Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-11-15

'1 demanded further investigation
of the case, but the detective informed
me that it would be useless to look further
FOR the murderer.
"Of course, my first move was to
secure a calm, rational interview with
Frank. This was in his cell. will not
repeat his indignant declarations of in
nocence, nor his pitiful appeal to me not
to believe it of him. How came he by
that piece of gold, aud why was he at
his uncle's housel Those were the ques.
lions to be answered.
"'I can answer the last easy enouyh, >
he replied, 'but about the nugget ]
know no more than you
"'You were taken with it in your
hands, said.
"T know it had just taken it frOU
my pocket"
"'How came it in your pociotp
"T don't know 3
"'Well, that's singular, to ssy the
least said 1. Nov, how cams you
! there?
"'Mrs. Bland called and said my
uncle wanted to see me. I went, of
course
"Mrs. Bland was the housekeepyr. 7
! thought had struck fact that would
help us, and whi5tled softly. Did you
zee uer when you got thereF I asked.
=" q saw no one there Frank replied.
Wy ring was not answered. 1 tried
the door and it was fast. 1 di9 not
want to disappoint him after he had
l-fpIlsr for TakFnp,-taI IN
in the back way as l had used to do,
but fouud that fast also. Then, as |
could rouse no one, 1 turned and came
away. When 1 had got back in my
room somewhat non 1lUssed at not being
admitted after my uncle had sent for
me, happened to put my hand in my
pocket, aud found there the nugget.
knew it was my uncle's for I had often
seen it there, and how 1t came to be in
my pocket was a mystery that excited
me somewhat. 1t seemed ike witch
raft
'Devil-cratt more likely said I whit
was now more mystSed than ever. ]
dId not doubt the truth of Franks
story in the least. Some one put it in
your pocket to throw suspicion on you;
but how, and when, and where2 Did
Mrs. Bland come close to you when she
came to say your uncle wished to see
your
+" No. she did not come in. She left
word at the door. But from my window
| saw her go by. I'm sure it was her,
but she could not have put the nugget
in my pocket
AZ may as well say here that the
housekeeper had been investigated and
was conclasively proved to be elsewhere
when the murder occurred. 'Yas she
= r~eo-aPiiessi a. tt-z- question 1 was
poudering. A thought occurred to me.
Did you find in your pocket the little
velvet-lined box, that held the nuggetP
asked.
"sNo, there was nothing but tht
piece Of gold, that saw, Frank replied.
81 went straight to Franks lod gings
and made a careful search. I searched
the Bertrand mansion for the missing
box, but found nothing.
'Alrs. Bland seemed very much dis
Itressed over what had happened and was
much concerned for Frank. She de.
clared she didn't believe a word OF the
story that be was guilty. Sac said his
uncle called to her from his room, as he
often did, aud directed her to call
Frank. As she was going to a neigh
bor's she stopped on the way for her er-
rand. She locked the house behind her
On leaving, as was her custom, and found
it locked on her return. She did not
see MIR. Bertrand when be spoke to her;
only heard his voice.
"I then went to my Office and shut
myself into my private room TO quietly
snalyze the situation. Who, besides his
housekeeper had a motive for numbering
Mr.. Bertraudl poldered the question
over and over agGiu. That there was au
answer to it, was sure. But who had
chat motive. That once settled fairly in
my own mind, would look further for
the little box. could easily see how
Frank Bertrand had a strong existing
motive to keep his uncle alive until he
should make a different will. In his
death he lost all hope. Only sudden
anger under strong p-OTNcation could
nave moved him to the deed. But he
vas already ont of my suspicion.
81 am great believer in motive as
The lever that moves human beings il
the commission of all deliberate crimes.
That it was not mere robbery, in this
case, was e7ident-since only the nugget
Of gold was taken, and that attributed
to a momentary fancy rather than TO any
previous intention. 1t could not be
hatred, Tor the old man had not an
cue1y in the world that W.
could discover. 1t must then be
greed of some sort, some advantage tc
be gained though Mr. Ber!rand's death.
Here was another dilemma. His house
keeper was to have all the property, and
she could not have CO lmitted the
murder. 1t must then be somebody
reaching further, somebody hoping fol
gain through her. But the old woman
lad not a relative in the world taat
had ever heard Of Sle had lived very
many years in the family, aud I thought
her relatives would have been heard
from, if there were any greedy enough
to commit murder in order to give her
property which they might not set aftsI
all. Had she q loverl
"The thought struc!. me with such a
sense OF its aIordiDg solution of the
mystery, that it was like an electriC
shock. She would not marry while Mr..
Bertrand lived; his death would make
her free, and besides would make her
wealthy, two great points to be gained,
which might have a strong influence on
a weak minded maa. was sure also
from the taking of the nugges, that
whoever he was he wouli be found to
have been a miner or collector OF ores
or minerals. Full Of my new idea,
started out to investigate.
''I had great faith IN Mrs. B'lIt's
honesty in the matter, but 1 did not
think it prudent to 90 to her now for
information, for I had not proved her
integrity as l had Frlnk's, AMI sle
& TF1r