The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-02-01
A WEIRD MYSTERY
Tracing a Dark Crime.
BY ALEXANDER ROBINSON, M. D.


CHAPTER XIV.
began to see things that had been
hidden behInd veil of mystery.
Leonore- his wife!
Something had come between them in
the past, and the old Doctor believed his
son to be q guilty man.
Suppose she was guilty, would he ever
disclose the pSst?
I believed him man of an iron will,
like his father before him. Truly had
he said torture could not force him to re-
veal what he had seen.
"This is surprise to me, Mr.. Ketch-
am" said, frankly.
sAs much so, perhaps, as the discovery
Of Theodore's indentity was to me-"
~Leonore is his wife, and he was
making an effort to see her when-he
looked upon sight that sent him away
again without accomplishing his er-
rand"
$50 it seems"
Honestly now, Mr.. Ketcham, since
you are not willing to believe that Theo-
dore saw his father killed, what do you
suppose he did gaze upon?"
sHe saw his wife enter the old Doctors
room, and her face must have told him
that she was crazy for the time. Unable
to bear the cruel sight he fastened away,
came back to look again ano then fed.
~When you told him how his father,
instead Of committing suicide, as the
Coroner's jury decided, and the after
noon papers printed, had really been
murdered, his mind lesped at once to the
dreadful truth, and he closed his lips
upon the story.
sThat is the most probable view we
can place upon the matter, looking upon
him In charitable manner. Whether
Leonore is guilty or not, her husband
believes now that she slew his father in
. fit Of insane frenzy, and believing that
he is the one who holds the secret has
resolved to die before he will reveal It."
"That straightens the kinks out OF the
line up to certain place, Mr.. Ketcham."
"Where is that, Doctor?"
~The possible presence OF second
party upon that trellis of vines on that
night"
MIR. Ketcham was measuring the dis
tance between crack in the ceiling and
q corner OF the room. He did not even
deign to cast me glance.
sAh! Doctor, you have something to
say upon that subject?" he drawled.
ayes, sir. In the first place, Theodore
denies having passed more than once
each way between the walls and the
house."
There were two trails"
II know it; and yet they diverged in
places"
sYou examined the marks?"
II did"
sand thought they had been made by
the same person."
~At the time never questioned it, and
yet can now see that clear examina-
tion might have revealed some differ
ence."
~What next, Doctor?"
Theodore also swears he never owned
or carried tool of the kind described,
and which you affirm is an ingenious
device OF burglar or cracksman."
Mr.. Ketcham reached out his hand
and took the article in question from Q
small drawer near him. Not until then
did he withdraw his eyes from the CELL
ing. 49,
&This is an ingenious device used by
burglars almost exclusively, although,
perhaps, there might be few that
would fall into other hands"
SWELL, he declines the honor Of owner
ship"
I fancied I could see the detectives
face light up, as though had given him
Q valuable clew.
THAT may be all stuff and nonsense,
Doctor. Mind, I merely suggest that
idea, and do not affirm it as my belief.
We do not know Theodore yet He may
disappoint US and turn out a diabolica]
villain"
Was this an attempt to turn me of
upon another tack'
half believed it, ana yet at the same
time did not give myself away, simply
making up my mind that more would be
heard from this quarter in the future.
The case was remarkable one.
Mr.. Ketcham, detective Of great ex-
perience, had solemnly declared it to be
the most mysterious and complicated OF
his life.
II this were the case, then could not
expect to solve it without great labor.
What made it more difficult was the
fact that there were so many trails lead
ing away from the scene Of the crime,
and any of these, at different times,
seemed to be the right track.
doctor, told you of one discovery
had nude. Now, there is another that
may interest you.
"When I went down that morning to
sec Ursula; found her examining the
pantry window, which had been opened
by deft hand in the night"
I heard his words with feeling Of both
astonishlncnt and satisfaction.
It seemed to be a link in the chain
leading to the third party.
3Then burglar entered the house
through the pantry Window"
THAT seemed to be the indication.
What was singular about it was that not
. thing had been stolen"
Tho deuce! that is singular"
"Perhaps Theodore entered the house
this way when he came either the first
or second time"
"That is possible, Of course"
DID Mr.. Ketcham believe this?
II was hard to tell, for his face was
liko that of q sphinx, and beyond the
kcI. o. an. ordinary reader.
30 worc a mask, tiguratively speaking,
beyond which 1t was impossible to spy.
What if there had been another party
In tho house on this night-who was he?
If q burglar, what fool not to haro
carried of the pluuder whic he had the
chance, and not 60 away empty-handcd.
made up my mind to investigate this
matter before would be satisfied.
Perhaps this person who had been
1nrki,p in the npirhborhOod and who