The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-17
"A Secret Of the Heart.
vcopyright, 1896. by Bachelor. Johnson and
Bacheller.l
PART III.
Mn. srALBRrDGE is AMUSED, AND START

So said Detective johnson TO me on
the evening of the day of the murder.
/ was too deeply interested in learn,
ing what Stalbridge had done to think
of protesting agains, his being called
nv friend. After leaving the scene OF
the crime for the purpose of conveying
the dreadful news to my aunt and my
cousin, had known scarcely anything
Of the progress of the case. The de-
tective had promised TO report to me
at my uncle's house, and had been
impatiently awaiting his coming. IT,
was about eight o'clock when he was
shown into the drawing-room and he
responded TO my eager question with
praise of Stalbridge.
.sVhat has he done?" / demanded.
sHas he found the murderer"
"Not yet" replied the detective, "bu-
ne is working down to him rapidly.
That man has more than the instinct
of a bloodhound. The hound must huns
for the trail, but Mr.. Stalbridge knows
where the trail Is without hunting for
it."
'I should view such knowledge with
suspicion" said l.
"Oh, come now," rctorted johnson.
good-naturedly, "you are doing your
friend an injustice. TO say nothing OF
his character, L is impossible to sus'
pect him of any participation in thia
crime. Certainly nobody could suffer
more than he does by the death of Mr.,
Davis"
"You should see Mr.. Davis daugb-
ter" said, bitterly.
"Is she taking it hard?"
"I never saw such grief. IT is heart-
rending. She was scarcely in her right
mind when / saw her Inst"
"Mr. Norman is here. / suppose?"
mo. he is not here. We have been
unable TO find him."
81 had the same luck" said johnson,
some slight token of interest appearing
in his mechanically expressionless
voice. "I called at his rooms twice"
"What for 2" j demanded.
II hardly knew what for, the first
time" he replied; ''but the second time
/ was after this"
He showed me stiletto with jew
cled handle. / knew it well, having
seen it often In Norman's rooms, where
there was a rubbishy lot of quaint
weapons, with few that were interest
ing and valuable.
johnson" said I, "if you let Stall
bridge induce you to drag Norman into
this case, you'll make an awful mis-
take"
'Mr, 6talbridge doesn't urge It," he
replied. II think he suspects somei
body else. But can't overlook Norman
altogether. You see this railroad BUSH
ness brings him into the case, and II.
] don't hunt him up the newspapers
will Jump on me. That's what we're,
all afraid of, you know-the newspa-
90 geS jumped ON worse for arrestfng
Norman than for letting him alone.
why I'll act accordingly. Haven't any
feeling in the matter; and as for know
ing who killed Mr.. Davis or having any
suspicion of it, my mind is as empty
as box full of nothing"
Hasn't anything been done except
this foolish business about Normanw
I asked, impatiently.
"Oh, yes; there's the examination
by the coroner's physician. / haven't
the written report, but can give you
the substance of it. Your opinion re-
garding the stab wound was correct.
It pierced the heart. Death must have
been almost instantaneous. That
proves my theory that the fatal blow
was struck while you stood outside the
door. All. good evening, Mr.. Stall
bridge"
turned Just as the gaunt, high
shouldered figure stalked into the
room.
Stalbridge, usually so excessively
courteous, gave no greeting TO either of
us. He looked like man with one
idea--vengeance.
"Have you done anything with the
fragments of that document?" he de-
manded of the detective.
sMrs. Johnson has them, sir" he re,
piled. "She is far cleverer than any
man at that sort of work."
"What is this document?" / asked.
'T was just going to tell you about il
when Mr.. Stalbridge came in" said
johnson. "You know my theory Of the
crime. Mr.. Davis was struck down,
and then the murderer removed a paper
from the desk. The blood stains on
the remaining papers prove this con-
clusively, to my mind. 1 confess that
] had little hope of ever finding that
document; but ! now believe that we
have IL In hand"
''Where did you find it?"
"Wait moment. Not so fast. You
know how the murderer escaped. BY
desperate exercise of agility, aided
evidently by the natural advantage of
height, he climbed from window of
your uncle's rear room into an unocou-
pied suite which also had rear window
on the court.
Naturally, i suggested en- examina-
tion of those apartments to see whether
he had left any clew behind him. Mr..
Stalbridgc joined me in the search. IL
was fruitless at first, except that we