The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-07-15

sat as close to the partition as possible
She staid until after they had gone
This she would naturally have done to
avoid detection, but ! have stronger
proof in the fact that near the gate
find an imprint from the foot Of the
man, and across it is one Of the wom-
an. The latter is palmer than the first
and was consequently made last. By =
palmer ! mean that the outline Of tho
solo is easily traced across the larger
footprint, which it obliterates where
the two cross. There is another thing
worth noting. Observe that this woman
went almost in straight line from the
gate into the summer house. In depart
ing she came out in straight line to-
ward the house and then turned and
went to the gate. just where this turn
occurred sho stopped for moment. "
''Why, you seem to discern great
deal. How do you deduce that?'
every easily and almost certainly. II
one walks or runs, the footprints must
be single and abont equidistant. At the
point where say that she stopped I
end two inprints nearly side by side.
30 she stopped, but why?"
"Can yea also tell that"
II think that l could make very
shrewd guess. But we will leave her
for the present and take up the next set,
No. 8, a mans. He evidently had an
appointment, for he, too, entered by the
small gate and went directly to the
summer house He returned as he came,
which strengthens the theory that his
sole object in coming was to meet some
one at this place That it was not to
meet the woman whose movements I
have followed is shown by the fact that
his steps pass the compartment M, and
go to the other, N. There is another
point of great interest he was attacked
by dog"
"What? You don't mean to say that
the footprints tell you that?"
"As clearly as though they spoke. I
cannot trace tho dogs movements, for
his marks are all over the lawn, but at
one point on my diagram you will OBJ
serve that No. 3's feet show great
many imprints in one place. Here he
was stopped by tho dog, whose foot
marks are numerous at the point indi-
Gated. Their exaggerated shape, too,
shows clearly that the dog jumped upon
the man, and that in falling back upon
his launches the mark of his whole leg
was made. Again, from this point to.
ward the gate I note that the stride Of
the man increased. This means that he
ran away. You followed the other two.
What did you discover"
81 gave you my drawings, and you
have them shown quite accurately. No.
2, made by a woman, commences, as you
know, at the steps Of the dining room
piazza and leads to the summer house.
From there traced it over to the river,
where found loaf landing. Thence
she returned to the steps again. No. /,
mans, commences at the river bank
about 200 feet south of the landing and
leads directly to the steps. Thence it
follows around the house and out
through the main gate. Outside, un-
fortunately, our party this morning
made so many footprints that could
not follow No. l."
"Did you cross the river, Tom?''
''No, but there il boat there, and
meant to suggest that We 60 over to-
gether. think we will find evidence on
the other side that my lady crossed last
night. Why else should she have gone
to the boat?''
Certainly; we will go at once, but
first have something more to commu-
nicate. Your theory was that the shot
was fired from without and by a wom-
an, and you inclined to the belief that
you knew the identity of that woman.
What, then, do you think Of this?' He
handed Burrows beautiful silver
mounted revolver, in the chambers Of
which were four loaded cartridges and
one empty cartridge The weapon had
apparently been recently fired. Burrows
looked at it moment in amazement
and then asked:
"Where did you find this?'
"Outside of the summer house, lying
in the SNOW, just where claim that
the woman stopped. Now you see what
I meant when said could guess why
she did So But you have not seen all
yet. There is a name Oh it. Read"
Burrows examined the butt more at
tentively, and there saw piece of plate
let into the stock, and neatly engraved
thereon the name, "Alico Marvel"
"Mr. Barnes, what do you make of
that?''
II think that some one had that pistol
last night and fired it. From other evil
dence that | have should say it is a
circumstantial probability that Miss
Marvel herself was here last night and
fired her pistol"
"This is the second time you have
used that phrase, 'circumstantial prob
ability Won't you explain it,"
Certainly. We arc considering
case purely on circumstantial evidence.
have all my life made specially of
such, and divide it into three grades,
according to the logical deduction which
it indicates. Tho first Of these l call
'circumstantial possibility For exam
pie, had the wound in this case been
differently located it might have been
u 'circumstantial possibility that it
was q suicide. Second, we have cir
cumstantial probability such as I have
here and will explain. Third, the cir
cumstantial proof where the attendant
facts leave absolutely no room for
doubt is in my experience rare thing"
II understand Now'will you tell mo
why you think tia circumstantial prob |
ability that Miss Marvel was here and |
fired the pistol?"
"From tho facts which have already |
given you should say it was ques-
ton whether she was here or whether |
some one else had her pistol. But
found another pistol"
1.-The deuce you didl"
"And this one," producing dupli-
cate of the one already shown, "also has
name-Harry Lucas. Now follow my
argument. Squire Olney told us that
these two young people are sweethearts.
The tracks indicate that n woman NAV