The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-02-08


would hardly be sufficient reason for
the murder; for I was so near that it
would have been all but impossible for
the murderous thief to have rifed her
body, and then what likelihood was
tne-e of sufficient spoil to compensate
him for the awful risk he RAM"
Fenton stopped and once more COW
cred his eyes YEARLY with his hands. I
felt it would be useless to dwell longer
on the details of the murder. He had
told me all he knew, and further dis
cussion seemed needless cruelty to my
friend. Besides, my time had expired.
So rose.
"By the bye" asked, shave you no
photograph Of her you could let me
have? feel confident that we could
throw some light on this awful mys-
terry if we could only trace her ante
cedents. # you have her picture, it
would no doubt help u.s."
eyes" he replied, 81 have one pho
tograph of her which she gave me after
much pressing and reluctantly enough
in all conscience. left it at home thas
awful night. You will fn@it in a
leather case in the top left hand drawer
Of my dressing table, in which keep
my ties, under the paper at the bottom
Of the drawer. Ask Mabel to give it
you. %
said goodby to my friend as cheerily
as possible and assured him that we
were doing everything that could be
done in his interests and that no stone
would be left unturned to prove his in
nocence, but I left him with a heavy
heart, for felt the all but utter hope
lessness CT the task before US.
got the photograph that same day.
It was cabinet Vignette Of q remark
ably handsome girl, and for the mo-
ment could not believe this was the
poor woman, the 6 Semory Of whom,
huddled in the gutter as had first seen
her, would forever remain with me,
but seccad glance showed me that it
was indeed the same woman before the
storms and blasts Of life had fu1Towed
her cheeks and dulled her eyes. Here I
saw face breathing inward happiness
and contentment-the face of woman
to be remem bered. Beneath wealth Of
dark hair were a broad forehead and
eyes of marvellous depth and beauty.
The chin betokened unusual decision,
and it was evident she was not woman
to be lightly dealt with. On the other
hand, her nostrils and lips gave the i'm
preston that she sought some one to
care for and even lean upon and on
whom the wealth of no ordinary love
would be lavished in return, Altogether
it was an exceptional face-one Of a
woman whose influence for good should
have reached far and wide. What ter
rible fatality had warped her path SO
that it led through trouble to such
piteous end?
The photographers name had been
erased and turned the card round, hop
ing to find some clew ON the back, but
it was blank. say the name had been
erased, but it had not been completely
scratched away, and there were still in
dications of print, but so trivial that it
seemed hopeless to expect any clew
therefrom.
My next business was as Scotland
Yard. There was just hope that Har-
riet Staples had been advertised for as
missing by her friends, and if so her
photograph would probably be there. I
explained my business to an official,
and we soon had before us the albums
of some years back. We went carefully
through them, comparing each one with
the photograph I had with me, but of
the many thousands Isaw not one bore
any resemblance to it, and at last we
gave up the search as hopeless. A
young detective helped me in my search.
and as I was about to place the picture
in my pocket he pointed to the nearly
obliterated letters at the foot.
''There's the clew, sir, take my word
for it. If you could only restore the
whole word from those fragments, you
would have it at once. -
"That's all very we'll" said l, 'sbut
I'm afraid it's an impossible feat. %
81 wouldn't be too sure of that, !" he
replied. "I've known good deal come
from slenderer hint. Why not have a
few facsimiles made of them and send
them to experts:''
I left the place with this suggestion
ringing in my ears, and as I turned it
over in my mind it bore unexpected
fruit. Capital! It should be as he sug-
gested, but instead of few facsimiles
I would have hundreds of thousands
struck off and carried the length and
breadth of the land. How? By enlisting
the popular press in my cause.
The next day managed to obtain
letter of introduction to the editor of
one of those weeklies which have so hit
the public taste alat there is scarcely
one household in the country which
does not buy its weekly copy TIC him
I broached my plan, which was nothing
less than securing the services OF his
readers to aid me in my search. l asked