San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-10-28
Continued from Seventh Page.

lily must know that have employed a
private detective"
She had no suspicion of any person in
the house or out of it. She could point
her finger at no one and say, Look there
first" Suspicion, she said, would be a
new element in the Melville family, but
in order that justice might be done she
would open her doors to the most search
ing inquiries.
There are only my son, Mr. Richard
Melville" she explained, Miss Clara
Roberts, who is shortly to become Rich
ards wife, myself and the servants in
the house. Begin your Investigations
when and where you please"
asked her but one question. Had her
son been on friendly terms with the
coachman? asked it because Mr.. Rich
ard Melville and the coachman were the
only adult male members of the family.
| received my answer in a tone in
which pride and well bred Indignation
were both observable.
My son is Melville and gentle
man." she said, 'and no servant ever
had cause to complain of i'll treatment
at his hands. The Melvilles have been
honored and respected for more than a
century, and Richard possesses all the
characteristics of the family"
She gave me check and turned to-
ward the door, but stopped before she
was well away from the chair where she
had been sitting. | saw that she was
heSitating about the propriety of telling
me something which had evidently just
come into her mind. Mrs. Clark Mel
vile was woman of extraordinary de-
cision of character. 1t took her only an
instant to decide.
Il impose only one condition" she
said. The results of your inquiry must
be considered as belonging exclusively
to me. When you have made your final
report you will receive your final pay
ment. expect you to let the matter
drop there. alone am to decide what
course to pursue in regard to any dis
coveries you may make"
agreed to this condition readily
enough, and Mrs. Melville went away.
The result will show that | did a foolish
thing in accepting the conditions i'm
posed, but acted on my best judgment
at the time.
Three days later l was in Mrs. Clark
--elyiile'S house as a member of her
corps Of servants. took my meals III
the kitchen from winch the coachman
hal gone forth 70 his death. slept in
the coachman's bed For the time being
l was the family coachman.
To Use a phrase common among mem
b. Of my profession. my first work in
the house WAS to size up It's inmates
First-Mrs Clark Melville. Not far
from sixty; blue eyes; brown hair, fast
changing to Il most arIstocratic gray; in
person tall and stately, showing few
signs Of advanced age; manners digni-
fed and kindly-almost motherly when
.aLing with those in her employ Evi
dently woman proud of her position in
society, of her family, her culture and
her manners,
Sacond-Miss Clara Roberts. Certainly
not more than twenty; brown eyes; black
hair; face oval and complexion perfect;
in person, slight and graceful; manners,
imperiOus and exaCting with interiors,
and coaxing and kittenish when in com
pany with Mr.. Richard Melville, her
future husband, and his mother On the
whole, pretty and agreeable girl, fond
Of her silks AMI her diamonds. and in
clined to French novels and first night
performances. am told that she is the
only child of one of Ms. Melville's
schoolmates, and that the engagement
with Mr.. Richard Melville was brought
about by the mothers. At present a
visitor.
Third-Mr Richard Melville A mas.
culine duplicate of Mrs. Clark Melville
age, not much under thirty; manners,
quiet and reserved. almost to inditfer
ence-tOo quiet and too reserved to mattel
his square jaw and his hard hand; phys
ically and mentally strong man, witt
d temper Of his own only half hidden by
the thin veneer of conventiOnality;
man quite likely to be popular in thu
parlOr and ut the club; said to be I
noted athlete He seems to be very muci
in love with his mother. and to regarC
Miss Roberts with proper affection.
Fourth-Mrs Kate Donahue. Cook il
the Melville family since her widowhood
twenty years ago. Age, fifty; born in Ire
land; weight, two hundred: eyes and hal
very black; face very red; IS suspected 0
having black bottle Secreted in tn
pantry; manners, simple and friendly
unless excIted:a generous hearted woma
and an excellent COOK; regards me wit
suspicion and declines to talk about tn
murder.
Fifth-Mrs. Mary Winters. House
keeper for Mrs. Melville since eightee
hunlrnl md - ~. IL. -. A.. ..-...- a..