The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1933-03-24
The Print Of
the Hand
q by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate.
WNU Service
By SIDNEY WALDO

over It. Then he straightened up
slowly and turned to Will Granger,
the older Of the murdered mans two
rephews.
'You and Ruth and Tom Hathaway
druv to church together In the car"
"Yes."
''You left your brother, DanI, and
your uncle at home here-arguin'."
They stayed home. Yes"
"Arguin' !" the sheriff insisted. "That
can't be covered up. Will. Plenty peo
pie heard 'em. hot at it, az they went
by to church. The winders was open"
YES, they was arguin'."
And you three come home from
church separate"
Yes. Separate"
For the frst time, the sheriff looked
directly at Daniel. "And how about
you, Dan?"
"We-got through arguin'; and
went for 4 walk In the woods"
The sheriff studied the lowered stub.
born face Of the .wenty-year-old boy.
Then he made a little gesture Of dis
trsssed helplessness and began to lead
the way toward the open shed door.
Once inside. the sheriff crossed the
uneven plank floor to 4 broad work
bench which ran along one side. Over
part OF the rough surface of the bench,
smooth gray cardboard had been
tackled. Cartridge boxes, powder cans.
small tools, and set of scales were
neatly arranged on this clean surface.
On two wooden pegs above the bench
rested Winchester repeating rife.
From his pocket the sheriff drew
an empty brass shell Taking q load
ID cartridge from the nearest box, he
compared the two. He did not make
the obvious statement that the two
matched; or trouble to remind the
others that rifle, cartridges, and the
reloading paraphernalia belonged to
Daniel
Instead he turned to Tom Hath
away. the tall spare elderly hired man.
II reckon you knew the old misef,
Tom. jest about As well AZ anybody
livin'"
81 reckon" the other agreed.
"You was workin' for him even BE-
fore the boys mother died, and they
come to live with him."
ITO nve-on his charity" the other
man amended. "As he always took
pains to remind EN-"
II guess there amt hardly been one
cussed meanness he's put on 'em you
amt known of, and tried to help 'em
bear"
II tried to help the boys just 80 fur
as could. sheriff" was the calm re-
ply.
81 tried to show 'em the way Of pa
tience," Tom went on. Especial
ly Dan and Ruth: after they'd fell In
love, and was crazy to marry"
"And, this morning" the sheriff sud
denly broke In. "their uncle told the
boys-because Of hard times-he'd
have to cut down their triflin' pay
When they knew he had plenty, and
more, boarded In the bank. Money
they wanted, now. Needed, now Money
Dan had to have, now. Amt that what
his uncle and him was arguin' overw
THAT can't be denied" Tom said at
last, and his expression became deep
ly thoughtful. my mind was running
along them same lines, too, sheriff, As
sat in church. It seemed to me Dan
and Ruth ought 10 have that money,
some way. While they could still be
young and happy with it.
"Sittln' there, took good look
back over my own iife--which all lies
behind me now. any way you figure
1t, and It come to me how different
things would Of been, II I'd had any
kind of start. 1t all come to me plain.
l would of married. Ruth might Of
been the daughter l never had. I'm
mighty fond Of them two, sheriff. So,
all In all. couldn't hardly blame Dan
for the stand he took"
And. once more, the sheriff broke
In abruptly. That's just the point,
Tom. Just what I've been leadin' to.
We all know you'd like to ease things
for Dan. But here's where you
weren't able to help any-and can't
Certain things the law says neither
man nor boy can do. About your only
way to help Dan now. is counsel him
to come along with me. peaceable." !"
But Tom Hathaway merely looked
at the sheriff in feixned surprise.
"How so. sheriff." he asked. "You
appear to OF forgot somethin'. We
all come home from church, separate.
We got here, separate. Dams gun was
here. for any of as to use. We all hated
the old man, equal. How's the law 20
in to tell-which of us to take alonsf'
"Just this way" the sheriff declared.
with forced patience "Ths guns been
cleaned and oiled. Thersn be no finger
prints on 1t. likely. That. I grant you.
But it's long reach. over the bench
to put it back on them pegs. A man
would do it with his right hand. His
left. he'd put fat on the bench--palm
down-to steady his weight on. His
hand would of been oily. There ON
the cardboard, Is clear fresh print
Of mans whole hand"
The tense silence that followed this
announcement was short. Dan sent 4
swift startled glance at his brother.
Then he urged sharply: Quick, Will |
Rip that cardboard of. He can't stop
us. Chuck 1t in the stove Then they
never can tell which of US 1t was"
1t was Tom Hathaway. however, who
moved, stepping forward to stand be-
side the sheriff.
mo. Dan." he said 1.-THE sherifr's
right ennuph Certain thinus nathan