Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1900-02-24

salts and a glass OF wine I went pacK
up stairs
| hal already decided In my own
mind Il II, Uncle Ralph had been rs,'r-
dered hy a burglar, but the first glance
ronnsl The room seemed TO disprove this
theory for m the dressing case lay
the watch and rhe purse OF the muir
dered ran. Nor. after thorough
search. ,-anid l End even a pin missing.
OF course we had a coroner's inquest.
and his developed the fact. which we
already knew. that Ralph Morton had
met his death at the hands Of a party
or parties unknown"
When the verdict had been rendered.
1 returned 10 the scene Of the murder
and made another investigation. Tn
der the window | discovered some bits
of broken glass. On examining the
window itself I not only found that
the upper sash was out. but hat one
pane OF glass in the lower was miss
ing. As l failed to draw any concIu-
sion from these circumstances | went
back to Susan Ellen and asked II she
supposed tue murderer had carried OF
the upper window sash.
She burst out crying Historically.
Id for a long time | could get no an
swer out OF her at all. But IL trans
pired at last that when Aunt Samyra
had heeu apprised OF Uncle Ralph's
unexpected visit the day before she
had sent Susan Ellen up stairs to get
his room ready. Susan Ellen. think.
ing she had plenty of time before his
arrival to clean the windows, took out
the ~sashes-they were old fashioned
windows-in order to wash them.
But Uncle Ralph got in two hours
ahead Of time. having come on an
earlier train than he expected The
result was that Susan Ellen had not
finished the windows.
but IL was so warm" she wound
up with another burst Of tears. II did
not think 1t would matter to leave out
one sash, and l meant to clean II and
put II in Today"
/ understood now why Il was that
Cousin Susan vas so powerfully af-
fected by the death of q great uncle
whom she had never seen till yester-
day She thought IL she had not left
out that window sash the murderer
could not have gained entrance.
Aunt Samyra employed the finest de-
t~ectives to clear up the mystery, but 1t
remained a mystery STILL
"Alicia." said my aunt about six
months after the murder, what L.
-FOUR theory on this subjectT'
81 have none," l answered, unless
it was a case of suicide"
"ImpossibIe" she calculated
"What sort of mood was be in when
be babe you good nightT
VERY bright ms cheerful"
"How long was it after be left o
before you retiredY
L hadn't retired at all. but was put
ting up ms hair in curl papers when !
heard the pistol shot and went after
you"
Then you heard the report Of the
pistol shortly after be babe you good
nightg'
81 did"
"And you say he was In q bright,
cheerful frame Of mindr,
Yes. he went of with a laugh about
being In the top story. saying be could
get . better view Of the comef which
was hen attracting the attention Of
every che. as he would be 20 much
nearer TO it,
At the end OF this conversation I wa
as much Ia the dark as I had been ~
the beginning
b. On. min had been borne in up
Oh suy u 81 very forcibiy OF iafe. and
tiss was sh+ change in Susan Ellen
Eyrr sim list BILE night she
had been a different girl and seemed
only the shadow Of her former self
attributed flifs state Of things TO .
morbid ov~ers4nsitive conscience which
wosid persist 10 attaching great blame
TO hers Il for Ia wing left out that win
dow sash One phase Of Der eheraetex.