The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-10-02

Certainly l have. |. it possible 70,
desire to explore it Here Jane -
4 motnerly-looking and very Ole
lady, with tottering gait, responded
To Mrs. Myrtle's call, ana was intro
duced TO me as the Myrtle family nurse
An instructive freling that Mrs. Myr
tie was right in the estimate Of Jane.
Innocence prcvsded nv mind in mo-
ment
could see at once that she was ORC
OF those lovable old ladies that on,
feels drawn toward and to confide in
her At once, and then to suspect her OF
wrong would h. a little worse than
s,cril-ge
From a bunch of keys hanging by
her side she selected the proper one
and unlocked the door The interior
OF tins room was utterly dark. but Mrs
Myrtle came quickly with q small as.
'rsi lamp. by which Il could see tina,
tile apartment was long and narrow,
covering the same space in length az
that occupied by the parlor and bed
ROOM
Mrs. Myrtle and Jane both objected
to going into the dismal place, and l
explored it alone There were trunks.
and old boxes. and dilapidated picture
frames. piled up in different places, and
musty papers scattered over the floor.
all covered with dust, that mus. have
been long time accumulsting.
A pile of discarded damask curtains.
also covered with dust. completed the
contents.
AT the rear end OF the room, lust
wh"re the stable building should Join
the house, one of the damask curtains
was hung up. 1t was dusty, like the
Others but the dust appeared to have
been recently disturbed.
Closer observation disclosed the shane
Of door behind the curtain made
flush with the wall. Then | noticed
that the dust had been freshly brushed
from some Of the boxes in places, as if
the edge Of a coat or dress had re-
Gently been drawn over them. and upon
one was the print of hand, as if some
one, cropping in the dark, had slipped
and had attempted to steady them
selves
Mrs Myrtle smiled as ] emerged
from the room.
IL am so glad you have come back
safe and sound" she said. Jane and
! were quite ready to cry police, if you
had encountered anything terrible"
and she gave vent to n hearty laugh.
l made no response to this pleasant.
ry, other than to shake my head . little
knowingly, but tins did not save me
from u further sally.
"fou gentlemen of the detective pro-
fession are SO provokingly mysterious"
4he continued, "that one might die of
twenty times before having it
once grat,fed by you. But come, have
you no theory to give us 7"
your permission l will be here to-mor-
row evening at this hour, and can then
speak more definitely"
"Anoiher whole day of suspense !"
she ssid, as bsde her good evening,
aud then. calling me back, she whis-
pered. You don't suspect Janes :"
Not for . moment ~
II am 50 grateful. Good might. sir!"
aud l departed.
The years will be many and long be-
tore the image of Mrs Myrtle, as she
that evening, is effaced from
my mind.
Young. rich, handsome; her eyes
brilliant, and her cheeks roseate in the
flush tide of perfect health; her cos
tune of rich material and subdued col
ors: her dark hair neatly arranged in
the prevailing style: her voice musical;
her manner vivacious; aud all compos-
ing picture to which the luxurious
surroundinss-ths gems of art. the
paintings adjoining the walls, and the
odorous and many colored flowers in
the c-vasss-formed Q most APP
and elaborate setting.
The following morning found me in
the vicinity of the Myrtle mansion at
an early hour, and in a position where l
could see without being observed. The
WAS outside of the stable, and
the footman was busily engaged clean
ing it.
The sight Of this fellow somewhat
astnnishe,i me. There had been no oc-
casiou for my observing him closely on
the previous day, when he WAS sitting
on the box Of the carriage, but now |
recognized him as man who had once
been arrested for some offense. the ma
tnre of which could not just then call
to mind; but the sight of his face CON-
pletcd my theory of the Myrtle rob-
berry, and returned to the Central Of
flee.
That same evening | called upon
Mrs. Myrtle.
What is your footmau's name Z" l
asked
why. what question Hi, name
is Thomas Bowler"
How long has he been in your EN-
ploy ?"
Not quite five weeks"
And the coachman and groom :"
"Oh. they have been in the family
for years"
You informed me, last evening. that
you had a STEP son-Mr. Myrtlc's by
his former wife-and that the young
man was at school. l desire that you
send your groom to attend him - .
body servant for a time Then have
your solicitor advertise for . groom,
and employ the man shall send him"
Mrs. Myrtle shook her head and
laughed: then became serious. and in
terposed numerous objections. but final
iy acquiesced.
Three days after this the groom was
at work. It WAS Joe Tracer, as mat
ter of course. Judging from all the