The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-28
A STRANGE PASSENGER,
TCONCLUDED,l

Lorton-the stout young lady who the de-
tectYe had positively asserted was Mary
Youngson, the poisOner.
The quiet dignity aud cOmposure OF her
manner, the frank, hQnest expression OF her
face, and its undeniable plainness, seemed
to me so natural, so real, that L marveled
how the detective cOntrived to penetrate
through so perfect a disguise.
Feeling tined out after breakfast slept
until near noon.
When l went on deck Tom was superin-
tending the repairing OF the spanker boom.
at is very strange" he said to me, I'M
easily, Miss Merwin has not yet shown
herself"
The day wore on without our seeing her.
Even at supper-time she did not make her
appearance.
Tom looked pale and concerned. Finally
he went and knocked at her door, calling
her name. There was no response.
Il do not know what to make OF 1t, he
said to me on deck. ION, fatherW he added
wildly, us it possible she can have sud
denly died"
Il don't think So" I answered :" she
seemed to be in good health" and then
thought to myself, were it not that We are
where we are, aud she different, sort Of
person, / might suspect that she had alb
seconded with your money"
As night approached, her non-appearauce
excited general comment, and was advised
to break oDen the door, which was locked.
Her trunk was still there, but she was gone.
My son looked at me as pale as death.
My God! what can have become OF
herP" he grOaned.
In fact, it certainly was very singular
case; and coupled with my previous Obser-
Walton OF tile strange shortening of the
young wOman'S stature, 1t seemed TO ME TO
partake almost OF the supernatural.
May she not have gone on deck last night
and fallen 0yerboard?" inquired one VI the
passengers.
"Impossiolel" l answered. at was clear
moonlight | was on deck all night; and,
besides, had good look-outs posted about
the ship. The thing could not have hap
pened unknown 10 us.
We looked to see if we could not find
note or something explanatory, but in
vain.
Then 1 ordered thorough search to be
made throughout the ship. This was done;
but no, she was not to be found, though
every nook and corner was looked into
Then it occurred TO me to speak to the de-
tective about It; and as soon as i could do
so unObserved. | knocked at his door. He
cautiously opened it. but ON seeing who was
there he Invited me in.
l told him what had happened, not even
omitting to mention the sudden change l
had previously noticed In the young lady's
height. As proceeded observed that MS
keen eyes seemed to grow larger, while the
thick beard that covered the face OF this
singular man kept twitching, as if every
hair was instinct with life.
Give me time" he said, solemnly, when l
had finished, and l will solve this mystery.
In few days l may be able to do it-per-
haps not Tor a week"
l left him and went on deck. Tom was
there, looking so d0Wncast and fOrlOTn that
l resolved TO acqudint him with the pres
enee OF the detective and tell him what he
had said, and so, perhaps, brighten him up
a little
l did So but my words had an effect
had not expected. Rejecting a moment, he
cried out; Father, l believe that man is
bumbug! But whether lie be a detective or
not, now suspect that he is a thief and a
murderer; that he knew Of Miss Merwin's
having that $1,000 bond, and that, in order to
possess himself of it, he has killed her and
thrown her body overboardp'
l stared at him in amaZement, and told
him feared that his grief had disturbed his
reason. How was it possible, l asked him,
that the man could have got the body over
board without our knowing it?
HE could have choked her to death, car
ried her TO one of the open cabin Windows
and dropped her through that he replied.
impossible" l answered, without the
splash being overheard by the men at the
wheel, or by some one on deck. Besides, l
dOubtif he could have squeezed the body
through either of our cabin windows, which,
you know, are very small"
Tom, however, seemed to think it could
have been done, owing to Miss Merwin be-
ing so slender, and, in spite Of all my efforts
could not entirely rid his mind Of that
horrible idea.
Days passed, for we had head-winds
which kept US of our course, but as yet the
detective had nothing to tell me, though he
said he soon might be able 10 explain the
whole affair.
A strange enough affair. Never before
had had such an experience, OF anything
o. DrOarltuU In If craft POmrn nd1d
The passengers were equally puzzled; twas
the talk OF all aboard tile ship. AS for Tom,
he grew paler, thinner, wilder, every day.
AT last, one afternoon, when we had en-
tered st. Georges Channs he came up to
me and said, in a husky voice: sit is as l
thought. Quick! | have something to show
you. Make no noiSeW
followed him. We both wore light Slip
pers, and without noise entered the room
Miss Merwin had occupied. He pointed to
crevice, which he had evidently made in
the partition, and looking Through it saw
the detective in the next apartment, kneel-
Ing by his open carpet bag, from which now
protruded the Identical buskins-I could not
mistake them-whieh Miss Merwin had
| worn. Spread out before him, he held
$1,000 bond-evidentIy the one which my
son had given to the young lady
you seei' he whispered. WAS l not
right? He has murdered and robbed herw
Low as tile whisper was the man evident
after them the bond, hastily down into the
bag, which lie then closed.
Before | could hinder him Tom rushed
out and threw himself against the detec-
tive's door with force that broke the lock
and admitted him into the room. He flew
at the man, clutched him and shook him,
when the fellow drew dirk, but in his fn-
tile struggles to use it-for held his wrist
and soon disarmed him-his beard fell off.
showing it was false one, and at the same
ac.f- - has
the throat. Then both Tom and l uttered
a simultaneous cry of surprise on perceiving
that this pretended detective was a woman
over 30 years Of age-or, in other words, it
was Miss Merwin herself, deprived of the
cosmetics aud other appliances which had,
While in the natural attire Of her sex. made
her look so much younger than she was.
Inc whole truth broke upon me at once
| This woman, l suspected, was in reality
| Mary 1ounRson, the murderess, for her face
| and height now answered to the description
| had Of her; and we found, while looking
| for my sons bond in her carpet-bag, some
| articles bearing her name and others marked
with that of her victim. In fact, after
ward, while Ill, she confessed to being Mary
| Youngson.
Her motive in Disgusting herself was ap-
parent She had feared after | discovered
the strange shortening of her stature, that |
might suspect who she really was; and, be-
sides, the ruse would, she thought, enable
ner Tue DSILer 10 escape from 1Om ana get
off with his 5000. The mystery of her bav-
ing, as Miss Merwin, looked so much taller
than she was, we found explained by her
buskins, which proved, like those sometimes
worn by actors on the stage, to be provided
with very thick cork solos, to give an ap-
pearance of elevation to the stature.
On the night she so astonshed me by the
| diherence in her height, she had in her
hurry and alarm come up in her slippers,
having forgotten to put on her buskins.
1t Is hardly necessary TO say that the de.
tective's warrant she had shown me was
forged, written by herself; nor scarcely
need it be mentioned that Tom was now
! disguised with this woman and entirely
cured Of his infatuation.
Subsequently she died of a malignant
| lever While being conveyed prisoner back
| to England, thus escaping punishment she
so richly merited for her odious crime,
although there were not wanting those who
stoutly maintained that the charge had by
no means been conclusively brought home
to her. However, after occupying the pub
lie mind fOr moro than rho hiol nina