Argosy All-Story Weekly, December 2, 1922 — page 115: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ABOVE SUSPICION. You got the woman down here, as I can un- derstand now that you planned to do, Geoff, when you gave Lyons instructions last night to tell her Lane had gone back on their bargain. But aside from hearing that Benk- ard was afraid for his life, which we knew already from William Dunn and old Henry, I don’t see where the surprise party you spoke of comes in.” ‘Don’t you, doc?” Geoff’s eyes traveled slowly to the other’s face and he grinned. “Just you set down and think over what that Zoey woman said real careful. I ain’t took root and I gotta go home now and git the mare in under the shed; heavy dew’s bad for her rheumatiz. The surprise I had 585 wasn’t just the sort I thought likely we’d git and mebbe it ‘Il turn out to be nothin’ ‘cept a crazy idee, but it kinder struck me all of a sudden and I’ll have to work over it in my own mind afore I talk much, and see how it fits in with the rest.” ‘“‘ What ‘ rest ’?”” demanded the thorough- ly exasperated medical examiner. “ There isn’t any ‘ rest’ to the case, that I know of, and we’re back where we started! We’ve no more notion than we had in the begin- ning who committed the murder!” Geoff slouched to the door and then paused. “Tf the idee that hit me is correct,” he said, “ there wasn’t no murder committed.” TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK. U U U A TiNY SHOE HEY found him by the roadside dead, A ragged tramp unknown; His face upturned in mute despair, His helpless arms outthrown. The lark above him sang a song Of greeting to the day, The breeze blew fresh and sweet, and stirred His hair in wanton play. They found no clew to home or name, But tied with ribbon blue They found a package, and it held A baby’s tiny shoe. Half worn and old, a button off, It seemed a sacred thing; With reverence they wrapped it close And tied the faded string. And laid it on the peaceful breast That kept the secret well; And God will know and understand The story it will tell Of happy times and peaceful home That dead tramp some time knew, Whose only relic left him was The baby’s tiny shoe. Gomichbooks.com