Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-06-25

rangements for the removal of the body
10 New York. He had had little or moth
ing to say during the proceedings. and
had left HIM in the room occupied by Phil
lips, while | saw the constable to the
door.
As turned back into the hall, Mary
was descending the stairs. Her face was
ugitatcd and / surmiscd ut once that she
must have overheard Skidmore's parting
remarks, surmise which proved to be
correct.
what did that man say to your" she
asked, coming close.
| told her in few words, intimating.
as did so, a hardly felt doubt as to the
reliability of Billy Coughs statements.
"lle was perfectly correct. nevcrthe-
less" she said, after short hesitation.
Il went out about o'clock to meet Jack
by appointment and to arrange to 20 away
with him. | met him on the road, and
he walked as far as the gate with me. 1t
was almost six o'clock, and Jack went
back 10 the village. He did not come even
rs far as the house. and | know he could
not have killed father As for your New
York friend who was trying to fix it on
him"
Mr.. Smith, may l have a few words
with you Mt once?' came voice from the
stairs. My niece started ut the sound
and darted into the library.
Certainly, Inspector" answered.
"Can trouble you to come up here"
l mounted the stairs hastily, and Ran
som drew me into the room. closing tho
door behind us. His face was more than
serious.
Here is sealed letter addressed to
YOU" he said. 1T is Phillips handwrit-
ing. / found it in the escrctoire."
Utterly astonished at this new develop
ment, | took the envelope from him and
mechanically opened it.
pardon me-" | said. Then read as
follows:
Dear Sir-Realizing that my life must
terminate very shortly, I take occasion to
commit to writing brief summary OF
the discovered facts as to your brothers
murder.
"Hc was killed by n knife thrust inlict-
ed from behind over the right shoulder.
This happened in his own room or, at
least, in the house, and the murderer was
man admitted by appointment. The
charred letter in the CRATE was doubtless
the communication asking for the ap,
pointment ana must have advanced strong
reasons TO obtain one ut such an hour. Let
us suppose that 1t came ostensibly from
one of the railroad gang and offered to dis
close, for a consideration and under con-
ditions insuring secrecy, the directions
given by some officer of the company to
his subordinates to delay the work and to
harass Mr. Smith as much as possible in
retaliation for his persistent hostility.
Your brother, feeling as he did, would
have been only too glad to get such In.
formation on any terms, so he destroyed
the letter, as was doubtless stipulated for
rose, dressed, admitted his alleged in
formant secretly, took him to his room.
was stabbed partly undressed and dressed
again, carried out while it was yet dark
and pla ced or thrown into the cut, cure be-
ing taken that his skull should be frac-
tured ms 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 recapitulation
of facts you already know. 1t 10 the sim.
plest 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 have obtained an appointment at
such an hour. Ralph, moreover, would
never have used a knife, though I admit
that, assuming the local theory of an early
morning walk, quarrel and q blow on
the head, things would look very black for
him. On the other hand. Andefson's
clumsy lie was merely an ignorant mans
way Of trying to bring to justice one whom
he believed had murdered his master and
whom you and Miss Smith were shielding.
LET me now 60 step further than we
have gone together and add that It 10 per-
fectly clear that Mr.. Robert Smith was
killed BY an agent Of the MsAa. IN r.