Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-11-13
THE TORN GLOVE.

1t was almos, eleven o'clock as left
my friend Alporis law Office, and hurried
up town. had delayed longer than |
knew, interested deeply in his account OF
IN intricate will case. in which he was
Jus, at that time engaged, As | now
-emember, property of two millions,
eld by a residusry legs,ee. had sudden
iy been claimed by one who announced
.imself as the direct heir and devisee, d
nephew of ,estator, who had not been
heard from for several years.
Alport deemed the fellow an imposter,
and although his story bad been well told
and his plan of action we'll laid through
out. my friend thought be had secured
proofs of It's fslsity. In fact, he had a
bundle OF papers containing the positive
proof that Neil Harcourt, was not Neil
Hucour,, nephew of old Duncan Har-
court, ,estator; and it was his explana
ton Of this case ,ha, had rendered me so
late on my uptown journey.
As hurried onward mechanically, my
hand sough, my poke, for cigar, and
finding none-a most unusual condition
of things-I glanced about for place
where could purchase some.
Just down side street light struck
my eye, and moving toward IL, found a
small but neat cigar store, waited upon
by girl.
entered, threw down my money and
called for cigars. The waitress, or shop
gil. was evidently on the point of closing
for one light WAS already out, and she
wore her hat and shawl ; more than tha,
as she placed a handful OF regalias before
me, noticed that she had also drawn on
her gloves, and ,ha. one, upon her lett
hand, had teen partly torn in the palm
and neatly mended by the insertion ol
another piece of kid.
This trifing incident would doubtless
have escaped me, bad it not been thai
the glove was pale orange IN color
whereas the inserted kid was black.
| selected my cigars, lit one and walkeC
out. An hour later was at home and II
bed
The next morning after, l read at m!
breakfast table that Lawyer Alport hat
been murdered the night before.
To say that was shocked would ot
but feebly to express my horror. Alpor'
was warm personal friend, my attorney
and a man without stain.
His death in the most natural way
would have been sad loss to me tt
hear OF his end by murder simply paral'
,zed me. =,
Leaving the table as soon as could
collect my thoughts sufficiently to do So
| a, once threw on my hat and overcoa'
and hurried down town.
Ny friends office was in Bank Street
q little off from the main Current OF ira
vel: but this morning found numbe'
Of persons gathered about it-neighborS
storek, epers and brother lawy passing
whom confronted an officer standing
guard at the Office door.
He would have stayed my entrance
bu, as | handed him my card his fac'
changed. ,
"Msjor Minton of the detectives ? h
said, inquiringly.
bowed.
The man at once opened theRdoor.
You'll find Capt. Ross and snothe
gentleman Inside. presume they'll b
glad to see you.
! entered.
As the policeman had said, found tw'
detectiyes-men whom l knew-within
Their story was soon mine.
1t seemed that Alport had been in hi
office late; that woman had called Il
the evening and remained an hour o
more: that after she had left his ligh
continued for long time to burn-untl
morning. probably-and that it was no
until some importuntae client had opene.
the unlocked the door at about 3 oclocl
NJ. that the death Of the attorney wa
known.
He lay dead in his Office chair, whe'
found. a thin, foreign-lookiog knife Il
his heart. Evidently be had been strucl
unawares; there had been no strugRi
and but little blood, and no robbery tina
the officers could discover.
Nor was there any clew remaining
Evidently the woman had killed him