Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-03-27
A DETECTIVES STORY.

GOOD turn in cases where my skill as
n detective was called in. doAt
speak of my skill in vain sense at
aII-but as a detective | was reckoned
n right smart chap. At the time when
the mysterious murder OF MIR. Lorlng
occurred in the town OF l., Whlch
waI my native place, | was down
south engaged ia on affair oil much
mystery, and requiring the utmost
perseverance, as well as de!lcacy, IN
It's treatment. Well, we were success
full. my partner and me, but 1t cost
me the worst attack of chllls and fever
that ia ever had. was so bad had
TO Law off from business for a while
an 20 home to recruit.
When get TO L / heard all the
particulars about young Allan-Wlll
Allan-having been arrested on sus-
pIcion of the murder, an how that
plucky little girl married BIN IN
prison, an then set herself to lind
proofs of his innocence. l admired
that little woman, / tell you. felt
to thank heaven for making such little
ores, an I'd Just like to have kissed
her hand, { it hadn't been too great a
liberty. Well, it was all over when
| rot home, the trial, and all that.
VIII Allan was acquitted, and the
yonnp couple were OFF on their wed
ding Jour But it turned out, when
Mr., Lorings will was read, that he
had left a handsome sum OF money to
vounp Allan. Well, this news had
no sooner spread over L. that
lot of hateful folks began to say that
viii had done the murder, after all,
and 10 show good reason for it in the
money he had inherited. OF course,
thew couldn't have him tried again,
and his life was safe enough; but |
knew right well how he'd feel about
it, for I'd known the lad since he was
knee high to n woodchuck and | could
kinder understand how cut up that
little wife of his would feel when she
heard these new suspicious against
her husband. SO | wasn't a bit sur
prsed when SalIc, my hired girl, one
evening brought in little piece OF
Dashboard with "Mrs. William Allan"
printed on it. OF course, | SAID I'd
see the lady at once-it was just what
I'd been wanting ever since L heard
of her, and she was a sight for sore
eyes when | aid see her, l tell you.
Pretty as pink, white and rosy, with
lovely eyes and beautiful hair, and
something about her that made you
think of pearls, there was such
glmmer about her face and dress and
white hat. She came To the business
Of her visit with Just that directness
you might expect from little woman
Of her character.
'Mr. Burns" said she, 81 have
heard of your great cleverneSs III lind
ing out criminals; | want TO engage
your skill in discovering the murder
of Mr. Ioring-tho rich banker who
was murdered last summer, You will
understand why my heart was set on
this, when | tell you that notwith
standing my husband was fully &C
quilted of the charge, since he lnherl-
ted good deal Of money under Mr..
I4oring's will, there are those who still
suspect him of having committed the
crime, and this suspicion has almost
tire bitterness of death to him and me.
There is only one way Of entirely
clearing his reputation in this matter
and that, as you perceive ut once, Is
by discovering the real criminal.
| didn't interrupt her by Il word
instead, encouraged her to keep on
talking. 1t was rare pleasure To see
her pretty face flush up and her sweet
eyes sparkle and melt aud then flush
again when she talked so altogether
knew her circumstances in regard to
the arrest and trial and acquittal of
VIII Allen. got her to go over the
whole ground, and she told me how
she had watched over the sick bed of
Mrs. Ravens, the daughter of the
murdered man and the only living
being who could absolutely prove
Aliens innocence her patients
condition tluctuatod for months, grow
ing better and then worse. and then
better again, and finely how she en-
tlrely recovered and rewarded the
young wifcs devotion by giving testl-
mony which, in the eye of the law,
wholly cleared him from even that
shadow of suspicion. Then she ad-
died.:
"Mr. Burns, there's something else
that | want to tell you, although it
may not be of any such Importance as
| have thought it. One of the most
mysterious things about the murder
was the want of any clue to the real
murderer. 1t seemed absolutely dead
secret but, interested as | have been,
both heart and mind, in this dreadful
affair, | have naturally noted some
things that to others would have no
significance. In talking over all the
possibilities of the case with Mrs.
Ravens, with whom | became init
Il ,l,,r,,,.,, 10, ,l1,,n.s
| learned that Mr.. lorIng's chief OBJ
lection to her marriage with Mr..
Havens lay in the fact that he had
promised her hand to Mr.. Warfeld,
Junior member of the firm, admitted
within the past two years, and. till
then, n stranger in L.. Mr.. War
field had apparently great influence
with Mr.. Lorlng, and was passionate
ly il love with Mrs Havens-then
Miss Loriug. The young lady was
not merely Indifferent 10 the sutton
selected by her father. but absolutely
hated him, and took no pains TO hide
the fact Mr.. Wartield prosecuted her
with his attentions, nevertheless; and
on one occasion when she told him
bitterly how diSagreeable he was to
her, and that he need never hope to
obtain her consent to marry her, he
retorted that he had her fathers con-
sent. and that was better-for it is as
much rs his life is worth, said the
persistent sutton, for him to break
faith with me-and you dare not dis
obey HIM.
1T was Immediately after this con.
versation that Miss Loring eloped and
became the wife of Mr.. Havens Mr..
Warfeld behaved like maniac on
finding he had lost his bride, and Mr..
Loring was in despair over his daugh-
ter'S elopement."
suppose my face showed my ad-
miration of this little woman's shrewd-
ness in seiziug on all these facts and
putting them together. She flushed
up and said:
DO you think there's anything in
il, Mr.. Burns7'
"Ma'am. think you would be a
credit TO the force if you would join
us-but in course that isn't your line
But with your very valuable assist
ance, ma'am, think l can work up
this case in way to satisfy you"
ooh, Mr.. Burnsl If you can do
that, / feel / will owe you more than