The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-07

CHAPTER V - TIE EVIDENCE
POINTS To ONE.
Monday night-The detective came as
I expected. I was up as soon as It was
light, and he came across the dewy fields
with his oyclopaedia under mis- arm. He
had stolen out Of Phoebe Dole's back door.
He had me bring my fathers pistol;
then he babe me come with him out into
the back yard Vow. fire it," he said.
Trusting the pistol into my hands. As
have said before the charge was still
in the barrel
Il shall arouse the neighborhood,' I
said.
Fire it." ne ordered.
tried: pulled the trigger as hard as I
could.
Il can't do IT," I said
"And you are a reasonably strong wo-
man, too. arnt your"
said I had been considered so. Oh,
much have / heard about the strength OF
my poor woman's arms. and their ability
to strike that murderous weapon homel
Mr.. DIX took the pistol himself, and
drew a little at the trigger. 81 could do
IT," he said. "but I won't 1t would
arouse the neighborhood."
This is more evidence against me-" I
said. despairingly. 1.-The murderer had
tried 20 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 a jeweler in this vii
lage and said there was not. told him
that my father often went on business
TO Acton, ten miles away. than else
where.
He examined very carefully the button
which I 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
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 stil another old suit in the
closet of the kitchen. This was examined
and no button found wanting.
What did your father do for work the
day before he diedg' he asked then. I
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?''
Il think he wore the pepper-and-saIt
trousers and the black vest. He wore no
coat while at work"
Mr.. Dix went quickly back TO fathers
room and his closet, l following. He took
out the gray trousers and the black vest.
and examined them closely
What did he wear to protect these?"
he asked.
why, he wore overansr I said at
once. As / spoke I remembered seeing
father go around the path to the ward
with those blue Overalls drawn I'D high
under his arms.
Where are they?"
Weren't they in the kitchen closet?"
mo"
We looked again. however, IN the kltch-
en- closet; we searched the shed thorough
~. The cat came in through her little
door, as we stood there, and brushed
around our feet. Mr.. Dix stooped ana
stroked her. Then he went quickly to tbs
ooor beside which her little entrance was
arranged, unlocked it, and stepped ont
] was following him. but he motioned me
back.
None of my boarding mistress win
~~+--AAAo4tN VS. ne Sdlu, nUt she
might come 10 her back door"
l watched him. He passed slowly along
the little winding footpath which slxirfe6
the rear of our house and extended faint
~ through the grassy field 70 the rear If
Phoebe Doles. he stopped, searched n
clump Of sweetbriar. went on to an old
well, and stopped there The wen has
been dry many year, and was cboked
up with stones and rubbish Some boards
are laid over it, and a big stone or two
TO keep them in place.
Mr.. Dix, glancing across at Phoebe
Dole's back door, went down on his knees
rolled the stones away, then removed tbe
boards and peered down the well He
stretched FAR over the brink and reached
down. He made many efforts; then he
got up and came to me, and asked me n
get for him an umbrella with a crooked
handle or something that he could hook
into clothing.
! brought my own umbrella, the silver
handle OF which formed an exact hool,
he went back 10 the we'll kneIt again
thrust IN the umbrella and drew up. easily
enough, what he had been fishing for.
Then he came bringing it to me.
Don't faint" he said. and took hold
81 my arm I gasped when I saw what