The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-12-20

to leave. Any guilty person In here
and, before God. there Is guilty
person here; guilty, at least. of aiding
and abetting-is going to have too
much sense to try to make break.
That Is why won't need the gun.
Not, | mean, until we find the guilty
person. When we have found him,
II may be of some use until the sher-
iff can get here. ALI I'm asking, Of
everybody here, Is that you all tell
the truth. You'll have to, sooner or
later. Better make II sooner"
During this speech my dander had
been rising. II had got up pretty
good and high by this time. "Sam
Stanley" ] spoke out, "you ought to
know that you can't force truth out
of anybody at the point of a gun, nor
by keeping them locked up. Well
get hungry. Wen get thirsty. And
when we do we'll eat and drink and
go about our affairs. AT least | will
unless you shoot me. I'm not fixed
to put up with this kind of foolish
ness"
MARY" Sam reared at me. "That's
enough out of you. You be quiet
You are going to do as you are told
So are the Others"
Sam had never spoken like that to
me before. II left me limp as a
drained Jelly bag. Before could
get my breath for an answer, Hubert
Hand was talking.
Changed your mind since morning.
haven't you, SAINT You were dead
sure this morning that no one on the
place had had anything to- do with
the murder"
"Never mind about my mornings
opinions, Hand You are right. Dead
right I've changed my mind Now
since you are already going pretty
good. I'll begin with you and work
around the room. taking each one in
turn | want you 70 tell everything
you know. and everything you sus
pect concerning the murder"
Sorry" Hubert Hand said. but /
don't know d-n thing except that,
apparently, she was strangled to
death some time between four O'Clock
yesterday afternoon and eight O'Clock
yesterday evening. We saw her alive
at four. We found heI dead at eight
That's the extent of my knowledge
"All right. Now go ahead with
what you suspect"
81 can't see." Hubert Hand OBJ
jected, 'that suspicious have any
place here. Beyond stirring up
rumpus and hard feelings, they
wouldn't get any of us any place."
THAT is for me to Decide" Sam
said. "You were mighty busy for a
while this morning, throwing out
hints and slurs. Fl this session
doesn't do anything else. it can any
way clear out all this whispering that
is going around. Come on now. Hand.
Come clean"
"Well." Hand said, ~ can talk all
right. But | want TO start with this
understanding. don't know any
facts that amount TO d-n You're
right that ! have suspicious, and.
since you are determined to have
them now, at the point of a gun, I'll
say that | think John did it, and that
somebody else In the house Is shield.
ing him."
Danny gave thin, sick little shrek
and threw her arm around John in a
protecting way. John Strengthened
Under his tan could zee the color
seeping out of his face. Gently. he
removed Danny's arm,
Sam lowered his white eyebrows
until his eyes looked like two Sits
of blue light, glinting out from away
behind his face. When he spoke
his voice was iron.
"Why do you think John killed
herw
SIN the first place, John is the
only one here who hasn't a water.
tight alibi-"
"Not by d-n sight he isn't" Sam
"But never mind. Go on"
"At four O'Clock Gaby came down
through the room. While she was
still in sight, Danny called down. try
ing to get her to come back. Now
this is just another suspicion; don't
know whether anyone will back me
up in it or not-probably not."-he
added the last In hateful. slurring
way-"but | noticed that her voice
sounded strange, like she was ex-
cited. maybe, or else afraid"
Sam asked, "Did anyone else here
notice anything of that kind?"
Mrs. Kicker spoke. 81 noticed it."
she said.
Hubert bowed at her, In sort OF
hooking way. Knowing what | knew.
thought that Ger confederation
would do Hubert Hand more harm
than good But of course. the 9TH
ers did not know what l knew.
LET me see," Hubert Hand con-
tinued, where was II Gaby. after
going through the room. stopped on
the porch for a minute to talk TO
Chad. he came into the house In
a fine humor. Gaby then went around
the house to the rabbit hutch, and
for some reason, gave her bracelet to
Martha. Martha was in the house
again within five or ten minutes.
Danny had come down by that time.
From four to five, then, you and !
were playing chess. Chad was at
the piano. Danny and Mary were
over there. talking together. Mrs.
Kicker was tatting. Martha was just
fooling around the room. I'm pretty
certain not one of US left this room
during that hour.
"At five we three men went togeth-
er to let the cows In and to milk.
Mary, 1 believe, was In the kitchen
alone, getting supper. during that