Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 716 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

ae ay, | sf G Ss ya 4 — : A ae Deadwood Dick. Jr.’s, Still Hunt. see whether it is possible that it can have been the work of some one else.” Dick’s words and manner went to imply that he was of the police. ‘You are welcome to look about all you will, sir,” the woman spoke next, in the same tone, ‘* but it is my opinion that all you will discover will only confirm the evidencethe more. Every- thing points to the rascal.” “Does it not seem a little unreasonable that he would kill the woman who was bis friend?” asked Dick. ‘‘He was capable of doing even that, sir. I know Howard Crandford for what heis, J never did trust him, and never would,” ‘*T have heard from the Kincarths concerning the dispute about making your will which you and your sister bad,” Dick wenton, ‘* [t looks unreasonable that the young man would thus put away his chance of getting any of the fortune.” The woman’s eyes snapped, as she looked at him keenly. __ * You mean to say, then, that if he had killed either, the victim: would have been I?” ‘Tt seems to me so, You certainly have no intention of willing Na fortune to him, as he must have known well enough.” ‘You are right;I haven’t! But you don’t know that boy’s characterasIdo, There is not- ing good in bim, Why, he demanded a large sum of money of my sister the other night, and went off in high anger because he did not get it.” ‘* Which does not prove that he came back and killed her,” reminded Dick, ‘* No; but what if he came back to steal it, and my sister discovered him?” ‘** Has anythiag been stolen?” ‘“*T do not know; but if my sister had any money in the house it has been taken, for none was ound in her room where she always kept it. “* Whit bank was your sister’s money kept in?” She named the institution, Dick made mental note of it with an object in viev. * Another question,” he continued; ‘* had your sister any enemy, so far as you know?” ‘“‘She had none, sir. Everybody liked her, and, if anything, she had more real friends than I have,” ** And there is not one circumstance you can cite in favor of young Crandford? Not a thing that will speak in his favor!” ** Not a single bare: He is the guilty one; I feel no doubt about it.” ‘* But, of course, if did know of anything in his favor, you would mention it, and so give him the benefit of it?” ** Assuredly. He shall have justice, so far as Iam able to render it,” “You were the first one to discover the crime.” , **T was, and have not recovered from the shock yet. I thought it would kill me.” ‘* Were there any indications that a struggle had taken place?” *“None. I believe she was killed in her sleep.” ‘Then it must have heen done with afore- thought intent, and your suggestiou about her discovery of Crandford stealing her money, does not hold,” “TI had not thought of it that way,” the wo- man spoke in a meditative tone. ‘* I may have been wrong in the other surmise.” ‘*And it seems you were. Was that knife driven through the bedclothes? or was it buried in your sister’s breast direct?” ‘*Tt had been struck right through the bed- clothes, sir. But, pray hasten, for 1 feel as if I must faint.” ** Yes,” spoke up one of the other women pres- ent, ‘it is not right to torture her so,” ‘“T am done,” Dick immediately announced. “Twill withdraw.” And that he did, forthwith, rejoining the officer in the hall. ' CHAPTER IV. A SUSPICION IS AROUSED. + NEW and eg ~ a had seized him, as it possible, could i possible, that this woman had killed her sister? He felt ashamed of the thought, but it had come, and something seemed to urge the sus- picion upon bin, Had he any ground for the suspicion? Look- ing at it squarely, he saw that he had none, It was a thought without anything to support it, or at any rate with buta mere shadow or im- pression for its foundation, BEA what did you gain? the policemen denial, and we are beginning to look about to el —___—_—X—_ae__oeaeeaa se OOeeeee ee ee ee SS “Very little,” Dick had to admit. ‘** Anything to lessen the suspicion against the prisoner?” ‘* No; his case seems hopeless. go hard with him.” ‘*T thought you would. Is there anything more you want to get hold of here?” eo W bere is that servant? I want to talk with her. ‘*She is down in the rooms below. I'll call her up if you say so—” ** No, don’t; Pll go down there.” ‘* All right, as you please,” Dick descended the stairs that led to the basement, Arriving at the bottom, he tapped at the door nearest at hand, and it was opened by a woman past middle age. Dick went right in, closing the door after him, the woman having stepped back at his advance, **Don’t be alarmed,” he said, ‘*1 am an offi- cer, and merely want to ask you a question or two, '“*T was in hopes that was all done with,” the woman observed. ‘‘It has been awful tryin’ upon us, you wouldn’t believe,” ** No doubt about that: and I will be as brief asilcav. Whatdo you think of the arrest that has been made? Do you believe Howard Crand- ford is guilty?” ; ‘* How can I believe any other ways sir? Doesn’t it speak for itself? I wouldn’t ha’ be- lieved it of him, but I can’t help it when it is so plain. I don’t see what the boy was thinkin’ about,” ‘*Suppose he badn’t been suspected and ar- rested, is there any one else whom you might have thought guilty?” ‘** Not a one, sir, It would be a puzzle indeed, then,” ‘* Well, I want to see the dead woman, and did not like to ask ber sister; I thought it would be too severe upon her. Will you oblige me?” “Why, certainly. And Miss Susan wonldn’t ha’ done it, nohow, so itis just as weil you didn’t ask ber, poor soul.” **TIs that so? But, then, it is easy to under- a bow she must feel about it, for it is terri- 2, ‘* Yes; she cannot bear it. She fainted at the discovery, and bas not seen the body since, Come, and Ill take you up to the room, * All right, covery, then?” “Yes; and if you could have heard her screams! I found her fainted in the hall