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


fries said She wasn't half bad. She
never made will and left things away
from me, as sho might, after told her
I'd never cringe to her for lrer favor
Hang it, wish 1 wasn't her hcirl Peo-
pie will suspect me secretly perhaps. ]
can prove l wasn't inside the house
that night, but you know how the pa
pers talked. Poor Bitzner, the roofer,
came to mo and cried over what they
said about him. Kill Aunt Jessy! Why,
good Lord p
You used to call hor Aunt Jcze
bel, said the widow. Mrs. Null is her
name.
Yes, I'm sorry did. but she had
temper. said Mr. Jeffries. I've q
mind not to take tho money
&c Then shan't take you, said Mrs
Null Such, MI idiot l should be
ashamed of you
"Seo here" Kitty handed me an adj
dress ON pieoe of paper. 1t was Mrs.
Preston Null, at certain number
Chestnut street. 1T is her mother-in-
law. Can you send our Mrs. Mull-Eli-
"a Mull-a telegram saying, Come at
once to this address?' she asked.
II can" said l.
do it," said sho. "No, don't ask
me- am helping you have my
thoughts Now take me home
took her homo and telegraphed to
brother detective to telegraph to the
widow, and waited and watched. 1
sow her get into q carriage and gt
away. followed and saw her take the
trut in &~1 l.. A.
way. she was safe
A few hours aftcrward I received
note:
Disguise yourself as an old woman
and come here ut once. Come in cab
Wear thick black veil. Send up word
that you are my Aunt Agnes. Lose no
time''
lost none. AS went slowly up til,
stairs. with my black veil down, I could
hear my heart beat. Kitty opened the
door. called out, "Why, aunty, dear!'
and shut it
Il have opened the door between my
room and Mrs. Mull's," she said 81
have found something. 1 can't appear
in this matter. You must SEQ for your
self. -
She led me into tho handsome room
and went to wardrobe. There, from
beneath other dresses, she drew plainly
cut coat, or rcdingotc, of thin black
cloth, with many buttons down the
front, and spread it Oh Il chair. About
the height Of the knees piece was torn
away aud button gone
"Hush!" sho said. eve don't know
who may be listening. Make no sound. "
Then she took the bit of cloth from
her pocket, fitted it to the rent and laid
the button on it
1.-The piece Of cloth found in dead
Mrs Jeffries' hand came from this gar.
ment, j" was her remark.
Yes l said. "she must have dis
guised him in it But-why"-
"Goosey'' said Kitty "Mr Jcffries
could not get into this. Mrs. Null wore
it herself. Mrs. Null killed old Mrs.
Jeffries- The nephew knows nothing
about it-guesses nothing. This wicked
woman wanted to marry him when he
had inherited the estate. She has done
it watched her through the peepholt
had made. saw her writhe in agony,
and. without speaking word, wiring
her hands and tear her hair. 1t was an
awful sight, but I knew it was guilty
conscience that moved her. There-you
have it oil in your own hands now. I'll
go and tell Mrs G. that have news
which must take mo away, pay her my
board and go with you in the oab."
1 left her at her own door. Mrs.
Null was arrested at the station ON heI
return, and {: was all as Kitty said.
She made full confession. She had con.
oeived the idea of numbering the old
woman that her nephew might get the
money, and she had hoped the poor roof
member would be charged with the
crime
She was fend in female form. but
the thought that had driven woman
to the gallows haunted me and sickened
mo of the detective business, which ]
left very soon-
Kitty and 1 are keeping little hotel
now and prospecting very wells-Londo1
Mt-Bits.