The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-26
ner suswer was simple and straight.

telegram. lie died in his room. He " as
found lying on the floor near the Eell
button which he had evidently rassed TO
touch. One hand was clenched on his
chest, but his face wore peaceful look
as il death had come too suddenly TO
cause him much suffering. His bed was
undisturbed; he had died before retir-
ing, possibly in the act of packing his
trunk, for il was found nearly ready for
the expressnan. Indeed there was
every evidence of his intention to leave
on an early morning train. lie had e7en
desired TO be awakened at six o'clock;
and il was his failure TO respond to The
summon of the bellboy that led 70 so
early discovery of his death. He had
never complained of any distress in
breathing and we had always considered
him perfectly healthy man; but there
was no reason for assigning any other
cause than heart failure to his sudden
death, and so the burial certificate was
made out TO that effect, and was al
lowed To bring him home and bury him
in our vault at Woodlawn. But"
and here her earnestness dried up the
tears which had been flowing freely
during this recital of his lonely death
and sad burial-"do ycu think there is
something worth investigating in n
death proceeded by false obituary
notice? For found when was in
Philadelphia that no such paragraph
as that l had found pinned to my cush.
ion, had been inserted in any paper
there, nor had any other man of the
same name ever registered at the
Colonnade, much less died there"
"Have you this notice with you?"'I
asked.
She Immediately produced it, and
while was glancing it over, remarked:
"Some persons would give n supersti-
tious explanation to the whole matter;
think had received a supernatural warn
ing, and been satisfied with what they
would call spiritual manifestation.
But have not bit of such folly in my
composition. Living hands set up The
type and printed the words which gave
me so deathly n shock; and hands with
/ real purpose in them cut 1t from the
paper and pinned it 10 my cushion for
me to see when 1 woke on that fatal
morning. But whose hands? That Is
what want you TO find out"
l caught the fever of her suspicious
long before this and now felt justified in
showing my interest.
"First, let me ask" said I, "who has
access to your rooms besides your
maid"
mo one; absolutely no one."
"And what of herp"
"She is innocence itself. She Is no
common housemaid, but girl my
mother brought up, who, for the love
OF me, consents to do such work in the
household as my simple needs require"
81 should like 10 see her"
There is no objection TO your doing
so; but you will gain nothing by 1t. /
have already talked the subject over
with her a dozen times, and she is as
much puzzled by IL as am myself. She
says she cannot see how anyone could
have got into my room during my sleep,
as the doors were all locked. Yet, as
she very naturally observes, some one
mast have entered there between the
time of my retiring and her entrance in
the morning, for she was In my bedroom
herself just before returned from the
theater, and can swear, if necessary.
that no such slip of paper was TO be
seen on my cushion then, fov her duties
led her directly TO my bureau, and kept
her there for fully five minutes"
"And you believed her?" suggested.
implicitly"
"In what direction, then, do your sus-
picions turn?"
"Alas In no direction. There is the
trouble. / don't know whom 10 mis-
trust. II was because was told that
you had the credit of seizing n clew
where Others failed 10 find any. that
have sought your aid in this emergency.
For the uncertainty surrounding this
matter is killing me end will make my
sorrow quite uncomfortable if / cannot
obtain relief from it,"
IL do not wonder" began. struck by
the note of truth in her tones. And
shall certainly do what can for you.
Put before we 60 any further let us ex-
anime this scrap Of newspaper and see
what we can make out OF It,"
l had already noted two or three
points in connection with II, TO which
now proceeded to direct her attention.
"lIave you compared this notice"
pursued, with ecch Uthers as you find
every day in the papers?"
NO. was her eager answer. 1T Is
not like all"
"Read," was my quiet interruption.
son this day at the Colonnade.' On
what day? The date is usually given In
oil the bona fide notices have seen"
"Is it?" she asked. her eyes. moist
with unshed tears, opening widely in
her astonishment.
look in the papers on your return
home and see. Then the print. OBJ
serve that the type is identical on both
sides, while, in fact, there Is always
pcceptible difference between that
used In the obituary column and that
90 be found In the columns devoted TO