Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-06-18

able 80 articulate. Then he almost rcclcd
from the room, willie | looked on in utter
surprise. Phillips turned TO me.
You and your brother probably talked
the matter over at table," he said.
"Thats hardly likely, in the presence Of
my nioce. II would not have been an
agreeable subject"
"Ncithcr is it likely that your niece was
present at the meal Immediately following
the summary dismissal of her lover"
"Thats So She remained in her room"
I said quickly; "and, although l can't
recolcct definitely. / don't doubt that
we did tnlli some on that occasion---but
do you believe Anderson can be impli-
Gated In any way7 lie had worshpcd
my brother for twenty years with dogs
devotion. and"
GLOW has your niece '"r'cd herself
since her fathers death ?" interrupted the
detective.
stopped short and looked Mt him A
curious sinking sensation came over me.
REALLY" | began: "you don't-you
cant suspect for n moment that--that--
my niece could-could have-boen in any
way involved" I concluded, desperately.
Ills manner was extremely gentle as he
replied:
"My dear Mr.. Smith, in all my career
as n detective I have never suspected any
one of a crime. don't allow myself to
be rlis;ci by the bias which suspicion
would generate As far MS individuals arc
concerned, my mind remains an absolute
blank until l am sure That | have idcn'i-
fed the criminal. Therefore. | begin by
;,- 4 y
Reassure1 somewhat. tried TO ncquaint
him. as well ms ] could, with my niccc's
peculiar disposition, as going far TO ex-
plain the Indifference she had certainly
manifested ever since her fathers death.
As I have before stated, she had been
gloomy and depressed -sulky, in fact,
from the time of my broher's trouble with
Ralph; and | was fnin to confess that,
since the terrible denouement. | had been
utterly unable to detect the least change
In her dcmcanor. Once or twice | had
heard her talking TO herself: but tho only
time | had ventured 10 console her was
Immediately after the discovery of the
body. when feared the shock of the first
news might he serious ] was astonshel
at her calnness. She heard me to the
end. and then replied.
81 am not a child uncle. have borne
other troubles and | shall have to beg r
this--and will bear il. l will even try TO
believe il may be for the best. Only one
thing want to say; that | know Jacl,
Ralph to be as innocent as--as | am: and
how let us not speak of it all. 1t is too
horrible"
"You may readily believe" concluded,
that made no further attempt at con-
sola ton"
Phillips had listened without comment.
81 hope you do not think it worth while
TO examine my niece" venturrd.
MONO, think not" he replied. rous-
ing himself from what seemed TO be fit
of deep abstraction. Not now at aay
rate. will have an opportunity of seq
ing her casually--at dinner, perhaps. The
next step will be, l think, with your per.
mission, to look at the Dody-and the
clothes In which it was dressed when
found"
I rose and led the way into the dark.
ened bedroom where the remains had been
laid upon the couch and covered with a
sheet. had known enough to insist that
they should not be prepared for burial III.
Ill the arrival Of the city detective, though
of course. the physician and the local cor.
oncr had been obliged to take off tho
clothes, which they had thrown over a
neighhoring chair.
| Phillips at once proceeded to open the
| blinds. Then with an even more serious
manner than he had yet shown. 10 APP
preached the body and bent down over the
white face.
1.-THE face has been washed. | pre-
sume?" he qucried. "Do you know whcth
er there was much blood on it when
/ foundi"
There was some blood from the
mouth" | answered. 81 would not permit
them to do more than wipe it away with
/ A handkerchief"
"But do you know that no water was
used before you camc?" he pursued.
II am very sure Of it, answered. "rht
neighbor who discovered my brother
rushed at once to the house, where wa,
At breakfast at the time. Within fv,
minutes Of the discovery | was on til,
spot. The body lay on its back; and no
;iced that two slender streams of blood
had run from the corners of the moutl
and formed a small CONCEALED or rather
caked pool beneath the neck"
Phillips took II magnfying glass from
his pocket and carefully examined tn,
wound in the forehead. A flash of intui
ton us to the line of his investigation
came over me.
"You think it possible" began.
81 think nothing" he said shortly
STRENGTHENING up. There Is not a sgr
of blood having flowed from this wound
| can readily see traces of it about til,
mouth and neck. Nothing but thor
ough use Of soap and water could remov,
them. Your brother did not die from tn,
blow on the head. lie was dead for n
least half an hour before it was received
A sensation of horror came over me II
the words had been hoping agans
hope that Phillips might be able to show
that the death was accidental, after all
Now | saw at once the utter futilty o
entertaining such n notion.
Moreover" he pursued, "if you 81,
the blood was 'caked,' he must have beef
dead for several hours before he wa
found. | took the trouble to examine tn,
railroad cut on my way here. You viii
remember that its bottom is cntirel,
shielded from the morning sun, the lacl
of which, together with the heavy dew
of the last two or three mornings. woul,
tend to keep blood more or less moist fo
some time"
what did kill him, then y asked, a
last,
c.