Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-12-08

have believed that Mr.. Marvel is
guilty?"
"Yes. You are right
livery good. That proves your inno-
oence. Now I will demonstrate his, to
your satisfaction at least" He explain
ed the discrepancy as to time in the
theory Of the other detective.
"But, than," said Virginia, 1.-THE real
murderer must have placed the pistol
where it was found, so as to throw sus-
picion on Mr.. Marvel?"
Exactly You are quick to see
things, quicker than our adversary, Mr..
Burrows. Before we go into that, how
ever, tell me why you consider Marvel
guilty. You must have more reason for
that opinion than is known to me-"
81 have. After we separated across
the river, as you shrewdly discovered,
be returned to the farm. He admitted
to you that be had entered the house,
but he did not tell you that be had left
note for me. found this in the morn.
ing and, as I see now, I misconstrued it.
That was the secret motive Of all my
actions thereafter.
"Have you the letter now?"
"Yes, here it is." Taking it from her
pocket, she handed it to Mr.. Barnes. It
read as follows:
When we parted tonight, you spoke as though
you could not give me the answer that wish.
Perhaps when this reaches you you may see
ILL k1., d. ,lo&
seems an obstacle IN your judgment may be
removed, and you may feel free to decide your
own and my fate yourself. Should you decide
against me, write to me, as agreed, and will
leave you and this country forever.
Mr.. Barnes read this carefully, and
then said:
"I see your mistake. In reading it
you placed a comma after the word
Judgment, whereas he meant it to be
after the word obstacle. However, this
paper alone will prove the alibi so neo-
essary to Mr.. Marvel, and so you may
rest easy, although I shall not until I
have found the man who manufactured
all this evidence against Mr.. Marvel.
There is another point which I wish
cleared up. How did you know there
were two wounds in the body and 80 be
able to arrange your story to meet the
requirements Of the case so well?"
"When Alice tainted, and was brought
out of the room, Harry Lucas came with
her, and, while the doctor was attend
ing to her, I questioned Lucas"
"Of course. Of course. was fool
to let him leave the room, but then a
man cannot think Of everything. You
are clever woman, Miss Lewis, and it
will be a pleasure for me to serve you.
Now. one thing more. Tell me why you
did not destroy that paper upon which
your uncle had written Mr.. Marvel's
name, accusing him Of the crime. That
was a dangerous bit Of evidence to keep
if you wished to shield him."
"Yes, I know, but it is just because
it seemed 80 conclusive that did keep
it. thought that I should be able to
prevent it's existence from being discov-
cred, but in that I was sadly mistaken.
I kept it for this reason. / was willing
to shield Mr.. Marvel at any sacrifice,
because-because I love him. But I
should never have received him again
30 long as I knew him to be or thought
that he was a criminal. Suppose that
he had gone away, and then should re-
turn after q year or two, never having
been publicly accused? Don't you see
how terrible my position would be2 To
be obliged to accuse him Of cr.ne
when l had no proof"
Exactly. You were willing to sup
press the evidence to save him, but you
preserved it to save yourself. Very
proper perhaps, but, you see, very risky,
considering your primary purpose. or
course that paper will tell against him
now. Then there is the matter Of the
locket. That certainly looks very bad.
How do you account for that?'
"Why-why-don't you see? That
was my last hope destroyed. When 1
heard that Walter-Mr. Marvel-had
taken the locket and remembered that 1
had found it tight in MY dead uncle's
hand, the whole thing seemed too terri
bly, certain. But now'-
"Ah You have a theory?"
"Mr. Barnes, you men never quite
understand us women. We love man
and after that we cling to him forever.
We hope against reason and manufac-
sure reasons upon which to build hope
So. ever since the inquest, have striveI
to find an explanation of this locket af'
fair. There is one possibility that ha'
occurred to me. Mr.. Marvel certainly
entered the house after l had retired
and probably while my uncle was ye'
alive. May he not have dropped the
locket and may not my uncle, disturbed
by some noise, have searched the house
and accidentally have found the locket?
"That is very we'll argued, Miss
Lewis, but I fear that it will not prove
to be true. Unless Mr.. Lewis was killed
Immediately after he would scarcely
have retained the locket III his hand.
Still, it is a possibility. 1t would do al
pinch in trying to confuse jury; but,
unless I be greatly mistaken, nothing OF
that sort will be necessary. l hope to
discover the whole solution Of this sin
gularly complex affair. d"
"Where will you begin?"
"Where Burrows did, only I will gd
the other way. He followed the mail
away from the scene Of the murder and
allowed himself to get Oh false scent.
Twill trace him to the place from which
be came and there discover his identity.
Meanwhile you must 90 home again.
When is the funeral?"
"It is to be this afternoon. l."
"Then 90 back with you. But, first,
there is something that I can find out,
even here in Boston. If you will wait
for me, my housekeeper will get you
some breakfast while i do my errand. "