Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-01-21

IL was VI tti. I1tr tilTOaG nau Deen cut as
she slept. This seemed indicated by the
fact that she was clad in her nightdress
One thing that puzzled Mr.. Barnes at
once was the pool Of blood near the door.
1t was fully six feet from the head of
the he'd, and while there was another
just by the bedstead, formed by blood
which had trickled from the wound,
running down the sheets and SO drop
ping to the floor, the two pools did not
communicate.
We'll, thought Mr.. Barnes, 81 am
first ON the scene this time, and no busy
bodies shall tumble things about till I
have studied their significance.
This room had not been designed for
Il sleeping apartment, but rather as
dining room, which upon occasion could
be opened into the parlor, converting the
two into one There was one window
upon an airshaft, and in an angle was
handsome carved oak rnantel, with fire.
place below. Mr.. Barnes raised the cur
tain over the window, letting in moro
light. Looking around, he noticed almost
immediately two things-frst, that a
basin stood on washstand half filed
with water, the color of which plainly
indicated that the murderer had washed
Oil telltale marks before taking his de-
parture; second, that in the fireplace
was q pile Of ashes.
1.-The scoundrel has burned evidence
against him and deliberately washed
the blood from his person before going
away. Let Inc see, what was it that
Mitchell said, 1 should have stopped to
wash the stain from the carpet while
fresh, and also from the dogs mouth.
That Is what no told his friend he would
do II bitten while committing crime.
Ii this instance tie stain on the CARPET
was too much for him. but he washed it
from himself. Can it be that man
lives who, contemplating deed of this
character, would make a wager that he
would not be detected? Bah! 1t is i'm
possible" Thus thought Mr.. Barnes as
he studied the evidence before him. He
next turned 10 the Yoman's clothing
which lay On 4 chair. He rummaged
through the pocket, but found nothing.
In handling the petticoat he noticed that
piece had been cut from the band
Examining the other garments, he soon
SEW that the same had been done to them
all. Like flash, an idea struck him.
Going over TO the bed, he searched for
some mark on the garments which were
Oh the corpse. He could find none until
he lifted the body Up and turned it over,
when be found that piece had been cut
from the nightdTesg.
'Tiat accounts for the blood by the
door, thought Mr. Barnes. "He took
her cut OF the bed to get her nearer to
the light, SO that he could find the in e,
itials marked Gu the clothing. While she
lay by the door the blood flowed and &C.
cumulatcd. Then he put her back in
bed, SO that ho would not need 70 step
over her Ill walking about the room.
What calculating villain! There is one
significant TACT here. Her name cannot
have been Rose Mitchell, or there would
have been 10 reason for destroying these
! marks, since she had given that name
to several"
Mr. Barnes next brushed the chayred
ashes from the CRATE upon newspaper
| and carried them TO the window III the
front room. His examination satisfied
him Of two things-the murderer had
burned the bits of cloth cut from the
various garments and also number of
letters. That the follow was studiousIy
careful was plain from the fact that the
burning had been thoroughly done.
Nothing had escaped the flame save two
! buttons with Il bit Of cloth attached and
various corners Of envelopes. With dis
gust Mr.. Barnes Threw the ashes back
where he had found them.
Next be paid his attention to the cab
met desk, which stood open. He pulled
out all the drawers and poercd into ev-
cry nook and Granny, but Lis search was
fruitless. lie found nothing hut blanl.
paper and envelopes, and these of COM
mon kind.
Once more returning to the room
Where the corpse lay he noticed trunk
from which protruded & part Of a gar
ment. Raising the lid he found every
thing within in promiscuous pile. Evil
IDENTIFY it had been hastily searched and
careiessly repaclled. Ir. Barnes took
each article out and examined it closely.
Everything upon which a name might
piece had been cnt ont. There ,lust
be some good reason for hiding this We
mans identity, Or the scoundrcl would
not have been so thorough il his work, -
I thought Mr.. Barnes Just then. in re-
placing the clothing, he heard a crink
ling sound which indicated that a bit Of
paper was III the pocket Of tie garment.
Hastily he withdrew it, and was de-
lighted to observe writing. "A cleyy at
last. he murmured, hurrying to the
front room window to read it. This was
what be found:
LIST OF JEWELS.
One diamond, Is cGrats. sI5O0O
OEc emerald, ljis carats...... I5Goo
O:e ruby, l53s carats .........., 2OW0
One sapphire, 10 carats. 5Om
One pearl, pear shaped, white .. l50o
One pearl. pear shaped, black .... 1900
One pearl, white, egg shaped - 500
One pearl, black, egg shaped. - $3.50
One canary diamond. ................ 5000
One topaz, 30 carats. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 500
$4,000
TIE ten jewels are al perfect specimens Of
their kind. The FIRST four are cut exactly alike.
he near sha,opT -irs,iIar IN