The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-09-19
THE TORN GLOVE.

THE TORN GLOVE.
It was almost II o'clock as | left
my friend Alport's law office and
hurried up town, | had delayed
longer than | knew, interested deep
" in his account of an intricate will
case, in which he was just at that
time engaged. As | now remember
a property of some two millions
held by residuary legatee, had sud-
denly been claimed by one who an
nounced himself as the direct hei,
and devisee. a nephew Of the tesla.
tor, who had not been heard from
for several years.
Airport deemed the fellow an i'm
postor, and although his story had
been well told, and his plan of ac.
ton well laid throughout, my friend
thought he had secu, ed proof of its
falsity. In fact. he lad a bundle Of
papers containing the positive proof
that Neil Harcourt was not Neil
Harcourt, nephew of old Duncan
Harcourt, testator; and it was bis
explanation of this case that had rem
dered me so late on my up town
journey.
As l hurried onward, mechanic
ally my hand sought my pocket for
a cigar, and finding none-a most
unusual condition of things-I
glanced about for some place where
/ could purchase some.
Just down a side street light
struck my eye, and moving toward
it, | found 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, as she
placed a handful of regalias before
me, | noticed that she had also put
on her gloves, and that one. that up
on her left hand, had been partly
torn across the palm, and neatly
mended by the insertion of another
piece of kid.
This trifiingincident would doubt
less have escaped me, had it not
been that the glove was pale or
ange in color, where's the inserted
kid was black.
l 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 Al
port had been murdered the night
before.
To say that | was shocked would
be but feesly to express my horror.
Airport was a warm personal friend
my attorney, and a man without
stain.
His death in a most natural way
would have been sad loss to me
to hear of his end by murder simply
paralyzed me.
Leaving the table as soon as l
could collect my thoughts sufficient
ly to do SO, at once threw on my
hat and overcoat and hurried down
town.
Ny friends office was in Blank
street. a little off from the main cur
rent of travel but this morning l
found a number of persons gathered
about ii-neighbors, storekeepers
and brotaer lawyers-passing whom
| confronted an officer standing
guard at the office door.
He would have stayed my en-
trance, but as | handed him my card
his face changed.
"Major Minton, of the dete ctives ?"
he said. inquiringly.
| bowed.
The gentleman at once opened the
door.
You'll find Captain Ross and
another gentlemaninside. L presume
they'll be glad to see you
! entered.
As the policeman had saitl, | found
two detectives. men whom [ knew
within. Their story was SC on mine.
1t seemed that Airport had been in
his office late; that lady had called
in the evening and remained an
hour or more that after she had
left, his light continued to burn a
long time-until morning probably
and that it was not until some i'm
portant client opened the unlocked
door, about 8 a. M, that the death OF
the attorney was known.
he lay dead in his office chair,
when found, a thin, foreign looking
knife was sticking in his heart. Evi.
dently he had been struck una.
wares I; there had been no struggle,
but little blood, and no robbery that
the officers could discover.
Nor was there any clue remaining,
Evidently the woman had killed
him, though why was as yet unan-
swered. No one knew the woman.
But the reason-the motive !?
said 1. Surely there must have
been one. five 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 evil
IDENTIFY was not robbery, as his watch
and money were on his person when