This man has some information he
considers important."
A minute later Sanderson had begun to question his voluntary but highly
nervous witness.
"Your name?"
"It's Elmer Rawlins, like I told you, sir," the man protested, and
flinched as Penny recorded his words in swift shorthand. "It was my wife
as made me come. She said as long as me and her knowed I didn't do
nothing wrong, I'd oughta come forward and tell what I knowed."
"Yes, yes!" Sanderson encouraged him impatiently. "You say you worked
for Mrs. Selim as gardener one day a week--"
"Yes, sir, but I 'tended to her hot water and her garbage, too--twice a
day it was I had to go and stoke the little laundry heater that heats
the hot water tank in summertime when the steam furnace ain't being
used. I live about a mile beyant the Crain place, that is, the house the
poor lady was killed in--"
"Did you come to stoke the laundry heater Saturday evening?" Dundee
interrupted. "Excuse me, sir," he turned to the district attorney, "but
this is the first time I've seen this man."
"No, sir, I didn't stoke it Sat'dy night," Rawlins answered uneasily.
"You see, I was comin' up the road to do my chores at half past six,
like I always do, but before I got to the house I seen a lot of
policemen's cars and motorcycles, and I didn't want to get mixed up in
nothing, so I turned around and went home again.
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