The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1900-05-26
The CAT OR THE COMET?

What was that? A confused noise
as Of shattering glass, heavy fal
and. then a pistol shot, all at once.
Then Aunt Samyra tapped on th'
door and called to me in excited tones
through the keyhole:
'Alicia Dean! Alicia Dean! Get NJ
and dress, quick! There are burglar'
UPSTAIRS
Fortunately was already dressed
having sat up later than usual thai
night, waiting for my roommate, Su
can Ellen, to come back from the con
cert.
So / opened the door at once. and at
did 80 Susan Ellen almost ran into
my arms, looking white and scared
and almost ready to drop.
Aunt Samyra appeared a moment
later, her hair done up in curl papers
armed with lighted candle, a revol
yer and poker.
l got possession of the revolver i'm.
mediately; not that expected to dc
any more good with it than she could,
but hoped to do less harm.
Susan Elen," said in q stage
whisper, did you see anything Of the
robbers rs you came in?"
: But Susan Ellen seemed 50 para
lyzed with fear that she was incapa-
ble Of answering, and simply clung to
my left arm like q frightened child,
shaking from bead to foot.
"Now, girls, follow me, and don't
speak word!" commanded Aunt SAM
yra, ascending the stairway, protect
ed BY her helmet Of curl papers, as it
were, and with the candle In one hand
and the poker In the other.
We followed at a safe distance, and
! confded to Susan Ellen on the way
that the pistol shot seemed to have
come from Uncle Ralph's room, and I
was afraid the robbers had hurt him,
Or be would have come to our rescue
In this time.
+. She opened her mouth to answer,
but her teeth chattered so that she
could not.
we now saw that Aunt Samyra had
stopped In front of Uncle Ralph's door
ana was making Intellectual attempts
70 rouse him.
~ accident had the key Of my
room IN my hand, having unconscious
y hken 1t out after opening the door
70 Aunt Samyra. The key l now ap-
pied to Uncle Ralph's lock. The door
opened readily, and Aunt Samyra
stepped In. but sprang back instantly
with cry Of horror, for Uncle Ralph
- on the floor, under the window,
WIN pistol beside him.
y old not take me many minutes to
oecide that be was dead, with a bull
'et through his heart.
Then noticed that a strong gale
was sweeping through the room, and
mat the upper sash Of the window was
eut " vas
.Look!' l said. mo wonder We are
eoldr' ~ We a'e
1at che paid no attention.
. had already decided in nv own
.na that Uncle Ralph had been
%aIuered BY burglar, but the first
snnce round the room, seemed to dis.
p'Ose this theory, for on the dressing
49, W the watch and the purse OF
'ue murdered man. Nor, after thor
missing. ~ p'n
= course We had coroner's inouest
~ tn's developed the fact, which we
.aoy knew. that Ralph Morton
q. nis death at the hands of a partv
" parties unknown"
a. Aunt samyra employed the finest de-.
ves TO clear up the mystery, but
nmained mystery still
Alicia" said my aunt, about six
~sa'ns after the murder, what 4.
ssur \. theory on this subtectw
i se none," Unanswered, "unless
~ss . case Of suicide"
.mpossiblev' she CALCULATED.
WAT sort Of mood was he in when
% oeae You good nighty
sery bright and cheerful"
I. aow long was 1t, after he left ron
lore you retired?"
hadn't retired at ali. buts,ras mt.
'ns up my hair in curl papers. when
1ea1u the pistol shot and went after
men you heard tie report of the
rs.o' r..a.sn shortly after he bnde you good
AZ did"
. 49, you Say he was in a bright
frame Of mind9"
he went off with laugh ,hont |
y the top story. saying he could |
better view Of the couet than !,