Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-03-26


case rose up before me.
1 realized that this was the last chance
to save LeonOre-
Should this fail then she must ineVita-
bly, be guilty.
1t all depended upon who was meant
| by DIR. Seabury when he expressed him.
self In daily fear of some one. If we
could only fathOm this mystery of his
past, the truth might be made clear.
Who could help me?
My thoughts turned to Theodore. He
might tell what mystery Of the past this
was connected with his father.
The only question that arose was
whether he would feel so inclined.
There was no need of telling all this to
Mr.. Ketcham.
The advantage was already on his
side, since he had drawn out all I knew,
and suited himself about returning the
favor.
By this I mean that he told me what
he discovered, but without taking me
fully into his confidence, and explaining
the possibilities Of each discovery.
did not feel hurt by this way of con-
Quoting the case. From the beginning
/ had realized that il was an honor 70 be
connected with-a man of sterling worth
like Abner Ketcham.
was cOntented TO assist him by any
desire TO reap the reward.
In the name of justice / would work:
at the same time il was with the hope
that l could help to prove the innocence
Of the one against whom the case seemed
darkest-LeOnOre.
My success so far gave me n certain
share of confidence, and l had reason to
believe that as an amateur detective I
was doing a good work in unraveling the
diam inn ~ -
DR., Seabury.
+ What the future held in store for me
could not say with any exactnessi but
hoped 10 learn before long.
My mind was set In a certain quarter,
and l was anxious TO once more begin
work, so. that 1 might the better learn
whether my last suspicious were founded
upon fact or were fated TO be waited
away at the first breath of cooling wind
In some way / must find out who had
entered through the pantry window,
what their object had been, and also
what they had seen or done.
If this end could be achieved, 1 felt
that the curtain must be raised and a
glimpse of the truth be discovered
Every means within my power must be
brought TO bear upon the matter, with
this end in view.
In connection with this, believed I
had strong point, whether Mr.. Ketcham
noticed il or not.
When we examined the tracks in the
old room adjoining the Doctors, and the
detective had fitted LeOnOre's small slip
per into them, had noticed two things
which l believe / made note of at the
time.
These were that there were other
tracks present, somewhat larger than
hers and also that in places these
heavier ones completely covered the
marks We believed LeonOre had left,
thus establishing very important
point, viz: this other person had passed
through the dusty room after LeonOre.
Another little thing gave me courage
this way, for had seen a faint touch
of blood upon the knob of. the door, as
though the knife had rubbed against it.
This fact was brought out again by Mr..
Ketcham, who mentioned il; although at
the time l had not known that he was
aware of its presence.
Putting these things all together, be-
gan To believe l had a strong case.
The party who had murdered the old
physician, be it man or woman. had en-
tered the house by means of the pantry
window, as Mr.. Ketcham had seen.
Perhaps he had first tried the vines
but changed to the other.
When his bloody work was done he had
retreated in the same way.
This was easy 10 place. I took posi-
tive and keen pleasure in noting how
neatly all the facts seemed to join to-
gether, just as though the mechanism
were complete within the affair.
One little thing still troubled me.
This was the long black hair taken
from the hand of the deceased We had
believed that he had torn il from the
head OF the person who had murdered
him, and this had appeared to establish
the fact that this party must be n
woman,
Was this necessarily so?
i approached the subject carefully,
determined not to leave a stone unturned
in the endeayOr to ferret out the truth.
First: 1t was not proven that this hair
came from the head of his assassin. 1t
might have been deposited there by acct
dent.
Then again the party might have been
a woman in disguise. No one could say
aught to the contrary.
AS a third thought: This supposed
burglar, whom l believed TO be the assas-
sin, must prove the long dreaded foe for
whose coming DIR. Seabury had watched
and waited, knowing that fate was
bringing the time nearer.
Who, then, could this enemy be?
My mind went back.
The good Doctor had spent many years
of his life in India, and it was probably
there where he had incurred the hatred |
of this party.
Then the Yengeance-Seeker might be a |
thug, one of that secret band OF assas- |
sins TO whom the use of the cord and |
ereese is sacred
The presence of the wound made by a |
creese suggested that such was the |
truth
This far had I come. patching it up on |
the way, when, happening TO look /
toward Mr.. Ketcham.I saw that he had /
quietly inserted his hand into his pocket. |
When he drew it out he tossed a small |
white object toward me.
Examine that, Doctor" he said, /
simply.
When I opened it out I saw it was a
lady's embroidered handkerchief a few 4
stains Of blood marked it, Looking /
closer 1 could see where il had been
partly cut, as though sharp instrument /
had been drawn through il. Further /
still, in one corner was the letter L
~Where did you get this. Mr.. Ketch-
amp" / asked, holding my breath
His answer gave-me terrible blow.
an the room Of LenOre, hidden be-
hind trunk, Doctor"
CHAPTER XIV.
M A1SAT there mo-