The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1878-10-31
A Mystery Unraveied.


in u rambling WY IN | hal stopped
for few days at Venice;
Here | met my old college chum.
Dick Glover
The latter had become famous
doctor within tho last few years.
Having st last marriel rich and
handsome young widow, he had con.
cluded to take short period OF re :
taxation. and hcuce his presence in
this distant cline.
OF course he was overjoyed to see
me, anil having been there long
enough TO know something Of The
place, ho volunteered to show me
aronnd
"By George !" exclaimed, sui
denly. rs we stopped before The pi
azza San Marco. "rheres as hand.
some picture as | ever saw. Iuuo
cence perspnltici
A young and most beautiful girl
stood before us, engaged iu feeding
the pigeons.
The birds we're marvelously tame.
and approached her fe,rlessly, even
Tightening on her hands,
"Dil you ever SEQ more sttrao-
two sight !! asked my friend, en-
Enthusiastically. ~ we passed. on
"Hum don't know, was the
rather doubtful reply. "!trmor has
been busy about that lady's name of
late.
"In what way : askel Indignant,
all my life.
"Well, I'll te;i ycu tho story as
near as Two heard it. The woman
is Countess ArdJtti. Her husbinl,
tho count, is reputel to be immense
" wealthy, whilc the wife was but II
poor peasant girl when he m irried
her. OF curse the general belief is
that she wei lei him for his wealth
This wonll not m,nnt 10 much
were il not for tln fact tine she
makes no eifJrt to show her dislike
for her husbands society. hap
penel to b. present largo ball Civ
Ell here few weeks ago. O.i that
occasion tho countess hrted shamn-
fully with a yonng Italian, the sou
OF some noblem,n. Her conduct at.
trtctet universal attcltiJl. bit sue
dil not seem t. hen that in the
least Now you SEQ why AN ruth.
er more doubtful Of her innocenc
than you are
'Still yol may ha mistaken by
your pei, lice against her, l re,
torted gally.
We arrived Mt hpma ut alb mt fous
O'Clock i, the afternonn, and the
doctors wife met us with II look OF
horror IN her face.
Have ym heard the news p sh'
gaspai. Isn't it purfec'ly horIi
ble |?
"What news, dear ;" asked the
doctor. in surprise. "Yon II have l"
enli., .,hten us on tho subject, m
afraid.
Count Ardotti has been murder
cd I
Tho doctor looked grave ut this
intelligence, ani gi,ncoi tnw'ri NJ
AS for myself, WIS trembling with
conflicting emotions.
Let me hear the particulars ? ]
aske ! quickly.
II will tell you all know. replied
the lady. "The count WAS bnnl
sitting in his chair with u p'niard
driven in Lis heart. lie must have
fallen asleep ani been attacked in
that state.
"Nhat time dill it occur |! asked
the d,ctor briefly
About three clock they discov
cred him. an then his b 'dy was
not qnite cold. The countess was
Immediately suspected of tho crime.
She was engaged in feeding the pig.
cons when they arrested her, aud
thero was blood upon her delicate
hinds.'
"You was rather mistaken in your
Judgment that time, said the doctor
addressing me. IL suppose you il
admit it now
"Never !" replied. "lt strikes
me there il some deep mystery at
the bottom of this, and that the
countess is still innocent.
"Your legul instinct is wrong this
time. I'm afraid" said the doctors
wife, "The ponisrd with which the
deed was done belonged to the conn-
tess, and has been already identid'
ed"
"Pooh I" retorted +; "that is
proof positive Of her innocence. No
one but fool woull hrvs left an
article behind that would have con-
victed them"
II left tue doctor, and proceeded'
at once TO the police officials !
found them in perplexity, some OF
them believing in the innocence OF
the countess, and the rest firmly be-
lieving her to be guilty. l had pro-
vitled myself with a letter OF intro
duction from the doctor, and was
politely received.
Stating that was q lawyer ny
profession, anil used to nnraveling
mysteries, | offered my services in
the present case. II was accepted
without hesitation. save by one
memboe of the board, who was most
h;Sk.s&. he L..stilikv n, the count