The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-07-20

mores parting remarks, a surmise
which proved to be correct.
What did that man say to you?" she
asked. coming close.
I told her in few words, intimating
as did SO. a hardly felt doubt as to the
reliability of Billy Coughs statements.
He was perfectly correct, neverthe-
less" she said. after a short hesitation.
II went out about o'clock to meet Jack
by appointment and to arrange to go
away with him. I met him on the road,
and he walked as far as the gate with
me. 1t was almost O'Clock, and Jack
went back to the village. He did not
come even as far as the house, and I
know he could not have killed father.
As for your New York friend who was
trying to fix 1t on him"
'Mr Smith, may l have a few words
with you at once?" came voice from
the stairs. My niece started at the
sound and darted into the library.
Certainly, Inspector" I answered.
Can ! trouble you to come up here ?"
/ mounted the stairs hastily, and
Ransom drew me into the room closing
the door behind us. His face was more
than serious.
Here Is sealed letter addressed to
you." he said. ut is Phillips hand
writing. I found 1t in the escretoire."
Utterly astonished at this new de-
velopment. I took the envelope from
him and mechanically opened 1t.
Pardon me-" said. Then read as
follows:
Dear Sir-Realizlng that my lif(
must terminate very shortly. take oc
casion to commit to writing a brief
summary Of the discovered facts as to
your brothers murder.
"He was killed by knife thrust in
fiicted from behind over the right
shoulder. This happened In his own
room. or. at least. In the house, and
the murderer was a man admitted by
appointment. The charred letter in the
crate was doubtless the communication
asking for the appointment and must
have advanced strong reasons ITO OBJ
tain one at such an hour. Let us sup
pose that 1t came ostensibly from one
Of the railroad gang and offered to
disclose. for consideration and under
conditions insuring secrecy. the dlrec-
tions given by some officer of the COM
pany to his subordlnates to- delay the
work and to harass Mr.. Smith as much
as possible In retaliation for his per-
sistent hostility. Your brother, feeling
as he did, would have been only too
glad to get such information on any
terms. 80 ne destroyed the letter, as
was doubtless stipulated for, rose.
dressed. admitted his alleged informant
secretly. took him to his rOom was
stabbed. partly undressed and dressed
again. carried out while It was yet
dark and placed or thrown into the cut,
care being taken that his skull should
be fractured as to apparently account
for death. Then the murderer. having
wrapped up the garments through
which the knife passed, took them
away with him. Much OF this is In
the nature OF a recapltulation OF facts
you already know. It Is the simplest
thing In the world to see that the
murder was not committed by your
niece, your servant or by Mr.. Ralph.
The first could not have carried the
body to the railroad cut, and neither
Of the others could hive obtained an
appointment at such an hour. Ralph,
moreover. would never have used q
knife. though admit that, assuming
the local theory Of an early morning
walk. quarrel and blow on the head.
things would look very black for him.
On the other hand. Anderson's clumsy
lie was merely an ignorant mans way
Of trying to bring to Justice one whom