THE SEMI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE SECTION
7
"No strap over made those. Those were made by n
man's fingers. Bucknian was throttled by a pair of
mighty strong hands."
Steve looked obstinate. "Hut lie was hanging 1"
he argued.
"When ho was dead, the murderer slung him up
with his own belt. I expect he remembered the no
tion of suicide would come in convenient to give
him a start any how, so lie .went to the typewriter
and printed out those words. It was a right cute
trick and it came wonderful near serving its turn."
Joe paused.
Steve raised an altered face. "It 's a cinch, 1 'm
afraid," he admitted. "And a durned mean thing
for me. The Company '11 lire me over this."
"When did you last see Bucknian alive?" inquired
Joe.
"At midnight. Just before wo passed Silent Water
"Was he alone?"
"lie was then; Mrs. Buekinnu had gone to bed.
Hut he 'd been talking to a fellow 'bout half an hour
before, that man with a beard, 1 don't know his
name."
"He 's still on the cars; we have n't stopped since."
"Sure!"
"Then he can wait
while 1 . . ."
November was not
destined to sav more
just then. The door lie
bind us was wrenched
open and Mrs. Huckmau
stood in the opening.
At her shoulder 1 could
see the peering faces of
the women who had
been attending her.
"I tell you he was
murdered, murdered !"
she cried as she darted
forward. "This talk of
suicide is folly. He
would never have killed
himself! Never!"
SI IK was frantic with
grief; but the terror
had left her face. She
had only one thought
now to avenge her
husband. And, indeed,
she made a tragic figure
a slight woman, no
lunger young, held up
by sheer will against the
shock of the hideous
blow fate had dealt her.
"Poor dear! Poor
dear! She don't know
what she 's saying,"
murmured one of the
women.
"Ho silent! 1 do
know! I tell you that
my husband has been
murdered. Won't any
of you believe me?"
She wrung her hands,
wrenching her fingers together
believe me?"
November stepped forward
said. "I 've been looking .
She made an effort to master herself. "Tell me
what you have seen. Don't spare me! He's dead,
and ail that is left to do is to find who killed him!
It was murder! You know that!"
"There's plenty signs of it," said Joe, gently.
"And I was just going to look around .some more;
but perhaps you might care to answer me a few
questions first?"
..... ii.: i u.. i m. .,.,,! ilw.vi.
4k3l ,111 Ullll Jtlll, I'll, OtIIU t,.,.
people!"
Joe glanced at Steve. "Lock tho door and don't
let anything be touched or disturbed." With that ho
led Mrs. Buckman into the farther compartment
away from the sight of tho poor shape upon the
bunk.
"Just what brought you and Mr. Hiiekman here?"
asked November. Where were you going? Where
have you come from? And what are your suspi
cions? Tho whole story, whatever you can think of;
nothing is too trifling."
In terse, rapid sentences, Mrs. Huckman gave us
the following facts:
"You havo probably heard the name of Huckman
before. Most people have. My husband was one
of the greatest and must trusted oil experts in the
States. .He had large holdings in the (iiant Oil
Company. About a fortnight ago, a situation de
veloped that made it necessary for him to leave New
York and come down to the Tiger Lily Oilfield. Tho
Oiant Company were thinking of buying it, or
rather of buying a controlling interest in it. Hefore
doing so, they wanted a first-hand opinion, and it
was suggested that my husband should travel down
to look into the matter."
She glanced at November's intent face and went
on :
PKK11APS you know that this line runs eloo to
the Tiger Lily Kastern section, so we had our
private car attached. That was on Thursday,
a week ago. We had the car run on to a siding,
and since then my husband has been bard at work.
He finished the day before yesterday; but as there
was no express earlier than the e cuing we wailed
for it, and just before dark our ear was linked on (o
this train. We dined together, and after dinner a
man named Knowles, who was on the train, sent in
to ask my husband to sco him. My husband was
much annoyed, for it appeared that Knowles had
been manager of a large retail depot from which
he had been dismissed for some carelessness. How
ever tnv husband made it a rule lo give personal in-
A the lrani(er turned to so
Joe and the police trooper leaped upon him
"Won't any of you
"I do, ma'am," he
terviews whenever he could and he ordered Knowles
to be sent along. When he came I went away; but 1
saw he was a big, sour-looking man in shabby clothes.
