Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-08-09
CHAPTER V.-THE EVIDENCE
POINTS 10 ONE

CHAPTER V.-THE EVIDENCE
POINTS TO ONE.
Monday night.-The detective came as
expected l was up as soon as it was
light, and he came across the dewy fields
with his cyclopaedia under his arm. lie
had stolen out of Phoebe Dole's back
door.
He had me bring my fathers pistol;
then he bade me come with him out into
the backyard. "Now, fire it," he said,
thrusting the pistol into my hands. AS
l have SAID before, the charge was still
In the barrel.
81 shall arouse the neighborhood, |
said.
Fire it, he ordered
l tried; l pulled the trigger as hard as
1 could.
81 can't do it," | said.
And you are reasonably strong
woman. too aren't youf"
| said | had been considered so. Oh,
much have l heard about the strength of
my poor woman's arms, and their ability
to strike that murderous weapon home!
Mr.. Dix took the pistol himself, and
drew a little at the trigger II could do
it." he said, but l won't 1t would
arouse the neighborhood"
This is more evidence against me-" |
said despairingly. THE murderer had
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 ex-
amined my box of clues long and care
fully. Looking at the ring, he asked
whether there was jeweler in this viii
lage, and | said there was not | told
him that my father oftener went on bust
ness to Acton, ten miles away, than else
where.
He examined very carefully the button
which had found in the closet, and 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 closet in his
room. Beside that, there were in this
closet two oyercoats 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.
What did your father do for work the
day before he diedE' he asked then. |
reflected and said that he had unpacked
some stores which had come down from
Vermont, and done some work out in the
garden.
What did he wear?"
81 think he wore the pepper-and salt
trousers and the black vest He wore no
coat while at work"
Alr. Dix went quickly back TO father 4
room and his closet, | following. He took
out the gray trousers and the black vest,
and examined them closely.
What did he wear to protect theseT''
he asked.
why, he wore overallsw said at
once. AS l spoke l remembered seeing
/ father so around the path 10 the yard
/ with those blue overalls drawn up high
under his arms.
where are they?"
Weren't they in the kitchen closetY"
/ mo"
/ We looked again. however, in the kitch-
/ en- closet; we searched the shed thorough
/ ly. The cat came in through her little
/ door, as we stood there, and brushed
around our feet. Mr.. Dix stopped and
stroked her. Then he went quickly to the
door, beside which her little entrance was
arranged, unlocked it, and stepped out
l was following him, but he motioned me
back
None of my boarding mistress win.
dows command us" he said, but she
might come To her back door
watched him. He passed slowly along
the little winding footpath which skirted
the rear of our house and extended faint
ly through the grassy field 10 the rear OF
Phoebe Dole's. He stopped, searched a
clump of sweetbriar, went on to an old
WELL and stopped there. The well has
been dry many year, and was choked
up with stones and rubbish Some boards
are laid over it, and a big stone or two
to keep them in place.
Mr.. Dix, CHANGING 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 many eff
forts; then he got up and same to me
and asked me to get for him an umbrel
Ia with a crooked handle or something
that he could hook into clothing.
l brought my own umbrella, the silver
handle of which formed an exact hook
He went back to the WELL knelt again
thrust in the umbrella and drew up, cas-
fly enough, what he had been fishing for
Then he came bringing it TO me.
Don't faint" he said, and took hold
of my arm ! gasped when | saw what