Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1900-07-05

| = u ~
"He could hdve shot the otrl u he'd sOans
ed to-"
knows. l think he knows she had mis-
appropriated some Of the firms money
and lost 1t speculating. She didn't see
any way to get the money to pay back
and couldn't face the disgrace. SO she
took what she thought was the easiest
way out Of her trouble and put bullet
In her heart.
"She was standing up by the high
desk when she did 1t, and when she fell
she knocked the stool over. and the six
shooter rolled under the desk. She did
1t early in the storm, and young Jones
heard the shot and the sound OF the
fall, as he states. She had the cash.
book out, and had seen what bad shape
things were in. and concluded she
couldn't stand It any longer"
How do you explain the presence of
the broken globe on the foorY asked
the professor.
when II struck the building"
"And did the lightning light the gas
which was found burningY
"No; Miss Dodge Lit 1t. 1t grew very
dark before II began TO rain, and she
couldn't see to work without It."
"You believe, then, that she was
quite busily at work up to the moment
when she shot herself?"
"Well." answered the city editor, q
little uneasily, .'she had been examin-
ing the cashbook."
"Yes, but the cashbook was over by
the window on Mr.. Morse's desk. This
gas fame. ten feet away. wouldn't aid
her much In seeing that"
"Well. don't suppose" said the city
editor. little nettled, "that she work
ed right up to the time she shot herself
She probably had some bad moments
before she did It. 1t was a dreary
enough fate she was facing. heaven
knows. and with nature in q tempest
outside and tempest In her own
breast 1t was natural enough for her to
light the gas and try to make things a
little brighter round her during her last
moments on earth"
Il quite agree with you." returned
the professor blandly. ''that 1t was nat
ural for her to light the gas under
those circumstances, provided those
were the circumstances existing"
"T've notion" remarked broker
named Stewart, who was sitting over
by the city editors desk, that when
the lightning struck the building 1t dis
charged the revolver. which was aimed
right at Martha's heart; killed her ac-
cidentally, something after the way
that cat killed Colonel Cromwell, you
know" nodding toward the professor
Professor Gilman made no reply, and
the theory didn't seem to meet much
approval The city editor remarked
that the revolver would probably have
shown some marks on II IL the light
ming had come close enough to dis
charge 1t and that 1t bore no such evi-
dence Of having been hit by the light
ming when he examined IT.
"Pn tell You what think" said the
young reporter, who, with usual mod.
esty, had waited till the others had ex-
pressed their opinions. II think that
fellow who tried to rob Miss Dodge
| about year ago came back to have Il
| out with her. This time he got away
with her. He was the fellow seen go
| ing up the stairs. He'd learned some
how she was up there alone. think
he slipped in quietly and got round be-
hind the cashiers window before Miss
Dodge knew II. l think she was Mt
| work at Morse's desk over by the win
dow. Morse always left the key In the
desk. And 1t would have been the
easiest thing In the world for the fel-
| low to get In without her knowing It
while the thunder was making all that
racket. He probably Intended to rob
the place, but just then the lightning
struck, and he had to get out. He could
have got down stairs and In the crowd
that gathered to see the fire without
being noticed.
II think they may have had strug-
! gle before he shot her. Perhaps he
didn't intend to kill her when he went
In. but found he had to. She was a
spunky girl-just the one to show fight
During the struggle that glass globe
and the other things were knocked ofI
on the floor probably. The robber III
the gas after he'd shot her. 30 as to see
| better"
The professor alone had not express
ed an opinion. and the city editor said
"Weil. we've each Of us aired our littls
theories. Now. won't you give us
yours. Professor GilmanY
The professor began deliberately
Theories embracing suicide. 1cciden
through agency Of the lightning ans