"I came into this compartment and began to read.
For a good while only the murmur of their talking
reached me; then a voice was raised, and 1 caught
some words distinctly: 'You won't put me back?
Think! I have a wife and children!' It was Knowles
speaking. 'It is impossible as you know. Oiant
Oil never reconsiders a decision,' said my husband.
'Then look out for yourself!' Knowles shouted, and
1 at once opened the door. I was terrified, the man
looked so threatening and bitter; but the instant 1
appeared ho whipped round and went out of tho
car."
"Did Mr. Buckman tell you anything more about
him?"
"Not much," she answered with a sort of trem
bling breath; "for he was a little annoyed that T
should have come in when I heard Knowles angry.
Hut that was soon forgotten and we sat talking for
about an hour. At ten, as I was feeling tired, I said
I would go to bed. My husband told mo he had
work to do which would keep him another couple of
hours, and he would sleep in here so as not to dis
turb me."
"Do you know what work it was?"
"Yes; it was his report on the Tiger Lily Oilfield."
"The report that was to decide whether the Oiant
Company would buy the Tiger Lily field or not ?"
She made a movement of assent.
"1 suppose it would have been worth a great deal
to certain people if they could have found out the
nature of that report?" said Joe.
"My husband told me that any one who could get
knowledge of it in time could make a fortune."
"Can you tell mo just how?"
"My husband explained that to mo ono day while
we were down at the Tiger Lily. A mouth ago the
shares of the Tiger Lily stood at eight dollars; but
when rumors got about that the (iiant Company
meant to buy it, they rose to tweho dollars, which is
about the price they stand at today. My husband
said that if his report were favorable the shares
would jump to twenty dollars or even thirty dollars,
but that if it were unl'a orable. they would of course
sink very low indeed."
"I understand."
Mi's. Huckman went on: "Kven 1 knew nothing of
his decision being for or against the purchase. He
never told me business secrets, for fear 1 should in
advertently let slip some information. I have no
idea what line his report was to take."
"Was it not rather strange that Mr. Huckman
should delay writing the report to the last moment 1"
"In his life, my hus
band had had to deal
with so many seerels ol
great commercial value,
that secrecy had become
second nature with him;
and it was one of his in
variable rules never to
put anything into writ
ing until the last pos
sible moment."
"There 's reason in
that," said Joe. "And
now, did you hear any
thing after vou went to
bed?"
"I heard my husband
working on the type
writer until I foil
asleep. When 1 awoke
I fancied I heard him
moving about, and 1
called to him to go to
bed. lie did not answer
anil as all was quiet, I
fell asleep again. If I
bad only got up then, I
niighl have saved him!"
She hid her face in her
bauds, but after a min
ute mastered her emo
tion. "The next time, I
started up in a fright
and turned on the light.
It was long past three.
1 snatched at my wrap
per and rushed into Hie
next compartment. You
know what I saw."
"One more question,
ma'am, and then I '11
trouble you no more.
Huve you any feeling as to who could have doiie
this?" asked Joe, after a short silence.
"I don't know what to say. . . . Knowles
looked a desperate man. I heard his threat. . . .
Hut who are you and why . . . ?"
STKVK, who bad hung in the doorway while this
conversation was going on, now interposed to ex
plain Joe; but she hardly seemed to heed. Hefore
lie had said more than a few words, sho put both her
hands on November's arm.
"Heincinbcr, I Ml spend tho last cent 1 possess, if
you will only find that man! . . . What aro you
going to do first?"
"I must examine the car. I haven't had time yet
to do that thoroughly," said Joe. "Hut wait a min
ute. Look through his bag and see if the report of
tho Tiger Lily is in it."
It was not to be found. Steve took Mrs. Huckman
away, and Joe and I remained in tho car. November
set about the examination in his peculiar swift yet
minute way. The carpet, the chairs, the table, the
walls all underwent inspection. He stood by the
uncovered window for some time. He turned about
tho pens and paper on the table; he pored over the
sheet in the typewriter on which the words wero
printed. At the end, the only tangible result in my
eyes was a collection of three matches, of which two
were wooden and one of wax, three cigar stumps
and a little heap of fragments of mud. His- re-