Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-02-14

"The postern gate was open," con-
tinued Allen rapidly. Also the side
door of that deserted drawing-room.
This did not surprise me, as l had been
led to expect from the letter that the
way would be clear for me to enter
When l went into the study l was
struck with horror at the sight A
candle, wasted nearly to the socket
was burning on the bureau. The desk
itself was hacked and smashed, and
the drawers forced open, as you saw it
in the morning. Hundreds of letters
and papers were scattered about, some
on the bureau itself, others on the
floor, and in the midst Of all this dis
order lay the CHASTITY dead body, ter
rible to1ook at in the pale glimmer of
the expiring candle. The pistol was on
one side, the knob-kerrie on the other,
and the dead man, with his face dis
figured, lay between"
Did you hear anyone, or see any
one?"
Il heard nothing. I saw nothing.
The door leading to the hall was closed,
and there was no sign of the assassin.
l saw in a flash the terrible position in
which | was placed. | had quarreled
with Edermont, and here l was in his
private room at midnight, standing be-
side his dead body. might be accused
Of the murder, and condemned on cir
cumstantial evidence; for on the face
of it | could make no defence. AS
looked with horror on the scene, with
these thoughts in my mind, the candle
famed up in one expiring flash, then
died out in blue flicker. | was alone
in the darkness with the dead man;
and seized with a sudden panic-surely
excusable under the circumstances
turned and fed rapidly. In two min
utes l was on my bicycle, running full
speed for Canterbury. That is all l
know, Dora"
Dora considered for a few moments
after he had finished. You are sure
that there was nobody else in the Red
House on that night?" she asked after
a pause.
Allen hesitated. 81 did not intend to
sneak" he murmured; but for my
own sake / must tell you all. When
| was coming into Chillum, met a wo-
man going towards Canterbury on a
bicycle"
"A woman. Allen? And at midnight
alone? Who was she?'
at the time | passed her | did not
know" said the doctor rising; but
on nv return journey, when l had left
the house after the murder, l met her
again. by the railway bridge. She was
wheeling her machine down the NIL,
and called out to me to help her. The
tyre of her back wheel was punctured.
l got off at once, notwithstanding my
anxiety to get home, and with the ald
of guttapercha l soon mended the
tiny hole. Then we rode on together
until our roads parted. .,
DO you know who she was!' asked
Dora for a second time.
Yes" said Allen quietly. i recos-
nized her at once. He produced q
brooch from his waist-coat pocket.
found this in Edermonts study, Where
il had no doubt been dropped by her'
How do you know.
by putting two and two together
Look at the brooch.
Dora did so. 1t was a slender bar of
male gold. to which two letters formed
of small pearls were attached. one
uttered an exclamation of astonish-
ment as she read them out. Il. b.,
she said; that stands for
For Laura Burville," finished Allen
quickly. Exactly Laura Burvllle
was the woman l met coming rom
Cbillum. And. by the evidence Of the
brooch. Laura Burville was the woman
VINO was in Edermont's study on the
midnight of the second of August.
10 be continued.)