The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-09-22
s.rnat is my name. But VINO are you,

house with Squire Olney on business
with your uncle. In the parlor we dis
covered -
"My uncle's dead body. .
Then you know
81 found him two hours ago as you
have seen him. I was naturally shocked
and unnerved and have been in here
ever since trying to collect my
thoughts.
.sMiss Lewis, we are detectives, %
said Mr.. Barnes, and making a brief
pause in order to watch the effect Of
his words he noticed slight tremor
pass over her form, but it was barely
perceptible, and he concluded that she
was awoman of great self control. New
ertheless he detected an involuntary,
instantaneous glance in the direction Of
the writing cabinet. Having gained
this point, he continued:
We came here with the squire at the
request Of your uncle to discover if pos
sible the whereabouts Of his assailant,
young Marvel (" This time she showed
no emotion. GAS your uncle is dead the
squire has asked Us to investigate. 1t
was while making an examination of
the premises that we came in here, and
again ask your pardon for our intru-
sion.
Virginia bowed, and silently awaited
his next words. Mr.. Barnes felt that
he must retire, but was determined to
venture once more an attempt to learn
something from her. He would have
liked nothing better than to hold her
in conversation, that he might study
her manner as much as her words, but
he saw clearly that he could not force
her to talk long.
Miss Lewis, I amsaware that this
Interview must be painful to you, and
if you will allow me to ask one or two
simple questions we will withdraw. .
Receiving sign that he might :on-
tinue, he asked: "Can you tell ne
whether your uncle owned weapon or
whether he had any cause to commit
suicide? Some disease, for example,
which he may have thought incurable";
My uncle did net own a weapon, to
my knowledge. nor do know of any
thing that would have induced him to
take his own ife.''
.sDid you hear pistol shot during the
nights''
ssI did not. !"
Mr.. Barnes left the room, followed
by Burrows. Cnce more in the parlor,
where lay the corpse, he said:
Tom, did we discover anything in
there?''
"Yes, think so. -
ssWell, as you are the younger at this
business, I am anxious to give you the
chance 20 think fer yourself I suggest
that you give me your views and deduc-
tions from the different points that turn
up before you hear mine
Very we'll Let me specify what /
think we gained by going into the next
room. We learned that we were not the
first to find the body. Miss Lewis ad-
mits having been in this room, so she
must have raised the window, which is
especially probable since, as no other
window is open, the room would have
been full of the odor Of the burned body
when she entered %
Mr.. Earnes nodded acquiescence.
'tShe hid letter when we went in.
I thinks she wishes the name of her cor
respondent kept secret. By the way, she
must be woman of singular tempera-
ment to ind the dead body of her uncle
and then go into the next roona and
write a letter. y
Exactly, and it may be CT the ut
most Importance for US to learn the ad-
dress of that letter and its contents if
possible. Anything more, Iom?''
eyes, but first tell me what it was
that you picked up from the floor. She
dropped it from her lap as she stood Up.
Why did you keep it?'
"I thought it was a tllimble till I
held it in my hand, and then I found it
to be-rhe empty shell Of cartridge -
"No wonder that you kept it. Now,
see this He handed Mr.. Barnes
small round brush, attached to twisted
wire handle. "I took it from the wash
stand"
"This fits my theory exactly said
Mr.. Barnes. ''This brush is still damp
and slightly blackened. It has recently
been used to clean the pistol from which
this empty shell was taken. That pis-
tol is in her cabinet. I am satisfied of
that by her glancing in that direction
when she heard me declare that we are
detectives. Follow out the trail Of &C
tion and you will see why, with all
her self possession-and she has SO
much that I fear we shall not again
surprise her into betraying herself-she
could not resist hasty glance at the
drawer which she had just quickly
closed on seeing Us. By her own admis-
sion she knew of this murder before any
one, as far as we now know, except
the murderer. She retires to her own
@ 1 q