The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-19

eaten, you see He has swallowed ;
glass of port, but that is all. The othe
glasses have had no wine in them. no
have the victuals been touched
Seats set for three and only one oc
cupant," murmured Mr.. Sutherland
Strange! Could he have expected
guests?"
1T looks like it. didn't know tina.
his wife allowed him such privileges
but she was always too good to him
and fear has paid for it with hel
life''
Nonsense, he never killed her. HAD
his love been anything short of the
worship it was, he stood in too much
awe of her to lift his hand against her
even in his most demented moments"
Il don't trust men of uncertain wits,
returned the other. You have not
noticed everything that is TO be seen in
this room"
Mr. Sutherland, recalled to his duty
by these words, looked quickly about
| him. With the exception of the table
and what was on and by it. there was
nothing else in the room. Naturally his
/ glance returned to Philemon Webb.
Il don't see anything but this poor
sleeping man." ne began.
| Look at his sleeve"
J Mr. Sutherland with a start, again
| bent down. The arm of his old friend
/ lay crooked upon the table, and on its
blue cotton sleeve there was a smear
which might have been wine, but which
was-blood.
As Mr.. Sutherland became assured of
this, he turned slightly pale and looked
! inquiringly at the two men who We're
intently watching him.
This is bad" said he. ANY other
masks of blood below stairs?"
No; that one smear is al"
erland. in deep emotion Then, as he
looked long and shudderingly at his
friend, he slowly added;
He has been in the room where she
was killed; so much is evident. But
that he understood what was done there
l cannot believe or he would not be
sleeping here like a log. Come, let us
go upstairs.
FenEon. with an admonitory gesture
toward his subordinate, turned directly
toward the staircase. Mr.. Sutherland
followed him, and they at once pro-
ceeded to the upper hall and into the
large front room, which had been the
scene of the tragedy
1t was the parlor or sitting room of
this small and unprefentious house A
rag carpet covered the floor and the
furniture was of the plainest kind,
but the woman who lay outStretched on
the stiff old-fashioned lounge opposite
the door was far from being in accord
with the homely type of her SUR
roudings. Though the victim of a vio-
lent death. her face and form, both of a
beauty seldom to be found among
women of any station, We're so majestic
in their calm repose, that Mr.. Suther-
land, accustomed as he was TO her
noble appearance, experienced a shock
Of surprise that found vent in these
words:
Murdered she? You have made some
mistake. my friends. Look at her FACET
But even in the act of saying this his
eyes fell on the blood which had dyed
her cotton dress. and he cried:
Where was she struck and where is
the weapon which made this CHASTITY
wound?"
"she was struck while standing or
sitting at this table" returned the con-
stable. pointing to two or three drops
of blood on its smooth surface. THE
weapon we have not found. but the
wound shows that it was inflicted by a
three-sided dagger"
a three-sided dagger?'
yes
81 didn't know there was such a thing
in town. Philemon could have had no
dagger"
TT does not seem so, but one can
never tell. Simple cottages like these
often contain the most unlooked-for
articles
Mr.. Sutherland thought of what this
cottage dad contain, and scrutinized the
constable closely. But the latter showed
no discomposure.
Il cannot imagine a dagger being
among its effects" he pursued. Where
was the body of Mrs, Webb lying when
you came in?'
Where you see it now. Nothing has
been moved or changed"
she was found here. on this lounge.
in the same position in which, we see
her now?"
yes, sir
But that is incredible. Look at the
way she lies! Hands crossed. eyes
closed, as though made ready for her
burial. Only loving hands could have
done this. What does it mean?"
1T means Philemon; that is what it
means, Philemon
Mr.. Sutherland shuddered but said
nothing. He was dumbfounded by these
evidences of a crazy mans work
Philemon Webb always seemed so
harmless, though he had been failing in
mind for the last ten years.
But" cried Mr. Sutherland, suddenly
rousing. there is another victim. I
saw old woman Batsy hanging from a
window ledge dead."
Yes. she is in this other room; but
there is no wound on Batsy."
How was she killed, then?''
THAT the doctors must tell u.s.
Mr.. Sutherland, guided by Mr.. Fen
toms gesture. entered a small room
opening into the one in which they
stood. His attention was at once at
tracted by the body of the woman he
had seen from below, lying half in and
half out of the open window That she
was dend was evident; but, as Mr..
Fenton had said, no wound was to be
seen upon her, nor We're there any
marks of blood on or about the place
where she lay.
This is a. dreadful business" groaned
Mr.. Sutherland. "the worst have ever
had anything to do with. Help me TO
lift the woman in; she has been long
enough a show for the people outside
There was a bed in this room Gndeed
it was Mrs. Webb's bedroom). and upon
this poor Batsy was laid AS the
face came uppermost both gentlemen
started and looked at each other in
The expression of terror
and alarm which it showed was in
contrast to the look Of exalta-
ton to be seen on the face of her dead
mistress.