Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-11-04
HE attempted to do 20 once before.


her face assumed xn expression Of the
utmost contempt
Miss Lewis, continued the lawyer.
Twill you kindly tell Ms about how long
you remained at the interview with Mr..
Marvel? don't expect any exact reply.
An approximate one will do"
II cannot tell very closely, though I
know about when reached the house
again. But will not answer unless You
explain why you wish to know"
Mr.. Topper had recognised at the
outset that Virginia was not to be
frightened into anything, and he de-
tsrmined to deal with her openly.
II will do 80 willingly, said he.
1--WE have found that You left the sum-
mer house at or near 9 O'Clock. Soon
after several shots were fred, one at
least at the deceased. We are not sure,
however, that either Of these killed
your uncle. Now, II you can give us
the time when you returned, 1t may be
the means of proving whether he was
alive or dead at that hour. These mat
tiers of time often prove Of inestimable
value"
Every we'll. It. was half past 10
when reached my ROOM"
THANK you" 1t was his cue to con-
ciliate her as far as possible. when
you went in, did you pass through the
parlor7''
mo, sir. entered my apartment BY
the door opening into the dining room.'
Mr.. Barnes believed that this was
true, for he had traced her footprints
from the steps Of the piazza by the din
ing room, and returning they reached
the same place. Thus she must have en-
tered the house at that point, and natu-
rally passed through the dining room
to her own chamber. Resuming the ex-
animation, Mr.. Upper asked:
During the night did you hear your
uncle moving about?"
mo, SIR"
NOW let us come to the discovery Of
the crime. You will recall that when
the detectives accidentally disturbed
you in your room. the morning after.
you admitted that you had already
found out that your uncle had been
murdered. Thus you were the first to
do so. Is that fact?"
II believe 80. At least it is true that
I knew of the death Of my uncle at that
time"
Exactly. You had gone into the
parlor, and you had found the body,
which you recognized As that of your
uncle, or may say stepfather, before
the squire and the others arrived?"
"Yes, SIR"
Ibid you take anything from the
y,om?"
Eyes, sir; took pistol"
where did you find this pistolT'
ION the floor"
"Why did you take it2'
"Becauss it is mine and has my
name On the stock, and because II found
by any one else II might have been nm
pleasantly suggestive"
II believe il showed evidence OF hav.
ing been fred Of, did IL not7"
THAT was another reason why was
anxious to have IT,"
Virginia was causing profound aston
ishment by her admissions. Even Mr..
Barnes himself was puzzled TO under
stand why she should acknowledge that
she bad purloined the weapon to avoid
suspicion, when that very confession
would undoubtedly attract q closer IN
vestigation into her connection with
the crime.
miss Lewis" said Mr.. Upper,
"how came your pistol to be dis
charged2"
II use it constantly, and therefore 1t
Is quite possible that fred at some
thing on Saturday"
"That is, the day before the murder'"
''Yes, SIR"
"How did it happen to be out Of your
possession on Sunday night3'
II had it when I started ont, but
changed my mind about taking 1t with
me, and as passed through the parlor
I laid it on the mantel."
This answer suggested the possibility
that this was the pistol used BY Mr..
Lewis when he fired at Lucas, as had
been testified by Miss Marvel. The next
question was:
'Now, II you please. will you explain
why, il you were so anxious to avoid
suspicion by hiding the pistol, you
should now DO SO ready to tell the whole
story"
II never intended to conceal the fact
that the weapon was found by me where
it was but thought that if I offered it
in evidence myself would avoid the
suspicion which might naturally enough
have been aroused had any other person
made the discovery"
Mr.. Barnes knew this was not true
and that her first intention had been to
destroy all trace of the use Of the pis-
tol, as was plainly proved by her hav-
ing cleaned the barrel. He knew also
that she was at present following out
the plan which she had formed after she
had seen him pick up the cartridge cap
in her room, the first step in which had
been to replace the empty she'll by
another. Her examination was con.
tinued.
Ibid you remove anything else from
the room where the corpse lay?"
II did,
This reply was a complete surprise to
Mr.. Barnes He knew that Mr.. Upper
was abiding to the paper upon which,
they thought, was written the name OF
the murderer, and he was astonished to
find that she appeared about to admit
its possession. The next question was:
"Will you kindly state what that
was and why you took it2"
1T was q medallion locket. took
that also because it is mine.
Mr.. Barnes now understood why she
had admitted taking something, since
IL was not the paper. He was never