The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-21
THE MURDER ON THE ESSEX MARSHES
BY B. L. FARJEON.
copyrighted. 1885. by BIZ. Farleon-


4 4 don't know. She pays her way"
she does not make a boast Of being
rich?"
I Not at all
You mustn't mind me asking so many
questions said Bartlett Its all in the
/ way OF business. Has she ever offered 20
/ tell your fortune?"
/ Never"
Bartlert looked. diappolnted Are all
Z your rooms let2"
An but a small room on the second
I floor. next 10 Mrs. ChetwOods."
Il can occupy that, i suppose, for
night or tWoe'
You can have II and welcome"
Thank YOU 1 shall be going present
( ly. and don't want anyone In the house
| TO know that YOU have new tenant. or
that YOU and Lewis are acquainted with
me. You understand"
Yes. 1 understand"
4 shall come back before 10 O'Clock
1 suppose Miss Briggs goes to bed about
Z that hour?'
Between 10 and Il. unless she's at
| theater."
rs she going out tonight"
mo"
Good. Does she sleep with a light
/ burning in her BEDROOM"
Not an night For an hour or So"
rs she fond Of reading2"
a
What does she do in her bedroom for
| FOR an hour or so with a light burning?'
I can't tell you"
Here the hanCle Of the door was tried,
and my wife called out 70 me from the
/ passage. l unlocked the door, and ad-
/ mitied her. She was surprised to see us
| talking together secretly, but I checked
| her questions, and said that when We
were alone l would let her into the mys-
| terry.
4 have been with Miss Briggs" she
said, and she wants me TO go with her
tomorrow TO Westminster Abbey and ST.
| Pauls."
was about to forbid her keeping com
pany with such a woman. but Bartlett
interposed.
"Of course you will go with her; it is
not unlikely that she is playing into our
| hands. Don't look surprised; your hus-
band will explain everything to you pres
emily. And now ] must be off,"
Before he left ne said that it would be
best that we should carry on our con
| versations out of the house and that he
would meet me on the Abbey side of West
Minister bridge at 9 O'clock the following
| morning.
Il may have something of Importance
TO communicate to YOU" he said.
After his departure l related TO Jessie
all that had passed; she was greatly ex-
! letter any instructions l gave her.
You are not afraid. Jessie?" l asked.
Afraid" she cried, with flashing eyes.
| ''Oh, to think of that poor. poor. inno-
cent girl languishing in prison., and that
/ may be able 10 assist her! Lewis. l
know that some people look down on the
| detective business. but in my opinion IL
is a calling to be proud Of"
1T is my dear" | said, when we are
engaged on the side Of truth and justice,
as we are in this case"
l saw nothing more OF Bartlett that
night, but at 9 the next morning we met
on Westminster bridge.
Il have news for you" he said; Miss
Briggs Is the fortune-teller"
How have you discovered that?" in
CURED
"Keyhole business" he replied. II was
in my room last night half an hour before
| Miss Briggs entered hers; ] was not un-
| dressed, and had replaced my boots by
| a pair of soft slippers. Up she came
| treadine heavily breathing ditto. few
minutes afterward l heard you and your
wife retiring TO your room Chetwood,
lodging in the adjoining room to, mine,
| not at home; passage dark; all safe and
| quiet. Out stepped l to the landing as
quiet as a mouse; there was just one chink
Of light visible. and this came from the
keyhole of Miss Braggs room. Down 1
popped on my knees and peeped through,
and there l saw my lady Briggs, in decent
negligee, telling her fortune with the
cards. One look at her face was sufl-
| cient to show that she was thoroughly
enjoying herself, all the more so, perhaps,
because of her being compelled to pursue
her favorite amusement in secret She
kept at 1t for an hour. moving her lips,
and wagging her head as she shuffied and
laid out the cards. ! did hope to see her
pull out a lot OF banknotes and count
them, for that would have strengthened
my conviction that 1t was she and not
poor Rose Meadowfeld, who killed Mrs
Frazer"
THE fortune-teller is a strong point" I
| remarked. thoughtfully, but it is strange
that there has not been a whisper against
her"
She Is a cunning wOman-witness this
fortune-telling craze of hers, which she
does not mention to your wife, but cannot
refrain from when no one is watching her.
Her features are the essence of cunning
when sho is on her guard; otherwise they
might be taken to represent a jolly dispo-
siton. But there are few hats that do not
cover two faces. The first winning move
has been taken; now for the second"
What is that to be?'' l asked.
1T is your turn, think" he replied.
1 pondered, much agitated by the idea
that there was murderess in our house;
and that an innocent girl was suffering
for the crime she had committed.
What is your opinion. Bartlett. about
Mrs. Frazer's money; that Miss Briggs
has it?"
Come, come, Lewis" he said, half re-
proachfully, half encouragingly, you are
not doing yourself Justice What is your
opinion?"
That she has not got it, n
I'VE agree. Then where is it?''
Mrs. Frazer was a miser, and misers
often bury their treasure
Now We are getting on. Decided, that
the money is buried somewhere, and that
Miss Briggs has not discovered the spot"
Il should judge said, that my most
undesirable lodger is a woman who could
be worked upon through her fears"
/ looked at the shadows of clouds and
moving life that were playing in the rivers
depths.
."Now, If the dead could speak,"
AS uttered these words a startling idea
flashed into my mind.
You wished me to take the second move
Bartlett: l will take 1t! You shall hear
the result at s o'clock this evening,
here, on Westminster Bridge"
ANY further information I can give
you,' he asked in a tone OF evident salts,
faction, before we say good morning?"
I ar,1fa toxrl e.