The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-06

| Quccnie drew near. the maids attitud,
toward George Bagshot became les,
violent. She lapsed into a state of sui
len silence. which, however, alarmed
him nearly as much. There was M
saying what she might do. or how soor
she might disclose his disgraceful sec
] ret to Queenie. And (as he aftcrwarc
confessed) he was all the while in q
state OF miserable apprehension. But
nothing happened. Mary Jenkins kept
Queenie's wedding all went smoothly
too smoothly.
ON that night, at about 10 o'clock
the maid had an interview with George
! Bagshot in the garden. The particu-
lars of this interview came out in Bag
\ shots evidence at the trial. Mary
made a last appeal 70 him--entreated
4 his marriage with Queenie and carry
out his promise TO herself. George
Bagshot refused. declaring that under
the circumstances such a demand was
outrageous, unreasonable. He would
give her money-a sufficient sum to
keep her in ease for the rest of her life.
He would cooperate with her in any
attempt she might make to conceal her
shame. He did not wish to evade his
fair responsibility in the matter. But
marry her? Surely she herself could
see that this was impossible.
The maid said very little more. But
what she did say was OF great import
ance in its bearing on the case. She de-
clafed that Bagshot should never
never marry Queenie Jackaby; no. not
If she herself had to swing for pre-
venting IL. With this dark threat she
left him; and he did not see her again
until she stood, prisoner. in the
dock.
This. of course, was enough to
throw suspicion on the maid. And cor
roborating facts were soon forthcom-
ing. Another maid, who shared her
bedroom. gave evidence to the effect
that about 8 a. m. on the morning
when Queenie was murdered, she (the
witness) was aroused from her sleep by
the opening OF their bedroom door.
Mary Jenkins entered and orept
stealthily back TO her empty bed. She
the witness) saw her distinctly in the
semi-twilight preceding dawn. Wit
ness paid no particular attention to
the circumstance at the time, but next
day, when she learned that suspicion
had fallen on the maid. Mary Jenkins.
she communicated the fact to the po-
lice.
1T further transpired. In the course
OF subsequent inquiries. that homicidaI
tendencies had shown themselves in
more than one member of the accused
maids family. and that her mothers
brother was then actually incarcerated
In Broadmoor for a murderous attempt
upon one of his own sons. From a
medical standpoint this was as signifi-
cant as anything. And in the end
Mary Jenkins was committed for
trial.
ION the first occasion the jury dis
agreed. On her being tried a second
time, before a new jury, she was even
tually acquitted-this jury celebrating
upon her case for more than six hours.
That she was really guilty no one, 1
think, doubted: but the evidence was
not, in itself. conclusive.
i now come to what. from our point
of view, is the most remarkable feat
ure In the affair. ! have told you that
l was engaged that night--the night OF
the murder-in writing part of a story
before / went to bed. Well. the story
was writing was. in all essential de-
tails. the story of what subsequently
occurred during the hours of that ter
rible night In my story the bride was
smothered in bed by rival for her
lovers hand. The incident occurred ON
the night before the marriage. The
murderess was servant maid. That
maid, too. had been seduced by the
bridegroom-eIect. More than this. many
trifiing details in my story found their
exact counterpart in the subsequent
tNotNS1 put the lnlIlR
more strongly than by asserting this,
that If. with a change of names, my
story had been printed in the news
papers in place of the reports which
did appear. II would have been practi-
cally as true an account OF the awful
tragedy.
II may just add that this extraordi-
nary experience does not rest upon any
mere assertion. 4 was so naturally
impressed by the inexplicable coinci-
dence-if coincidence II were-that
within a quarter OF an hour of the time
when poor Queenie's murder was re-
ported TO me. / had handed a sealed
envelope TO DR.. Hatfield, requesting
him 10 keep it safe and not to open it
until the mystery was cleared up. That
envelope contained the manuscript of
my story: II consisted OF about 1000
words. and obviously implied not less
than three hours rapid work. This
fact by itself disposes OF any susges-
ton that l may have written the story
to the events.
DIR. Hatfield will bear me out In
what ! have told you and will, am
sure. allow me to say that / selected
him for my confidant ON account of
both of his scientific reputation and of
his unquestionable integrity. What
the explanation of this peculiar expe- |
Renee my be, whether IL In simply a
wonderful coincidence or something |
deeper and more mysterious 1 do not
pretend 20 suggest. But I have laid |
the facts before you with absolute ac-
curacy. leaving each of you to form his
own opinion upon them"
IL was not till six months afterward
that any further light was thrown up
on the mystery. AT the beginning of
DR.. Hatfield was asked
down. as usual, 10 Barclay for the
partridge shooting. The brilliant novel |
list, Mrs. Mango Marks. also. as usual.
formed one OF the house party.
Upon DR. Hatfeild's arrival his host
ess took the first opportunity OF draw
ing him aside and saying to him In a
low voice:
"Dr Hatfield. we thought you would
not mind-for we know that you were
above empty superintendent so (the
house being very ftilD we have put
YOU in the red room--the one that used
to be dear Queenie's. IL has not been |
f.aA has mia