The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-08

.A
CHAPTER v.-THE. EVIDENCE POINTS
TO ONE.
Monday night.-The detective came as
1 expected. 1 was up as soon as it was
light, and he came across the dewy
fields with his cyciopedia under his arm.
He had stolen out OF Phoebe Dole's back
door.
He had me bring my father's pistol;
then he babe me come with him out into
the back yard. Now, fire it," he said,
thrusting the pistol into my hands. AS
L have said before. the charge was still
in the barrel.
said.
Fire it, he ordered.
L tried; 1 pulled the trigger as hard as
I could. IA
II can't do it," 1 said. 49,
"And you are a reasonably strong
woman, too. aren't your"
1 said I a been considered s1. Oh,
much have / heard about the strength OF
my poor woman's arms. n their ability
to strike hat murderous weapon home.
Mr.. Dix took the pistol himself, ard
drew a little at the trigger. Il could do
it," he said, ''but 1 won't. 1t would
arouse the neighborhood."
This is more evidence against me-" I
said despairingly. 1.-THE murderer lad
tried to fire the pistol and failed
1T is more evidence against the muir
derer," said Mr.. Dix.
We went into the house, where he ox-
amined my box of clews long and care
fully. Looking at the ring, he asked
whether there was a jeweler in lis VIII
lage, n / said there was not. l told
him that my father oftener went on busi-
ness to Acton, ten miles away, than else
where. tsag
He examined very carefully the but
ton which l had found in the closet, n
then asked to see my fathers wardrobe.
That was soon done. Beside the suit
in which father was laid away, there
was one other complete one IN the CLOS
ct in his room. Beside that, .here were
in this closet two overcoats, an old black
frock coat, a pair of pepper-and-salt
trousers. and two black vests. Mr.. Dix
examined all the buttons; not one was
missing.
There was still another old suit in the
closet off the Kitchen This was exam
ined. and no button found wanting,
ld AlN IVAk akht1 ~ NN
day before he died?'s, he asked then. /
reflected said that he had unpacked
some stores which had come down from
Vermont and don some work out IN the
garden. ansu
..What lid he wsare"
81 think he wore the pepper-and-salt
trousers and the black vest. He wore no
coat while at work. ros
Mr.. Dix went quickly back to fathers
room and his closet, following. He took
out the gray trouserscand the black vest,
and examined them closely.
What did he wearlto protect these?"
he asked.
? ..Why. he wore overalls," / said at
once. AS / spoke I remembered seeing
father go around the path to the yard
with those blue soverallsI drawn up high
under his arms. sv ~ a ct,
where are they?'
Weren't they in the kitchen closet?"
NO" a
We looked again, however, in the
kitchen closet; we Searched the shed
thoroughly. The cat came In through
her little door as we stood there, n
brushed around our feet. Mr.. Dix
stopped and stroked her. Then he went
quickly to the door, beside which her
little entrance vas arranged unlocked
it, and topped out: 1 was following
him, but he motioned me back.
None of my boarding mistress win
dows command us.i' he said, but she
might come to her back door,"
watched hinf.loIfe passed slowly
along the little winding footpath which
sklrted the rear Of our house and ex-
ended family through the grassy field
to the rear of Phoebe Dole's. He stopped,
searched a clump of sweetbriar, went on
to an oil well, and stopped there The
we'll has been dry many a year, and was
choked up with stones and rubbish.
Some boards are laid over 1t, and a big
ex~,a N, frro IN Loon ~ IN n1nnn
Mr.. Dix, glancing across at Phoebe
Dole's back door, went down on his
knees, rolled the stones away, then re-
moved the boards. and peered down the
well. He stretched far over the brink
and reached down. He made several ef-
and asked me to get him IN umbrella
with a crooked handle or something
that he could hook into clothing.
I brought my own umbrella, the silver
handle of which formed an exact hook.
He went back to the well, knelt again,
thrust in tie umbrella and drew up,
easily enough, what he nae been fishing
for. Then he came bringing 1T to me.
Don't faint" he said, and took old of
my arm. / gasped when / saw what he
had-my father,soNb blue overalls, all
stained and splotched with blood.
/ looked at them. then at him.
Don't faint" he said again. Were
on the right track. This Is where the
button came from. ssee?" He pointed to
one Of the straps of the overalls. and
the button was gone. Some white
thread chung 10 1t. Another black metal
button was sewed on roughly with the
same white thread that / had found on
the button in my box of clews.
What does it mean?" 1 gasped out.
My brain reeled.
you shall know soon." he said. He
looked at his watch. Then he laid down
the CHASTITY bundle he carried. 1T has
puzzled you to know how the murderer
went in and out. and yet kept the doors
locked, has it not?" he said.
Yes"
We'll. I am going out now. Hook that
door. after me-"
He went out, Still carrying my UNI
brella. 1 hooked the door. Presently /
saw the lid of the cats door lifted and
his hand and arm thrust through. He
curved his arm up toward the hook, but
1t came short by half a foot. hen he
Withdrew his arm Ind thrust in my sill
yer handled umbrella. He reached the
door-hook easily enough with that.
Then he hooked ii again. That was
not so easy-he had 10 work a long time.
Finally he accomplished IT, unlocked the
door again, and came in.