St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-11-24

on my hands that bafied me.
wanted to get on. for I was at that
time engaged to Kitty Pease, and she
had said that though she was very
fond of me she did not mean to marry
me until l had enough to marry on,
which should have ~ soon as l 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 suspicious
man servant who had been dismissed
weeks before; . dissipated nephew
who had quarreled with her; . ped
dler; a man who had mended the roof.
But it seemed likely that no one
would be actually proved guilty. To
be sure, the nephew would come in for
her property, being her only relative,
but though he had been to the door
that evening he had been seen to 60
away again, and the servant had to
call for help before tho bedroom door
could be broken in.
The only clew that had was a bit of
black cloth clutched tight In the
dead woman's hand-a fine bit Of old
black broadcloth torn in quite . singu-
lar shape. We hid the fact that this had
been found from the newspaper men.
and I was looking for the coat it had
been pulled of OF. That would be my
chance.
The dismissed servant was . waiter,
but bribed myself into . chance OF
seeing his black coat of duty, and it
had not been torn or patched hunt
ed up the nephew's boardinR-house and
having been sent from the telegraph
Office to see tho wires, but his clothes
were all of thick, coarse cloth. talked
these things all over to Kitty. and
she set her wits to work to help
me. She asked me to let her 60 to the
old lady's house and show her the
room she slept in, and she went out on
the roof, IS had done many q time,
and went along first in one direction
the scuttle doors, until 1 thought she
would 60 of into tho street. but she
stopped At the last Of the row and
beckoned me. hurried up.
Close to the scuttle door lay . little
black button.
This belongs to the garment the bit
of cl 9th came FROM" she said. There
are blacks and blacks. This is but
ton that matches that black. Not .
blue black, nor brownish black, nor
foxy black, but = black that is al
most invisible green. Do you know
No. 10O?'
Its q very respectable frst-class
clearinghouse, e." said 1.
will they take ladies?" she asked.
If they are well introduced"
II shall 60 there to board"
Next day got . card from her-she
hadn't been in the habit of having
cards-with that address on It. II
called. She came down to see me in
her best black silk. with her bonnet
and mantilla on.
There was an old lady in the room.
She introduced me to her and then
said she was ready. l took the hint
We went out together.
''Of course you know why l came
here" she said. I'm spending all nv
salary and wearing my best clothes.
but I've found something out already.
Mrs Jeffries' nephew calls here some.
times. He calls on q young widow who |
has the upper front room. He has been
engaged to her for some time"
said:
He was here the night Of the muir
der"
WELL" said. has she let him ont
upon the roof?"
Il wish you wouldn't ask me anv
said Kitty. Il shall know
before long. When I send for you
come at once. Will you let me have
that bit of cloth?''
ats more precious than diamondx.~
| said.
Her answer was:
.'Yes. know it, She put il into
her pocketbook. Il have changed nv
-oom," she remarked. I'm next to
aer. There is = locked door between
IS That is all And l have made n
,eep hole
You are a born detective, hat rs
his widow is respectable you can't
watch young Jeffries that way"
Yesterday" she said. without an
wering me, 'Jeffries called. 1 saw
him coming up iae street ANA hid be-
lind screen in the parlor. should
AVE pretended to be asleep in \ chair
here had been seen. bat no one
oand m out. She came to him. and
'e talked like an innocent man,