Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-05-01
The MartlGt Seal.
By JEANETTE H. wALwoRrH.
CHAPTER x.


wonder and the horror of it all were on
the wane for every one but those i'm
mcdiatety connected with it, and for
the detectives, whose professional pride
and pecuniary interests were involved
in the solution of n mystery which
threatened to prove insoluble.
1t was becoming difficult for the most
cnterprising of reporters to CLEAN
fresh items concerning 1t for the col
umns of his especial daily. The freshest
were
That Eugene Norcross proposed go
ing to Europe for an extended tour of
the continent Might perhaps be gone
years"
That Eugene Norcross had offered n
reward of five thousand dollars for the
apprehension of the murderer or MUIR
derers."
That 1.-THE detectives were on the trail
of an unknown woman who had been
admitted TO the house on the fatal Fri
day of the murder"
That "Mr. Norcross had preserved
the strictSst silence on the subject, re-
manned closely confined to the house in
Esplanade street, and sternly refused to
be interviewed. No papers were per
mitted in the house"
Into this gloom-wrapped isolation a
visitor penetrated late one afternoon,
and was announced to his master by
Bennett. IN q startled undertone:
"A person for you, sir. The Same,
think, that was in the dressing room
that day"
Tho study was 50 dark that the butler
could just discern tho tall dark form in
the big chair by the writing table. He
added q personal apology:
~ was listening for your bell, sir.
Sha'n't light up?"
There was n restless movement in the
big chair, the sound of hand brought
heavily down among the loose litter of
the writing-tablc, then a curt demand:
Light up. Let her come in. Leave.
And see to 1t that there is no listening
among the maids"
As the gas-jet sprang into existence,
Eugene Norcross, looking across Ben
nett's shoulder, saw a sad white face
framed about with a plain black bon
net. It's owners eyes were fixed upon
him searchingly. Evidently she had
planned her approach. If she had hoped
to surprise any evidence of guilt upon
the stern, handsome, haggard face OPP
posite her, she was disappointed. He
met her intense gaze with one equally
intense. His calmness remained abso-
lutte, his whole attitude one of unflinch.
ing fortitude.
That he had suffered at all could only
be conjectured from the black rings
under his eyes, and a certain pinched
look about his fine, thin nostrils.
The haI &c . m Nfaksv,,a lrx
forgotten. There was a woman stand
ing while he was seated. He rose,
waved her to n seat, staggered from
physical exhaustion, laid one long
brown hand resolutely on the back of
close the outer door of the library after
him. He spoke first:
"You have taken q daring step. Do
you know what you are suspected Of?
Are you not afraid of arrest?"
She looked him composedly over from
head to foot. A shuddcr ran through
her slight frame as she frightened her
clasp of roll of newspapers she held.
NO" she said, 81 am not afraid of
arrest. That was what came here to
say. twas n daring step for you to
take"
1 II DO not understand.
but it was in keeping. The man
l who could murder one woman might
readily seek to throw suspicion upon
another one."
He was visibly trembling; was itfrom
physical weakness? She had refused to
be seated, and he had remained stand
ing. He dropped heavily into his chair,
as that slight frail woman hurled the
monstrous accusation at him. in a voice
which, though perfectly under control,
was fierce in its intense emotion. She
misread his agitation:
~ do not wonder that you tremble.
The man who could take a woman's
life, who could clasp his brutal hands
around her slim white throat and keep
them there while her strong young life
current ebbed out forever, is just the
sort of man to pale and tremble at feaI
of detection. Brutel Cowardly brute
that you arel would have denounced
you publicly at once, but l thought,
No! they will drag my poor Nellie from
the grave, his rich friends, and they
will buy him off from justice at any
price. They will parade all of hel
weakness and her folly to the world
They will blacken her memory, as he
as you, Eugene Norcross, blackened the
soft smooth white skin of her pretty
neck My poor little Mellict My pref
ty, foolish butterfly"
Great Godi this Is horriblc!-toC
horrible to standi"
His eyes blazed like living Goals. Hi
arched black brows came together in
fierce contraction. The solid chat
shook under him She echoed hin
sternly.
"TIorriblel too horriblel agree wit
you Was 1t not enough to put her on
Of the way, she so slight and weak an
helpless, you so strong, without involV
ing me9 II must have been absurd
easy"
: "What?'' he asked, stupidity.
'"To choke her. could have done
myself"
IL He pushed the damp masses of ha
back from bis forehead with bot
hands. It was almost gesture {
: despair. How could he silence thi
woman? How rid himself of her2 Il
could ring Cor Bennett and send for g
officer; but she claimed to be Amelia
sister It was with the hope of enligh