The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-03-19
A SECRET OF THE HEART
ny HOWARD FIELDING.
ICOpyrIBht, INJ
SYNOPSIS.

Mr. Willard Davis is the head OF tho
Union surface lines OF New York, nnl
his office Is In the rear OF the COmpnny'S
rooms on the third floor OF the Ann
street Bank building. Associated with
him tn various schemes for the absorp'
ton Of small street car lines Is George
StnlbrldEc. StulbridGc IL much dlSlls-
cd by Willard Davis nephew, young
Davis, who believes that Stalbrldgc Is
leading his uncle Into dangerous and
corrupt schemes with the object OF
finally securing control OF the great
property himself, and OF gaining the
hand OF Willard Davis daughter, now
engaged to Walter Norman. The morn
Ing after n transaction. by which
small line in which Norman IL inter-
ested IL swallowed up by the large com
pdny, young Davis goes down to rem
Onstrate with his uncle. He meets
Stalbridge In front OF the bank build
ing, and rebukes him. As he mentions
NormRns name young Davis notes
that StalbrIdge glanccs upward In Il
startled way toward the elevated rail-
road. Young Davis goes to his uncle's
office. followed by Stalbridge. The door
Is locked. There Is key inside the
lock- 4 moan Is heard and then
crash. Young Davis pushes the Key out
with StAlbr!0Ee's key. and unlocks the
door. He sees his uncle on his knees
the latter tries TO speak and falls to
the floor. dead. As young Davis en-,
tered the room. q door opposite closed
with snap. He bursts II In, but finds
the room beyond vacant, with an open
window looking on the stone court. IL
Is found that Willard Davis body has
two wounds. one on the head made by
a heavy instrument. and one stab in
the breast with u small pointed weapon
A detective IL summoned, who mas
Willard Davis keys on the Moor near
the entrance door. A towel r. hung on
lookinE-glass high above the wash
stand Blood stains are found on the
door and on the edges of the wash ba-
sin. StalbrIdEe suggests that Norman
Is n very tall man. Meanwhile among
the crowd that gathered at the scene
young Davis had noticed tall Italian
who excltedly proclairIs the murder
just deed. Corroborntive evidence sun
further fixing suspicion on Norman Is
discovered, and while the detective doeb
not accuse him, the matter assumes d
serious aspect. especially as the ueed OF
transfer OF Eorman's street car line has
disappeared from Willard DAVIS pa
pcrs. Norman Is unnccountably ah-
sent. but returns In time to deny Stall
bridges insInuntlons TO young Davis
and the detective. Young DAVIS de-
clares TO StalbrIdge that theslatter saw
Norman on u passing street car while
StalbrIdEe and he were talking outside
the bank building Stalbridge refuses
TO exonerate Norman by admitting this
whereupon young Davis threatens to
conceal his own knowledge or Staf-
bridges whereabouts at the time or the
murder. StnlbrIdge Is frightened. and
he establishes an abb for Norman.
Suspicion then rests on the tall Italian
who proves to be stakeholder In
Sornaa's line. The detective, johnson.
who has completed his investigations.
privately tells young Davis that torn
pieces OF the deed Of transfer. which
ne has mentioned 10 Stalbridge, are
fake" for the purpose OF misleading
the latter. He shows young Davis
small scrap OF the deed. charred and
bloody. which he has found in the waste
pipe OF the bowl In Willard Davis OF
Ace. There il a small round hole in II.
A horrible suspicion suggests itself to
young Davis.