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

L thought sO-Snfc"u- Ii Ho udu
left the place it would have occasion
ed remark and perhaps suspicion"
Mrs. Allan, now rose, and | said
nothing to detain her further, for
was already busying my brain with
ali she had told me, and, notwith-
my admiration of her, my
in terest in her, / was right glad to be
alone. So saw her to the front door,
and promised to let her know as soon
as had intelligence worth talking OF.
By this time change of air and
auinina had done a good deal for me,
and l was feeling pretty hearty. By a
series of inquiries, carried out in
slow and apparently aimiess manner.
| learned where Mr.. Warfeld lived
and all about the internal economy of
his household. He was still unmar-
ried, and kept bachelor establish
ment superintendent by young and
goodlooking housekeeper-the only
one of his servants who seemed a
fixture In the house, for the under
domestics never stayed more than a
month, and it was easy to under
stand why the housekeeper held her
place, for it was currently reported
that she hoped in time TO become the
wife of her master. | had one of nay
little plans on hand, and as soon as L
learned that kind of gardener and
general male servant was required in
the Wariield house. / introduced
myself TO Mrs. Clemens, the house
keeper, and pleased her so well that |
was next day installed. knew lots
of gardening, having been bred up to
it long before | was detective; and |
gave satisfaction in my new capacity.
As soon as | had been IN my situation
long enough tn win u certain amount
of confidence from Mrs. Clemens, l
turned my attention toward marking
m yself especially useful to Mr.. War
field. | must not omit to state that
the moment laid my eyes on that
man something told me that he was
the murderer; and | felt as sure of it
as if | had seen him commit the deed.
In my way of life, you see, we get to
have great knowledge of faces, and
there's something in the look of
murderer that's unmistakable to a
practiced eye. Now, the thing was to
prove to others what required no
further proof to myself, SO l began to
develop my plan. 1t was simple-so
very simple that any one new in our
business would never have thought OF
using it; but | had been catching
criminals SO long that bad seen how
easy 1t was to trap 'em. They are SO
mighty keen to look out for all the
clever traps, that they walk right INTO
the simplest ones without ever seeing
them. / saw from a look of strong
restraint that had become fixed on
Mr.. Warield's face that he was not
crazy from fright and remorse-ac .
cordingly, concluded he was the kind
of a man to be scared into exposing
his own guilt. | had little bottle
filled with a red fluid which made a
stain so like blood that the quickest
eye might easily be deceived by it;
but the principal thing about it was
On being exposed to the air it speedily
faded away, leaving no sign. | had
more than once been called on to as
sist Mr.. Warteld in matters of the
toilet, and in that way | had gradu-
ally come to nave the run of his room !;
and all such matters as bringing up
his linen, shaving water and the like,
were soon considered a part of my
work. One night Mr.. Warfield com
planned of illness, and retired to his
room at an early hour was called
to wait on him for something, and
while in his dressimg room dipped a
pen IN my red stuff and wrote on the
pillows of his bed large wv r. l. "
They were the initials Of Mr.. Loring's
name, initiated SO we'll from ms hand
writing, procured for me by little
Mrs. Allen that they might have pass
ed anywhere for his own writing. |
had but Just finished and turned
away when Mr.. Wartield, in his dress
ing wrapper, returned and sat down
on the bed. his glance Instantly fall.
ing on my work.
He gave sharp scream and bound
ed to his feet, but his eyes glared on
the red letters.
''Thomas" he shrieked," what is
that on the pillow2"
ION the pillow, SIR" says l, "why,
nothing, to be sure.
But there IS, mani tell you | see
letters IN blood written there"
''Ol no, sir" returned, looking at
the place, and inaeed, as we both
gazed at the writing it faded quite
away. He passed his hand across his
eyes and looked again, fearfully, and
then with groan, said:
"You are right. Thomas, there is
nothing. fear am very nervous. "
That night, when at a late hour, [
passed his room on the way to my
own, | heard pitful moaning and deep
groans from Mr. Warheld's room, and
to tell the truth, my heart was sore
for him. Bat, Lord bless you! the
detective police can't afford to encour-
age such feelings, for if they did, the
guilty ones would often go free
oftener even than they do. So |
hardened my heart, and says to my
self, Il must keep it up, and either
this man will go mad, or else fear and
remorse will drive him to comics
SION"
Next morning the laundress gave
me some linen handkerchiefs to carry
to Mr.. Wartield | wrote across the
upper one. wv. r Loring," and gave
it to HIM while the color was fresh.
He read it aud gave me an awful
look.
'What do you mean2 I asked,
looking at him, while he kept his
eyes away and held the handkerchief
from him, as if he was afraid it would
blind him.
WHO gave youths handkerchief"
he asked sternly.
1.-The laundress, sir-Bridget."
Cali her to come here this instant. I"
OF course l took care that Bridget
didn't come too soon; and when Mr..
Wartield thrust his handkerchief be
fore her eyes and demanded to know
why it was written on; she stared as
if he hal told ner it was rattlesnake.
Sure enough, there was nothing to
see, for the writing had faded all
away. Mr.. War6eld presently per
ceived this, and uttered some feeble
words of apology, but he was white
as death and his eyes looked wild and
fierce.
Well, needn't repeat all the things
of this sort that did, but | kept it up
for weeks, till at last everything in
his room-every bit of linen that he
wore used to bear that terrible writ
ing. / saw that he was breaking up
fast. and | knew a crisis was approach
ing. He never spoke now when he
L. I, l.