'll into open coun-
try, he slowed down to a steady
pace. and slouchcd in his seat, Will,
one arm OIL the wheel.
Now" he said. tell me what you
know about I'll this"
judith stared ut him. IL don't
know anything. don't even know
what you're talking about"
Eric studied her face, only glanc-
ing away now and then to the road.
They passed no vehicles.
'Thcn," he said. .'if you can't cx-
plain it, I've lost-my grip on sanity.
The universe has turned into q mad
house."
Judith nut ~. Fand on his arm.
"Just tell me what happened, as
quickly as you cam" she said. 1--WE
waited long enough" :.
"Only this" he answered. "Mrs.
nrown has ruined herself for life,
i'm the eyes of at least two persons
in order to get me out Of Jail. She
must he mad"
What did she do?" asked Judith,
bending forward. III
"Shc came to the chief Of ppfcc
and the county attorney and told
them tho most prodigious lies. How
anybody in the world could have
believed them is beyond me.
"3ut they. evidently did, for they
released me- on the strength Of her
story. And told the dean. where to
head in, too, without giving him
any explanation. The old hoy il
raging. He had tasted blood, and
he would. have been satisfied with
no less. than the electric chair for
me-"
"Plcase start at the beginning"
said Judith, land tell the, whole
story"
"Vcry wcll," Eric answered. "This
is what happened. You asked me
where I had. been on the day the
murder was discovered. ! had gone
out after dark to scour the, scene
Of the tragedy, to make surc,ltAat
none of Shca's letters were left in
the wreckage."
"But why p interjccted Judith.
"What was in the letters
Il didn't know" said Eric, "but,
knowing Shea, ! thought there might
be evidence in them against me-
as whiskey buyer. or against the
deans wife or against you:"
II went out after dark with a
flashlight and looked the wreck
over. OF course the letters weren't
there. When got back to town,
the news was all over the campus
that his letters had been found in his
pocket and were being dcciphcred."
Judith touched his arm. "But
why did they arrest you? What had
you written him?" A
Eric laughed. ~ hadn't written
him. AS it turned out, however, he
had written me, and not mailed the
letter. -,
I'm it. he waraed me to keep out
Of his affairs or I'd regret it, That
suggested to the sheriff that might
have q motive FOR humping him Off"
Judith's eyes were on the. place
where the -bruise had been, over his
left eye, . Its last traces were just
disappearing. She dropped her eyes
and said nothing.
They turned into. a winding. little
road. with .Old-fashioncd rail fences
on either side. II. WASN'T much wor.
ried,' continued Eric, though
hated the scandal. For. ut any rate.