Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-10-12
WHO KILLED ZEBEDEE?
By WILKIE COLLINS.

at the door Of the room, and turning ms nesad with horror from the sight inside.
 He was wrapped in 0 splendid blue dress ing gown, with a golden girde and trim mings. His scanty brownish hair curled (whether artiicially or not 1 am unable to say) in little ringlets. His complexion was yellow; his greenish brown eyes were of the sort called "goggle"-they looked as if they might drop out of his face if you held spoon under them. His nustache and goats beard were beautifully oiled; and, to com plete his equipment he had a long black cigar in his mouth.
 Ut isn't insensibility to this terrible tragedy" he explained. My nerves have been shattered, Mir. Policeman, and l can only repair the mischief in this way. Be pleased to excuse and feel for me-"
 The inspector questioned this witness sharply and closely. HI was not man to be misled by appearances; but could see that he was far from liking, or even trusting, Mir. Deluc. Nothing came of the examina- tion, except what Mrs. Crosscapel had in substance already mentioned to me. Mir. Deluc returned to his room.
 "How long has he been lodging with you?" the inspector asked, as soon as his back was turned.
 '.Nearly year," the landlady answered.
 Ibid he give you referencef'
 "As good 0 reference as could wish for" Thereupon, she mentioned the names of a well known firm of cigar merchants in the city. The inspector noted the information in his pocket book.
 would rather not relate in detail what happened next; it was really too distressing to be dwelt on. Let me only say that the un- fortunate demented woman was taken away In cab to the station house. The inspector possessed himself of the knife, and of 0 book od of Sleep" The portmanteau containing the luggage was locked-and then the door of the room was secured, and the key was left in my charge. My instructions were to remain in the house, and allow nobody to leave it, until heard again shortly from the inspec- tor.
 The coroner's inquest was adjourned, and the examination before the magistrate ended in a remand; Mrs Zebedee being in no con- dition to understand the proceedings in either case. The surgeon reported her to be com pletely prostrated by Q terrible nervous shock. When he was asked if he considered her to have been a sane woman before the murder took place, he refused to answer DOS itively at that time.
 A week passed. The murdered man was buried, his old father attending the funeral. occasionally saw MN Crosscapel and the two servants for the purpose of getting such l further information as was thought desirable | Both the cook and the housemaid had given their months notice to quit, declining, in the interest of their characters, to remain in 6 | house which had been the scene of murder MT. Delucs nerves led also to his removal his rest was now disturbed by frightfu dreams He paid the necessary forfeit money, and left without notice The first 1 floor lodger, MT. Garfield, kept his rooms but obtained leave of absence from his em | ployers, and took refuge with some friends ir the country Miss Mybus alone remained in the parlors. 'When I am comfortable, , the old lady said, nothing moves me, at my age. A murder up two pair of stairs ii nearly the same thing a murder in the next house. Distance, you see, makes all tho l difference"
 It mattered little to the police what the lodgers did We had men in plain clothe. watching the house night and day. Every body who went away was privately followed and the police in the district to which they retired were warned to keep an eye on then after that. As long as we failed to put Mrs Zebedees extraordinary statement to any sort of test-to say nothing of having provet unsuccessful, thus far, in tracing the knife t. its purchaser-we were bound to let no persol living under Mrs. Crosscapers roof on tn night of the murder, slip through our fingers ".
 In fortnight more, Miss Zebedee ha1 sufficiently recovered to make the necessar, statement-after the preliminary caution ad dressed to persons in such cases. The surgeon had no hesitation now in reporting her to b a sane woman
 Her station in life had been domestic ser vice. She had lived for four wears in he last place as lady's maid, with family re siding in Dorsetshire. The one objection t her had been the occasional infirmity c slesp walking, which made it necessary tha one of the other female servants should slee
 in the same room, with the door locked an the key under her pillow. In all other respect the lady's maid was described by her mistres
 as "a perfect treasure"
 In the last six months of her service,
 young man named John Zebedee entered th
 house with written character) as footmar He soon fell in love with the nice little lady maid, and she heartily returned the feeling
 They might have waited for years befor
 they were in pecuniary position to marry
 but for the death of Zebedee's uncle, who lei
 him little fortune of two thousand pound
 They were now, for persons in their station
 rich enough to please themselves; and the = were married from the house in which the C had served together, the little daughters t the family showing their affection for Mir : Zebedee by acting as her bridesmaids. y The young husband was 8 careful maj t He decided to employ his small capital to tl
 best advantage, by sheep farming in Au n tralia- His wife made no objections; she ",
 ready to go wherever John went. e Accordingly, they spent their short hone
 moon in London, 30 as to see for themselves u e vessel in which their passage was to be take : They went to Mrs, Crossoapel's lodging hou z because Zebedee's uncle had always sta d there when he was in London. Ten days we
 to pass before the day of authorization a 't rived. This gave the young couple 6 welcon o holiday, and prospect of amusing ther
 selves to their hearts content among u z sights and shows of the great city. ), On their first evening in London they we F to the theatre. They were both accustom 'i to the fresh air of the country, and they f.
 half stifed by the heat and the gas. Ho 1t ever, they were so pleased with an anus of nent which was new to them that they we
 to another theatre on the next evening. (
 this second occasion John Zebedee fonnd t ! heat unanfffrrahle Thav lefE the theatl