Hastening forward I bounded up the entrance steps and almost flew into
the vestibule. There were little knots of people standing about the
hallway, talking in low tones. Even their voices hushed as I hurried
into the elevator and told the attendant to take me up to the eighth
floor. The operator appeared to be almost frightened out of his wits at
the sight of me, but after a momentary pause he ran the elevator to the
eighth floor, peering at me all the time as he might have eyed a wild
beast who was about to devour him. Many people were in the upper hall-
way, but looking neither to the right nor to the left, I went straight
to the door of the room I had entered the night I had taken Arletta
home. Finding it locked, without a moment's hesitation I threw against
it, all of the force my gigantic frame could command which caused it to
give way and fly open before me. I then observed that there were several
men in the room, in different positions and groups, as if making a study
of the surroundings. Lying upon the bed, in the room adjoining, was the
form of a woman partly covered by a spread, and being examined by a man
who might have been the coroner. As I rushed forward like a madman,
every one there became frightened and made way for me to pass.
Approaching the bed I eagerly scanned her features, and being positive
of her identity I took the inanimate form of Arletta in my arms and
kissing her tenderly, was overcome by emotion.
CHAPTER XXXIII
Arrested for the murder of Arletta Fogg, after being positively
identified by the elevator attendant and the night watchman as being the
only person who visited her apartments on the night of the crime, was
the next incident of my strange career. Thrown into prison, and caged
like a savage beast in a little cell hardly large enough to turn around
in, has been my lot ever since that awful tragedy. The case attracted
widespread interest, and the newspapers teemed with sensational accounts
of it. At the trial, all of the evidence pointed directly to me as the
perpetrator of the deed. The elevator operator swore that I was the man
whom he had taken to Arletta's apartments shortly after eleven o'clock
that night. The watchman testified that he saw me leave her room at
three o'clock in the morning. On the stand, I was made to tell, under
oath, that Arletta and I had been lovers; that we had been together that
same night in the park, and had parted at about half past ten o'clock;
that she had informed me of her intention to never see me again. By
these statements the prosecuting attorney showed the motive for the
crime. I could give no account of my time between half past ten that
night and the next day at noon, which was another strong point against
me. I had pleaded not guilty, feeling that as I knew nothing about the
crime I could not very wisely do otherwise, but also, stating that I had
suffered a temporary aberration of the mind during that time, and that
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