The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-05-04
the money, almost a hundred thousand


OF 1t, spent some and sank the bulk of
it in mining claims in Colorado. There
was chance, or there seemed to be, Of
making millions out of some of these
claims, and / did sell some of them at
profit. Some others sold at loss, and
Some / haven't yet been able to sell.
Those that are left have told the in
spector will turn over to my cousin at
any time. Perhaps he may have more
luck with them than have had
As to Mrs. Gregory. my story is a
simple one, though am well aware that
1t is not likely to be believed. All the
world knows that her husband, now
dead for several years, was fast man
and rather dissipated. All the world,
however, does not know what / hap
pened to-that he was legally married
and had a wife living when he married
the woman who was known as his Wild
ow. The first wife was devil incar-
nate. knew her well. In fact l in
troduced Gregory to her, but did no.
suppose that he would marry her. He
did, however, and they told me Of it, or
rather she did, and he acknowledged it
to me after she had shown me the proofs.
He realized that he could not ac-
knowledge her as his wife, and she was
willing to keep shady as long as he gave
her money enough to buy all the drink
she wanted. She was drinking herself
to death when he married again. He
always swore to me that he thought she
was dead. Perhaps he did, for he hadn't
seen her for year, and she actually did
die soon after, but that was nothing to
me. / knew that hewas bigamist, and
he knew that knew it.
had no object in telling anybody
while he lived, for he was very liberal
man, but after he died determined to
see If the secret was not worth more to
Mrs. Gregory than to anybody else. l
found it was, and we had several inter-
views that were very satisfactory to me.
After awhile it occurred to me that
the most sensible thing for me to do was
to marry and settle down, especially az
had astrong admiration, and even more
than that, for Mrs. Gregory.
When / saw her at the charity ball !
was so struck with her beauty that de-
termined to do this, so found chance
to speak to her and told her that would
like to escort her home, as had some
thing particular to say. She did not
dream of what it was, but she did not
dare to refuse to see me, though she did
refuse my escort, so she told me to call
on her next day.
T nd
course l knew that she would be furious,
for she knew that was gambler, and
besides that she hated and feared me.
But kept cool and assured her positive
ly that if she did not marry me would
certainly reveal her secret. She tried to
buy me off, but told her that the only
price would accept was her hand and
fortune together. was playing for the
highest stakes had ever played for, and
l was determined to take all or moth
ing.
Her fury changed to Mysteries, but l
was entirely cool and told her that
meant every word said, and after l had,
as believed, sufficiently impressed her
with my determination / told her that
and would then call for an answer.
In week called. / could see when
/ entered her drawing room that she was
tremendously excited, but l had expected
that.
She pleaded with me, and laughed at
her.
She raved at me, and l was silent.
II
She threatened me, and | reminded
her that she had everything to lose--I
nothing.
Finally, fairly desperate. che drew a
small dagger from her dress and sprang
at me.
l caught her wrist, held it moment
or two while looked coolly in her eye
and then let her go, stepping back as
did so, but looking steadily at her.
Then to my utter amazement she ex-
claimed, 81 will die sooner than marry
you," and before could catch her hand
again she had stabbed herself.
Twas almost as quick as she, but not
quite. seized the dagger and drew it
out as she was falling, SO quickly that
was net stained with her blood. The
weapon, tiny Italian stiletto, remained
in my hand.
Again had to think quickly. knew
that none of the servants knew who
was. And knew that an explanation
would be remarkably ugly for me if
had to make one. There was chance
of her dying, though thought probably
she might recover.
decided to go out quietly and did
30. passed footman in the hall and
tipped him when he helped me ON with
my overcoat and handed me my hat and
stick. That was about ten o'clock. The
next morning read in the papers that
she was found dead about one o'clock
next morning.
AS matter of course would not tell
these facts if the inspector did not al
ready know that was the last person
who saw her alive. AS that is known, l
am necessarily on my defense, and | am
thoroughly convinced that the simple
truth is the best defense an innocent per-
son can offer. know that lawyer, if
consult one, will try to prevent me
| from telling this story, but / have pro-
found distrust of lawyers, having been
educated for one myself. My education
was my sole inheritance.
| MR.. FATRLEGH's CONCLUSIONS.
| suppose that no young woman was
ever brought to higher pitch of bump
tiousness than my daughter Julia was
by her success in her first case After
she had established the innocence of
John Saunders, and had led up to the
discovery of the mystery that attended
the original loss of his fortune, she be-