The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-09-04
THE TORN GLOVE.

1t was almost IL o'clock as l left my
friend Alport's law Office and hurried
up town. l had delayed longer than l
knew, interested deeply in his account
of al intricate will case, in which he
was just at that time engaged. AS l
now remember, property of some two
millions, held by a reSidnary legatee,
had suddenly been claimed by one who
announced himself as the direct heir
and devisee, a nephew of the testator,
who had not been heard from for seve-
raj years.
Airport deemed the fellow an i'm
poster, and although his story had
been well told, and his plan Of action
well laid throughout, my friend thought
he had secured proofs Of its falsity.
In fact, he had a bundle of papers con-
tanning the positive proof that Neil
HarcOurt was not Neil Uarcourt,
nephew of old Duncan Harcourt, tes-
tator; and it was his explanation OF
this case that had rendered me SO late
on my up town journey.
AS l hurried onward, mechanically
my hand sought my pocket for a cigar,
and finding nOne--a most unusual
condition or things-I glanced about
for some place where | could purchase
some.
Just down side street light struck
my eye, and moving toward it, found
a small but neat cigar store, waited
upon by girl.
l entered, threw down my money,
and called for cigars. The waitress,
or shop girl, was evidently on the
point OF closing, for one light was
already out, and she wore her hat and
shawl; more than that, az she placed a
handful of regalias before me, l noticed
that she had also drawn OH her gloves,
and that one, that upon her left hand
had been partly torn across the palm,
and neatly mended by the insertion Of
another piece of kid.
This triiling incident would doubt
less have escaped me, had ii not been
that the glove was pale orange in
color, whereas the inserted kid was
black.
selected my cigars, lit one and
walked out. An hour later | was at
home and in bed.
The next morning after, read at
my breakfast table that Lawyer Airport
had been murdered the night before.
10 say that l. was shocked would he
but feebly to express my horror. AL
port was a warm personal friend, my
attorney, and Il man without stain.
Ills death III the most natural way
would have been Il sad loss to me; to
hear of his end by murder simply para
lyZed me.
Leaving the table rs soon as l could
collect my thoughts sufficiently to do
80, l. at once threw on hat and OyercOat
and hurried down town.
My friends office was in Blank
street, a little off from the main cur
rent OF travel; but this morning |
found a number OF persons gathered
about it-neighbors, storekeepers and
brother lawyers-passing whom con.
fronted an officer standing guard at the
office door.
lie would have stayed my entrance,
but as | handed hin my card his face
changed.
major Minton, of the dctcctives2''
he said, inquiringly.
l bowed.
The man at once opened the door.
"You1l find Captain Ross and an.
other gentleman inside. presume
they'll be glad to see you.'
/ entered.
AS the policeman had said, found
two detectives-men whom l knew
within. Tifeir story was soon mine.
1t seemed that Alport had been in
| his Office late: that lady had called il,
the evening and remained an hour OF
more; that after she had left, his light
continued to burn long time-until
morning prObably-and that it was not
| l.
unlocked door, at about . Il. m., that
the death Of the attorney was known,
He lay dead in his office chair, whel
found, a thin, foreign looking knife
sticking in his heart. Evidently ht
had boon struck unawares; there hao
been no struggle, but little blood, and
no robbery that the officers could dis
cover.
Nor was there any clew remaining
Evidently the woman had killed him
though why was as yet unanswered
No one knew the woman.
"But the reasoa---the motive?" sal(
l. "Surely there must have been one
If we can find that, we may have a clue
to the criminal. Without it everything
IS in the dark"
"True," replied Ross; "but the mo.
| tive IS just what puzzles us. 1t eYi
IDENTIFY was not robbery, as his watcl
and money were on his person whel
found"
"Holdl" said I, with II suddel
thought. "Might not he have bccl
robbed Of papers?"
eyes; but what oncs2 How do W,
know what documents he had2"
A new idea had come to me.
began at once to search for the paper
which Airport had read to me two day
before--the proofs in the Harcour
case.
They were gone. but found in thei
stead, lying among letters and lega
litter in his waste basket, torn glove
bloody, and mended across the pain
with bit Of black kid.
drew it out with shout.
Gle was robbed of somo important
papers that he showed to me only nigh
before last" said l, excitedly, "an(
the person who killed him wore thi
glovel"