Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-02-27

AAAo SiooSoo eOi ultliilJ gave Hihi
no clew to the truth. Through
some channel he had heard of
me, and l was summoned from
Washington by mysterious let
ter which piqued my curiosity.
With all my caution on the alert
/ answered the summons, and ar
rived at the Astor House one
evening where my correspon-
dent met me with the nonchal-
ance of an old friend and ushered
me into private parlor, lighted
and warmed for my reception.
Another gentleman was seated in
the parlor to whom my cores
pondent introduced me, by what
1 | afterwards learned was a ficti-
Iticus name. / inquired:
"What is it you wish me to
do ?"
"sTo listen to a story and give
me your opinion of it. , rejoined
the officer. Then quietly, and
without omitting the most mi
mute incident, he related to me
the story of the death of the lady.
II listened intently. Whatdo
| you think of it?'
81 hesitated. Answer frank
/ Ily,' he said; we are a confiden-
tiaI party and your opinion shall
be held sacred
!" 1T may be- / replied, eau
tiously, 'that she was murdered
by her husband. The gentlemen
both turned pale, and the one
who had remained silent put out
his hand toward me, xclaiming
in startled voice, oh, no, no,
don't say that
81 looked toward the officer
for an explanation, but he con
tinued, Give me reason for
l. your opinions.
"'You say that they were
newly married and very afec-
tionate !?
Yes
"In that case the wife, unless
seriously i'll, would have been
waiting for her husband, and
have hasted to greet him Oh his
return, especially as she had urg-
led him to return early. Not
meeting him, the husband would
have taken alarm at once and
RUSHED NoIsILY INTO THEIR .
ROOM
To see why he was deprived of
her welcoming caresses. He
would not have hesitated to rouse
her if she had fallen asleep, and
the gas being turned low, would
not have concealed the robed
/ figure on the outside of the bed.
/ His movements had a studied
precision about them viii c h
shows guilt
"The horror depicted on the
strangers face was so striking
that ] inquired: is this the hus-
band 2"
"'Yes, madam
81 carefully studied the face.
1t was worn with anxiety, but
through the lines of care thought
! / traced the marks of haunted
fear, and vailed in his black eyes
was a world of passion, which
might easily be reused. / was
left alone for the night, and my
new-made friend called for me
on the following morning, with
the request from Mr.. Williston
! that / would ferret out the mat
ter, if convinced that it was a
case of murder. / visited the
desolate house. Nothing had
been removed from the death
chamber except the lifeless body,
and during the eight months of
mourning the dust had gathered
on everything in the once care
fully tended rooms. / looked
over each article in the apart
ment cautiously and slowly; at
the wardrobe ] fingered, examin-
ing every garment, and at last
found clew. My heart almost
ceased its beating as ! drew it
from its long hiding and placed
it in my portmonnaie "a trife-
but on it hung human life.
The true thread of the mystery
was in my hands.
i "Mr. Williston had been fail
ing rapidly in health, and just
at that time was ordered by his
physician, DR.. Willard Parker,
to hasten away to the South and
!