The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-07-04
rsLEuTH HOUNDS" THEORY

isLEuTH HOUNDS" THEORY.
sorry. Burnett. for you love this
Z my theory. feel sure. Is the
=" said Mr.. Davids. conceitedly.
M. cried Burnett. grinding his
'Tell me what absurd theory
ge conjured up"
h looked at the newspaper man
itstion. which quickly subsided.
!. the legitimate daughter is said
~ have died IN 1882, Now. then, sup
pose the illegitimate child, a daughter,
ana the words Of the will are. TO my
unmarried daughter living at the time
Of my death. five hundred thousand
pounds Suppose, too. the illsgitimRte
daughter occupies public position, or
10 married, and breads the publicity of
her fathers acknowledging her his
child?'
III she gets the money she must take
the shame" argued Burnett. And.
after all. it's not her fault"
mot II she is able TO personate the
legitimate daughter? II she can do
this. then the motive is plain"
"But her own mother. Lady Holton?"
"She died ten years ago. The present
Lady Holton knows nothing. You see.
a clever, heartless, unscrupulous, har-
dened woman would see the advantage
Of removing her father just at this
juncture. She would then claim to be
his true legitimate daughter and heir.
There is at every woman's heart fun
damental motive, my dear Burnett. to
establish their birthright. to establish
their warrant to respectability. l have
seen the struggles Of a fallen woman
In this very city TO re-establish herself,
until she involved herself in murder.
I tell you, the sting Of Mlegitimacy, or
any sort Of shame. rankles in womans
breast. and Is more unendurable to her
than to man. Night and day ii is
her torment. her agony. She is an i'm
aganative, fanciful creature. She imag-
anes that everyone is aware of her
ta!nt, when no one thinks of It."
Burnett rose to his feet.
\ Say no more. Your theory Is that
leanor Armitage Is the illegitimate
0ghter; that she Is nervy enough to
blish her name and obtain a for
le by one stroke. You are a clever
han, inspector. but you are wrong.
Your theory Is too clever by half. She
II incapable Of such atrocityr'
II shall act on it for the present"
"You will arrest Miss Armitage?"
"At the end Of the play, yes"
A messenger brought in another dis
patch. The inspector read 1t. Boston.
A. registered at Adams House. ]. L.
Smith and wife; have suite H."
The inspector turned down the cor
hers Of his mouth.
You see." said he, "that her 'hus-
band II low brute: at least. she is
- good fha. e he is innocent of
this murder. he has the misfortune to
be caught in lesser crime
Burnett sighed and looked at his
watch. 1t was then 0:42. There seemed
to be no way to prevent the arrest.
'rhe curtain is just down for the last
entr acte," he said. "The last act
will take about half an hour. Then she
will stand accused
He stood pondering a moment
Suppose" he said, with startled face,
suppose what you say is true. and she
u.
In the death scene which ends poor
Marguerite Gautier's troubles, Eleanor,
in her remorse which the nobility and
high pure feeling in poor Marguerite
will-must inspire her--may she not
seek-must she not seek to make the
last death scene realT
The inspector smiled coolly. I'VE must
prevent that" he said. "And look to
you to do II. However. great criminals
are very rarely suicides"
: Don't call her a criminal, for Gods
sakew cried Burnett, bitterly. walking
TO and fro in his agony Of mind.
Alas! she Is too clever not to know
that her arrest will surely follow the
ANAL fall of the curtain. Her art is very
great; her nature is tense and passion
ate; It might seem to her a fit end. Oh.
what shall do? What shall do? "He
buried his face in his hands.
The Inspector touched his shoulder
kindly. Burnett. l feel deeply for you
You love this woman. that's plain. But
my best advice Is, go home and go to
bed-take an opiate. X you can't sleep.
You are young man; you have ca
reer before you: your name must not
IN any way be brought into affair. 1t
must not appear In the papers. Go
home. my dear boy"
mo, believe her guiltless. Some
dreadful mystery conceals the real
criminal. Time will prove this. You
VIII have to act as you believe 1t to be
your duty. You will arrest her. but
will sooner or later release her! Do
you suppose she would leave her hand
1erchief, the only proof of her guilt
you have, on the murdered mans face?
No, no, no! It 10 prepusterous"
why, that-that's the cleverest piece
Of business In the whole affair."" said the
1nspsctors
"I3ow soT'
"She knew she had been seen and
recognized ct the hotel: hence she
wished to divert suspicion; hence her
apporent affection, her kisses, her kind
u use Of her handkerchief. While we've
been talking, one Of my best experts
has been minutsly examining the dress
che wore in the first act and at the o.
dorf, 70 hnd traces Of chloroform. OF
course, she would toss her bottle and
sponge out Of her cab window as she
IA. = m