The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-07-28
A PIECE OF CLOTH.

hands that bafiied Inc. l wanted to got
on, for 1 was ut that time engaged to
Kitty Pease, aud sho had said that
though she was very fond of me she did
not mean to marry mo until l had
enough to marry OH. which I should
have as soon rs 1 had found out the
party who committed certain murder
Mrs Jeffries rich, misery sort Of
old lady. had been found dead in her
bed, murdered by some one No one
knew who it was
Everybody was under suspioion-a
manservant who had been dismissed
weeks before; n dissipated nephew, who
had quarreled with her; u poddler; q
man who had mcndcd the roof. But it
seemed likely that no ono would be 40
tually proved guilty. To be sure, the
nephew would como in for her property,
being her only relative, but though he
had been to the door that evening he
had boon seen to go away again, and II,
doors wcro found unlocked, and the
servant had 10 call for help before the
bedroom door could be broken in
The only clew / had was bit Cd
black cloth clutched tight in the dead
woman hand-a tino bit of old black
broadcloth torn III quite singular
shape. We hid the fact that this had
been found from tho newspaper men,
and l WAS looking for tho coat 1t hac
been pulled out of That would be my
chancc
The dismissed servant was waiter,
but l bribcd myself into chance OF
seeing his black coat off duty, and i,
had not been torn or patched l hunted
ny tho ncphew's boarding house and got
into his room under prctcnso of having
boon sont from the telegraph office to
500 the wires, but his clothes were al
of thick, coarse cloth l talked these
things all over to Kitty, and she set he,
wits to work to help me She asked me
to let her go to the old lady's home and
show her the room she slept in, and sh,
went out on the roof. as I had done
many time, and went along first IN
one direction and then i'll another, look
ing at oil the scuttle doors, until ]
thought she would go off into the street,
but she stopped at the last Of the row
and berkoned me- l hurried up
Close to the scuttle door lay littIa
black button
"This belongs to tho garment the BIT
Of cloth came from" she said. "Thers
are blacks and blacks. This Is a buttor
that matches that black Not blue
black. nor brownish black, nor foxy
black, but black that is almost invisi
BILE green. Do you know No 1902"
Its very respectable first class
boarding house" said I.
Twill they take ladies?'' she asked.
If they are we'll introduced. "
IL shall go there to board"
Next day l got card from her-she
hadn't been III the habit Of HAVING
cards-with that address OH it l call.
ed. She came down to soc me in he
best black silk, with her bonnet and
mantilla OH.
There was an old lady in tho room.
She introduced me to her and then said
she was ready. I took the hint w,
went out together.
"Of course you know why 1 came
here, " she said. I'm spending all my
salary and wearing my best clothes,
but I've found something out already.
Mrs Jeffries' nephew calls here some
times. Ho calls on young widow, who
has the upper front room He has been
engaged to her for some time'
She paused u long time and then said,
He was here tho night Of tho nur.
der
"Wellp' said. HAS she bet him
out upon the roof"
II wish you wouldn't ask me any
questions" said Kitty. II shall know
before long. When send for you, come
at once Will you let me have that bit
Of oloth?"
Its more precious than diamonds, 4"
said.
Her answer was:
Eyes, know il. - She put It into her
pocketbook. II have changed INV
room," she remarked II am next tc
her. There is locked door between ua
That is all. And I have made peep
hole.''
"You are born detective, but "a
this widow is respectable you can't
wetoh young Jeffries that way"
Yesterday" she said without an
swering me, "Jeffries called. saw him
coming up the street and hid behind q
screen ill the parlor. should have pre-
tended to be asleep in chair there had
l been seen, but no one found me out.
She came to him. and he talked like an
innocent man.
The poor old woman has done me
another injury by getting herself muir
dered, he said. I believe I'm suspected,
because 1 shall profit by her death.
Why, what do they take me for? won
der who killed her? They say nothing
was gone.
Whoever it was, you ought to be
thankful that the Grabbed creature is