at the top of the stairs,” ‘* It must have been a terrible shock, and little wonder that she has not gotoverit, It isa won- der she can sleep in the house, after it,” ** And I don’t believe,she could, only for me, She sleeps with me in my room, and don’t go up to her own room at all. And yet she bears up wonderful well, considerin’,” That suspicion in Dick’s mind strengthened, in spite of him. ' The old servant led bim up to the main floor, and into the front room, the parlor. This room was quite dark, and in the space between the windows could be discerned the dread object, a coffin, covered with its black drapings, aving closed the door, the woman advanced to one of the windows and drew the heavy cur- tain a little aside, and lifting the end of the pall, directed Dick to step forward and look, This the detective prince did. He looked upon an aged hut kindly face, and judged that, while Pkcebe Roylan had much re- sembled her sister, hers bad been the better nature, Dick was soon satisfied, and drew back, The woman dropped the pall in place, closed the curtain, and they withdrew. ‘‘Is there anything further?’ the woman asked, when they were in the hall and the door had been closed after them. ‘*There is one thing more, if it is not asking too much,” Dick answered. ‘“*Say what it is, sir, and if it is anything that I can do, why--” “It is this: I want to see the bedclothes un- der which the woman lay when the blow was struck. Have they been preserved?” ‘* They are down in the back kitchen, sir, I will take you to look at them.” ilere Dick hoped to gain a point, and it would agua be for Howard Crandford, or against : m. Following the woman down, he was Jed to a room whero a!] the rough work of the house was evidently done, and the blood-stained bed-cluthes were shown to him.,! - . ‘* Which of these were on top?” Dick asked. I fancy it will It was she who made the dis- ‘“*This one,” the woman indicated, touching a os quilt, ick drew it apart from the others, and took it near the light. | There was a cut in it, just an inch and three- quarters wide. On the under side were some blood-stains, but on the outside, none. Having measured the cut, and noted other points, Dick threw the quilt back and announced that he was satisfied. There was nothivg more he could trouble the woman about then. Shortly afterward he left the house, “* Well,” he mused, ** here is one point in favor of the prisoner, and really it is more than I hoped to find. Now I bave more faith in his declaration that he is innocent, “The band that struck the death-blow to that poor old woman was not stained witb her blood. Upon this point I am positive, blood came through that outer quilt, and I be- lieve that the blood upon the sleeve of young Crandford’s coat is not correctly accoun for. ‘* But, if he did not do the deed, then who did? That is what is my business to find out and make known. Hang it! I hate to suspect that old sister, but, somehow, I can’t shake it off, It gains hold upon me at every step. Hf she did do it, then it is easy to understand why she will not look upon the face of the dead, or sleep again in the room next to the one ip which the crime was committed,” ; These thougbts be turned over and over in mind as he walked along. His objective point now was the bank that had been mentioned by Susan Roylan, in answer to his question, Coming to his destination, he entered, and ad- vancing to the office which he noticed was marked ‘* Private,” touched an electric button on the door, ‘Ts the president in?” he inquired, when the door was opened by a colored man in buttons. ‘* No, sah; he am not,” was the information he got. / ‘Who is in, then?” ‘* De president’s private clerk am in, sab.” ‘* He will do, I guess, I will see bim.” & a right in, sab. What name shall I say, sah?” Dick was disgusted with so much red-tare op the part of the flunky, ‘Tell him a police detective on business,” he snapped, “ and be lively about it, too.” The gentleman cf color bastened off, and Dick looked sround the place, to find bimself in @ sort of reception ¢ ffice, and not in the ‘‘ inner of inners,” as it were, There was still a further ag beyond, | While he was reflecting how next to impcssi- ble it would be fcr an outsider to get into that inner cflice, the door opened ane the darky re-— turned, followed by a gentleman of middle age. ‘You want to see me?” he asked, ‘*] am an officer,” Dick answered, ‘‘ and want to ai a private inquiry about a certain de- ‘* State your business, then, sir.” | ‘*Did the dead Phoebe Roylan have any ac- count here? If so, has she recently drawn upoD it toany considerable amount?” ‘*Ha! the Roylan affair, eh? Stramge case that. Wait one moment, sir, and you shall have the information you desire. Washington,” to the darky, ‘‘ request Mr. Gilroy to step ip here. But, no need to dwell at length upon the rec- tapiem by which Dick finally got at what be wanted to learn. Roylan had en account there, and that on tbe day preceding her deathshe had drawn upon it to the amount of twelve hundred dollars. Dick Jeft the bank in a puzzled freme of mind, ‘‘ Had it been for that money tbat the woman was murdered? Here was an object, a mctive; but who was to be suspected if not the wayward young man’ a. The possibilities of the case were just begin- ning to open before the mind-vision of the all alone detective. There might be a more in- tricate tangle than even he had dreamed of, He had proceeded only a little distance from the bank, when a light touch fell upon his arm. Looking around instantly, be stopped short, witb an exclamation. — ‘* Kodak Kate!” the words he uttered. ** And you, bere!” Such was ber response, and as their bands met her eyes questioned for an explanation, ‘‘T don’t wonder you are earpriced,” laughed rons Dick; ‘I’m somewhat surpr myself, Nota drop of | It was found tbat Phaebe © to be whirling away tothe north, by this = time; but, here I am, still in old ’Frisco,” “But how is it? the little camera shatower = Aes. ua"