Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-12-18
SOUTH PARIS, MAINE, TUESDAY. DEoEMBER IS. 1900.


q once, - commanded Miss Benton.
''Tell him, rot 20 wait . minute.
No one spoke till MontcAstle entered
ss"what 10 itT' he asked, looking at
bis fiancee In surprise.
"Mr. Hendricks IL ABOUT to handcu6
me-" explained Miss Benton, with sar-
casm. He says he can prove that We
went to the station the night father
died and that suspicion has bean direct
ed against ua "
"what?' thundercd Montoastla
"How dare you. sir?" ie
Hendricks faced him calmly.
AT such time, IL you refuse TO ex-
plain your conduct when requested
civilly. it Is right and proper that sus-
picion should fall on you am simply
seeking for information.
"But you are going into our own
private affairs. answered Montcastle
because Mr.. Benton happened 70 be
killed that night In no reason we should
make contidant Of Jon unless We wish
to do So !"
"You can explain now or do 1t In
COURT answered Hendricks, with
smile From my standpoint - de-
tective / am obliged 10 regard your
conduct that night a. suspicious
HE IL right Montcastle" broke In
Ralph excitedly "As the present head
Of this family insist on an explana.
sion. II you had anything to do with
the crime ~
Brother, be ashamed of yourSelfr'
cried Miss Benton. rising and standing
between the two men. Remember that
Arthur Mr.. Montcastle--is our guest
"Do you mean to accuse me Of the
murderg" asked Montcastle, white with
rage.
"I'll accuse you Of what like and
punch your blasted head, too. II you
don't explain why you were riding in q
cab with my sister ut that hour Of tho
night. Do you understand? Out with
il, or IN order your arrest In o minute!
am tired Of this mystery"
Montcastle stood as X turned 10 stone.
Miss Benton covered her face and began
10 sob.
"Ten them" she said to Montcastle
There is nothing else TO do. Brother
says il was not suicide, and shall not
feel 90 bad about IL. ! thought ! had
driven poor papa to it.
Montcastle leaned on o tSble for
minute. then cleared his throat and be-
gan
ITS q tempest in a teapot, be said.
II am willing to make statement. but
I want il distinctly understood that
am doing il mt the request Of this lady
and not nj the command Of her brother.
For several months Miss Benton and j
have been engaged. have an aunt liv-
ing in San Francisco who has made mo
the heir to her fortune. lwrote to her
OF my intentions. but she had made an
other choice for me and gave me to un-
derstand plainly that if Miss Benton
and were married she would cut me
out of her will Notwithstanding this
l determined to carry out my plans
and formally proposed to Mr.. Benton
for the hand Of bis daughter. He had
never liked me. and when told him
what my aunt had written he fatty re-
fused to give his consent Then Miss
Benton and planned an elopement for
the night her fnther was killed. We
would not have gone at such a late
hour. but II was the only time We could
get away without being seen hur.
riedly packed my things in a valise.
Miss Benton put some Of her things in
q travelling bag. and Mary, in whom we
had confided, was to forward her trunk
the next day We were ready TO &c
when Alice--Miss Benton-decided tc
appeal to her father once more.
"You'd better let me tell what hap
pened next" broke in Miss Benton Il
heard fathe, walking in his room.
think il was about 30 minutes before
o'clock. knew he was in one Of his
sleepless moods and went mp and found
him in frigbtfully nervous condition.
II was abou, some business dispute he
had had that afternoon with Mr.. Allen.
IL seemed that Mr.. Allen had been try
ing TO force him 10 sign some paper
which would give Mr.. Allen half In.
terest in an invention which had cost
my father ten times as much as Mr..
Allen had said IL should. After he bnd
told me all his troubles and had abused
me soundly OH account Of my engage
ment / implored him TO reconsider his
decision in regnrd to Mr. Montcastle.
This threw him into a terrible fury. He
not only refused to give his consent to
my marriage, but pushed me from the
room and declared he would disown
me ass soon as he could see his lawyer
the next day.
~ am sure he meant il. Invent down
and told Montcastle what had taken
place. and we decided to leave, as We
were ready and the cab was at the
door. When we got 10 the station, the
train had yust gone. There was not an
other till after 8. We sat in the waiting
room for nearly an hour. In the mean.
time became SO blue over IL all, par
ticularly my fathers health, that l
changed my mind, and as Mr.. Mont
castle assused me we could get back
home without being detected we re-
turned. As we were entering the house
we met Mr.. Stanwood and Miss Has.
tings coming down stairs. ] suspected
the next morning that my father had
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