Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-05-25

Was Il tic crccsc that was wont 10 l'G
uron the table in LecnoreS room' u'co
qs a paper cutter?
Mr. Kcicham seemed TO divine my
thoughts.
ont from one of those capacious Dock-
cts he drew the vcr,tab'c weapon
Evidently hc had been putting his tImo
to good advantage around the house on
the avenue, while was chasing myths
"S,c here, Doctor, how precisely THIS
fits. and tell me if you think it was t.,
weapon that was drawn through this
kerchict."
I did look. lie proved it to me in such
q way that must have confessed 1t as
fact. even though it lad signed tho
death warrant of my dearest friend.
Either that creese, or lado just llko
IT, had been drawn through tho hand
kerchiof.
"I am afrail must give it up, sir.
81 wouldn't do that, Doctor. This FAR
YOU have carried your end Of the log in
a manner highly crcditablc to you, ana
with the greatest admiration from me.
If you sec any chance for work still
ahead, ferret it out. It is best to make
all safe and sure
WAS not little surprised at those
words from Mr. Ketcham. They puzzled
mo for quite a time.
What was his object in uttering them
for that he had an object | knew was
positive, as he was not the man to do
anything haphazard)?
Did he want to keep me away IRON
the warm trail, because | might bother
| him?
If that trail led tn LcOnOrc | was glad
TO be kept away, for cOu not have q
willing hand in dragging her before the
| curious public a criminal.
On the other hand, did Abner Kctcham
believe there was slight Foss biity OF
the truth being other than itnOw seemed,
and that he wished me to tc working
this up while he was busy elsewhere?
This might be so.
| hoped it was tho truth.
We'll. | had seen Theodore, and learned
all there was to discover about him, yet
Mr.. Ectcham did not seem to believe him
in any way the guilty party.
All! thought flashed across my brain.
Theodore was LcOnOrc s husband,
banished from his fathers home. What
if. after all, be proved to be the man
who had entered the house by the pantry
window-could it be possible that he
would seek her room and secure tho
knife aftcrward wiping it upon one OF
her dainty handkerchcfs, and sccrcting
the same in her room, whcrc search
would reveal it?
For what should he do this-to cast
suspicion upon her?
Perish the thought. had seen enough
of the man to believe him incapable OF
! this.
Why, he had oven declared that he
would suffer any torture rather than tell
what he had seen when he looked In at
the window.
This might be q cunning trick, but
could not bring myself to believe it.
turned to Mr.. Kctcham again.
"Since You wish it, sir, l will continue
nv Investigations 0ntSldp, leaving this
inside mystery to 10I 1t is more con
genial to YOU then IL nUuld ever be
to me-"
&The chemist will be able to toll me
whether tho blood Of the same persol
marks both.
"You know science is making great
strides, and they say that a minute cX
animation shows that it is about as i'm
possible to find strict resemblance II
tho blood Of two persons as 1t IS III theli
faces The presence of bacteria, or some
such minute animalcule, determines th(
question. F"
81 understand that, sir. You car
readily ascertain your point. In my
Opinion it will prove that the blood is The
same. What | want to know is: die
LcOnorc do this deed, or was it done b.
some one else who entered the hOus'
like burglar, and to hide his crime tool
this knife, replacing it again, and ever
using a handkerchief belonging to tn
girl to wipe off, the few drops OF bloo'
remaining on the blade"
doctor, you have the case in nut
shell. That is exactly how it stand
now"
"Wcll, sir, what do you wish me t.
do?"
"Nothing against your will"
"Mr. Ketcham, yOu must not under
stand the case in that way. l am cage
to work in any direction save one"
"And that l have not asked you t
work upon, Doctor"
81 know it,"
"Thcre is one thing which as yet ha
not been followed up"
"The burglar?"
eyes: the man who entered at the par
try window. Who was he-what dld II
como for-what did he do and see, an
why did he leave without stealing
thing. when the whole house was sprca
open before?
"These are pertinent questions whic
NAV have q decided bearing on the cast
| ask you to take them up, feeling sur
that if you carry the idea out as you dl
the other trail leading to Theodore,
will only be q question OF short tim
before the truth in that quarter
known"
His words were uttered in calm
earnest tone. and he took my hand as
TO assure me that he did not mean
hattcr,
That settled it with me. | would q
much for Mr.. Ketcham. He was ma
to win ones earnest admiration and d'
vOtiOn.
was ANXIOUS to get Off
"Iold on a minute, Doctor" he sale
I laughing, as I~was about bidding HI,
COOL day, "perhapS can help you a littl
in this matter"
| jumped at this oIcr.
"You will oblgc me very much, sir, b
doing such a thing" replied.
"Sit down again. Now, | have exam
ined the work at the pantry window, an
should say it was done by an expert