Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-05-04


upon the words she ute cl'
was silent.
Although he had not broken down The
horr;ors Of nv conviction, still his a,gu-
ment was unanswerable
Before my mind was arraycd lhe 'Vl-
dence against tho girl.
In one way 1t was overwhelming. put
it down under different heads, so thaS IL
could be regulated.
First. The photograph on the back
of which the old doctor had written
"T,eonorc-the cause of my sleepless
nights and watcbfuI days" IL would
Indicate. as Mr.. Ketcham said, that
there was something wrong with the
girls mind. and that her loving guardian
was constantly expecting a periodical
outbreak. during which she seemed 10
seek his life.
His assertion to the detective relative
70 an enemy who had followed him from
India might be only blind to hide the
truth, as he was apt to be sensitive upon
this point. -
7 dismissed this from my mlno, ana
proceeded to the next point;
Second. The discovery OF the lock OF
black hair in the hand of the dead, un-
doubtedlv torn from the head CT the as.
sassin. and that. woman. 1t matched
Teonore's hair exactly, and although IN
itself this fact was a simple thing, taken
in the light of corroboratiye evidence II
wonld amount to o good deal, since Sne
had been in his room that night.
Third. The footprints in the dust OF
tho old store-room. We had fitted Leo
nore's small slipper to some of them, and
found that they Tailed exactly.
Fourth. The discovery of the Malay
creese in her room. it was ostenslDly q
paper cutter, but was just the weapon 10
be caught up and be put to deadly use
nv a person whose mind was unbalanced,
and who in the delirum OF sudden IN
sanity was bent upon taking human lie.
Fifth. Leonore's own words and &C
tions. as witnessed and heard by the old
detective. were strongly savored with
the view of the case as he put It, She
seemed to avow that she was the cause
nf the Doctors death, and bewail the
crneI fate that made it so. Of course
a different construction might be put
upon her words under new light, put
lust then they seemed to imply the
worst.
When all these facts were arranged IN
a line before me, they presented terri
BILE Indictment against Leonore.
No wonder | was silent
There were few things on the other
side. but as yet they were ovcrshadoWeu
bv the colossal proportions of the oppo-
site evidence.
I was ready to work hard in order to
,,rovo ber innocence. but for the life OF
me lust then ! did not know how to
begin. -.
While my mind had been dwelling upon
these things. Mr.. Ketcham was regarding
me with interest.
I could detect faint smile lurking IN
the corners of his mouth, as though ne
could guess what was passing in my
| mind.
Then for the first time noticed he hello
a paper in his hand.
The thought flashed upon my mind tha
he had found something in the EBONY
desk bearing upon the case. ;.
Perhaps it was more evidence tcndine
to fasten the coils around Leonore.
AS he held the paper out mechanlcail!
took it from his hand.
IT, seemed to be letter There wa
no date on it, and yet something a0ou
the paper told that it was several year
old
saw it was addressed to the old Doc
for and seemed to be from some frlen'
out in Singapore.
Most of it was mere gossip about tn
old friends of DR.. Seabury in India.
Then came paragraph that rivete
my attention.
"And LeonOre--I hesitate to approac
that subject, knowing how it concern
vour days and nights-how is she? Ha
ANYTHING occurred yet? ] hope not, /
Heavens name, and that that terrlbl
scourge NAV never visit again my oil
friend Seabury."
That was all on that subject.
Sick at heart. handed the paper bac
to the detective.
"Well, Doctor?"
81 am afraid all roads lead to kcm'
sir"
aThen YOU admit that at least hav
good reasons for my suspicionsY"
"Alas! it is too true"
"DoctOr. YOU take it too much to hear
Remember that, even if guilty. the gl
cannot be punished. She was insane
the time" =,
"What you say does not take away tt
sting, sir?"
"See here. Doctor, am to depend upC
YOU any further in this case?"
turned upon him Indignantly.
"No. sir: not so long as IT comes
. hunting down poor girl. That is ouS
moss with you, but none of mine:
, GThen YOU wash your hands OF ltY"
~Not at all. While you are seeking
tighten the coils around Leonore, M
Ketcham, shall be using my utmost 9
! deavors to prove her innocence. v
shall see who will win the game
His face frightened.
oGive me your hand Doctor! | hon
YOU for the stand you have taken.
9 ever that poor girl needed friend it
now. Strange though it may seem,
r sincerely hope you will succeed, but
v the same time | say frankly | fear I
v worst"
Those words drew me toward that mi
+ as had never been drawn before.
o I left Mr. Ketcham seated in rockf
his eyes glued upon the hierogl lyphlcs
d the ceiling, while | went out to STA
g upon my hopeless task.
y CHAPTER IX.
d d ..eA2S BY cast ID down SD,,frS1' By t
fSSRlEcN condition Of affairs H
10 OA1NN (\M was not yet ready