Argosy, Vol. 147, No. 1 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

4 ¥ tage . ——_ < 7 ” ae , >. ae Ghrag ? @ | Se wi vt we) + ~ a - ry ia Ps - race here. I said I could, and that was the end o’ it.” “You didn’t hear the men make any threats before they left?”” Dr. Hood asked. “J wasn’t payin’ ’tention,” responded Geoff. “I work independent, and I had no truck with them.” “ You found the housemaid and the but- ler here with the body this morning?” The doctor pursued a new line of questioning. “Considerable ways back o’ where I’ve stretched the rope they was, round at that end o’ the bench.” Geoff sestured toward the spot. “And you put up that rope, Geoff Peters, so that nobody could track up any foot- prints the murderer might have left coming up behind Mr. Benkard where he sat on this end of the bench?” There was an odd note in Dr, Hood’s voice. “ There’s blood spattered on the back of it from the blow that killed him before the body toppled forward, but did you look at the sanded floor yourself?” *“Reckon I did, doc,” Geoff chuckled dryly. “Seen one set o’ footprints goin’ acrost the court and round the bench to that end where he was settin’.”’ ‘““But you didn’t see 4 second set point- ed in any other direction, did your” The doctor spoke in impatience mixed with an almost awed bewilderment. ‘‘ They were his own tracks, of course, made when he went there to sit and smoke, and two of his cigar butts are lying close to the body, but that is all! There isn’t a sign of a foot- print anywhere around that bench near enough for any one to have approached and struck him down!” “ That’s why I roped it off so partic’lar, doc,” Geoff remarked, chuckling again. CHAPTER III. A BROKEN FRIENDSHIP. ‘VE taken Mr. Benkard’s body down to my own office, ma’am, for of course you know there'll have to be an au- topsy.” Dr. Hood’s voice was filled with respectful sympathy. “It’s only a matter of form, though, for there isn’t any doubt cet the direct cause of death.” ! pa ~ ery eye oe tat ABOVE SUSPICION. ae ee Se ey cs Se * Mrs. Coie in a. which accentuated the a figure, leaned across the library ta stré ig! nt: ON ; spoke in a choking whisper. | 7a ie “You mean that wound on his head, doc ‘Tt was a crushing blow which fractur wi eC the skull at the base of the brain like @ eggshell. Death must have been insté ar neous.” The doctor took off his specte ache and wiped them carefully. “f shoul judge from my first examination that | oe took place eight or nine hours ago, at mid = 3 night or a little after.” a ‘“‘ There is no possibility of an accident?” BV: Her hands clasped and unclasped ner- g vously. ia ‘None, Mrs. Cayley. ‘There was nothin; zo a anywhere about the court which could have _ caused such a blow, and even if the stone | . seats and flower urns had not all been in — their exact positions, they are too heavy 3 for a single person to have lifted any one of them. You had no intimation of this until your maid knocked at your door and q 4 told you an hour ago?” = “y ‘Naturally not!” She touched her eyes” . with her handkerchief. “TI left my poor — be ; brother in the best of health and spirits — e ‘ when I retired, and I heard nothing during — the night.” “What time did you retire, Mrs. Cay- ley? I am sorry to trouble you with all these questions now, but a representative of pee the city authorities is on his way out h ere, 3 es oe eve Bin 68 ee a possible of what has occurred, and — events of last night as far as you Enews them, it may save you much sone There was a significant hint in the doctor’s — voice that was not on his vis-d-vis, and she - shuddered. Bs, “I am more than anxious to give th authorities any help in my power if my <<: brother was—was done to deat e: no . scarcely realize it,” she murmured. = was a man of dominant aertie quick temper, and as such many Deopl on found him naturally antagonistic, bi ut J never heard of any personal et of | hi . ~_certainly none who would have his life! “TI went to my room at a (<| om ew ° - sa} ; nha ee