The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1897-02-20

to think that mother believed me guilty
seemed worse than all. Well, at the
inquest there was no evidence against
me except that Tilly and were known
to dislike each other, but as we had
never quarreled, they came to the con-
clusion that the person whose step l
heard in the kitchen must have brought
in the bloody knife and must be the
one who committed the crime But as
no stranger had been seen anywhere
around that day, the whole affair re-
manned clouded in mystery. 1 had my
liberty again, which seemed great
blessing to me, but could not go back
to my work for felt as though must
find out who committed this horrible
crime SO close to our house land in
broad day light.
So l went to stay with neighbor,
a. good friend of mine, who had re-
manned true to me through all my
trouble. Her name was Mrs. Love.
She and her husband were my best
friends. Mother had offered five hun
dred dollars reward to any one who
would find the murderer of her be-
loved Tilly. Still the mystery was not
cleared up.
+ One evening about week and half
after the crime had been committed,
I threw a scarf over my head and
walked out of my friends gate. I had
not thought of going anywhere in par.
ticular, but felt as though 1 must walk
somewhere. had gone on without
thinking where was going until Sud.
denly found myself in front of Mr..
Jones house. Mr.. Jones was Tilly's
old lover. had never seen him since
the inquest. stopped and leaned over
his gate to admire his flowers. 1 had
mot noticed him when I first stopped
but now saw him. busy with some
flowers close beside the fence, little
to the right. He evidently had not seen
me. was just about to speak when J.
heard him exclaim, 20, cannot stand
it, cannot stand it," l thought he
must be in pain and quickly asked him
what was the matter. When he heard
my voice he turned around looking for
all the world like a crazy man, and
cried out, 20, why have you never told?
Why do you not tell? 1 knew you saw
me that morning, that awful morning
l went in to confess everything, but
turned coward and came away, but ]
knew then, and have known ever
since, that you saw me in the kitchen
with the knife"
He stood there looking so awful with
his white set face, that I thought he
must have surely gone crazy. I did not
believe for a moment that he was tell.
ing me the truth.
Mr.. JONES'" said, come here and
tell ME what is the matter" But he
stood there staring at me- in the most
awful manner. At last he said, Eyes.
it is true, too true. l killed that most
unhappy girl, that terrible morning.
And you, you have borne the suspicion
all this time, and never spoken, never
told what you knew"
T. 'Mr. JONES'" I said, II never saw you
that morning and do NOT believe you
committed the crime, but think you
have been pondering over this horror
SO much that you are not quite your
SELF"
Quite mysslf!'' he groaned. do you
think 1 will ever be myself again!
Why, am a. murderer of the worst
kind. l went there that morning." he
continued. Ito ask lilly to accompany
me to the picnic. She was out in the
rhubarb patch with knife in her
hand cutting some rhubarb, when ]
asked her to come with me to the pic.
mic. She laughed at me and called me
an old fool. think must have gone
crazy then, for snatched the knife
from her hand and
Here he broke of, covered his white
face, with his hands and tottered into
the house; cannot tell how I got
home to my friends house that night.
know got up to my room without be-
ing noticed, but to sleep-O, thought
l would never sleep again. did go to
sleep, however, just as the birds were
beginning to sing the next morning,
duU ulU uOI dWdhcu uuIll dUOuC nine
o'clock.
When / looked out of my window I
saw Mr.. Love coming up the garden
path looking very much excited.
hurried down stairs, expecting I knew
not what. Just as got down stairs
Mr.. Love came running in calling his
wife's and my name at. the top of his
voice.
WELL" he said, ut is all cleared up.
Old Jones has committed suicide. They
found him dead this morning with a
bullet hole in his head, and a letter
pinned to the table-cloth, confessinE
that he killed lilly, and all: about it,"
Now" he added, perhaps that old
woman, your mother, will forgive you"
WE'LL. there was great excitement,
and the neighbors WED with each other
in making much Of me, especially when
they learned that Mr.. Jones had made
me his heiress and left me property
valued at from forty to fifty thousand
dollars.
~.