The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-06-21
CHAPTER VII.

The young lawyer went about his work
in a methodical way. He said to himself:
"The possibilities in this case are very few;
it should be reasonably easy to eliminate all
things which are not possible from consid-
GRAFTON, and so concentrate attention upon
those things which were most likely t.
happen. Now, then, the first point Which
may be taken as clew is this: Mrs. Brown
low left the house altogether unprepared
for Journey She was not only in evening
dress, but so far as the efforts of the detect
ives have shown any thing, it is clear that
she went away without any money in her
pocket to pay for a journey Of any consid-
cradle Length. The matter, then, resolves
itself ihto one of two general things: She
is either dead, having been killed, or met
with some fatal accident before getting far
from her house, or she is alive and in this
immediate vicinity. There is no reason to
think that any other horn of the dilemma
can be found. Now, if we proceed upon
tie theory that she is alive, and that is a
thing that we must do now, it is necessary
to find out in what part of this vicinity she
might be. That, then, is the one problem
that confronts me-"
Having gone thus far III his ANALYSIS of
the situation, Mr.. Parker came to a dead
fee, and long after the other occupants
had left for their homes he remained, his
feet in the air and an unlghted cigar in
his lips, bordering over the situation The
next morning he started for the house of
Mr.. Champion, and when he had found the
head of the family, he said:
Il am Henry Parker, sir, the member of
the bar who was assigned by the court to
act as the counsel in behalf of your SON.
| n-law on the occasion of his recent trial
He absolutely declined to receive my serv-
ices, but has since employed me in other
matters. 1t is without his knowledge or
consent that 1 come here now to see if
can not do something further to clear I'D
the mystery surrounding the Disappearance
Of your daughter"
swell, SIR" said Mr.. Champion raxAAr
orusquely, "do I understand you to hin'
that 1 have any more knowledge of the
matter than that have given upon the wit,
ness-stand and to the officers of the lava,
pardon me, Sir" replied Mr. Parker.
''1or having stated my errand in such terms
as should have allowed you to make that
most unhappy inference. believe that Won
nave been profoundly anxious to find out
the truth regarding your daughter. and
that you have done all in your power to gain
mat ard further the ends OF Justice. but
while do not pretend to say that have
mad one or two ideas since the trial. I will
say tnat 1t has seemed to me possible that
sometnlng further might be done, and it is
Win tnat rather shadowy notion in nv mind
tnat nave come to you, believing that YOU
Will accord me your hearty cooperation in
whatever may attempt"
very well, sir,'' said Mr.. Champion: 81
Will not llterpose any obstacles to your
work, but will say positively that nothing
could shake my belief that Mrs Brownloyy
was murdered by her husband
"Nothlng" queried the young lawyer, in
return. mot even the production OF the
lady alivea"
All, well, that is another natter said
Mr. Champion ''If you are going to worl,
upon that absurd hypothesis, that she is
still alive, fear that shall simply waste
my time with you"
Let us not be INPATIENT replied Mr.
! Parker. I'VE are going simply to try tn
discover the truth, and if that truth proves
20 be that she was murdered and we get at
the complete story of the matter, shall be
satisfied, although, confess, to a certain
extent grieved, for i can not but believe
that your daughter is still alive.''
Mr.. Champion simply raised his brows
with an expression of pitiable tolerance for
the young lawyers notion and waited for
him to proceed.
!" would like to ask frst,n said Mr.
Parker, q for the complete history of your
! daughters life from her early childhood M
70 the time OF her marriage, and instead of