The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-03-20
II hadn't retired at all, but was put

ting up my hair In curl papers when
heard the pistol shot and went after
you"
s'Then you heard the report of the
pistol shortly after he babe you good
night"
81 did"
s'And you say he was in a bright
cheerful frame of mindY'
Eyes; he went off with laugh about
being In the top story, saying he could
get a better view of the comet, which
was then attracting the attention ~
every one, as he would be SO mucl
nearer to it."
At the end of this conversation was
as much in the dark as l had been al
the beginning.
But one thing had been borne in up
on my mind very forcibIy of late, and
that was the change in Susan Ellen.
Ever since that memorable night she
had been a different girl and seemed
only the shadow of her former self.
l attributed this state of things to a
morbid, oversensitive conscience which
would persist in attaching great blame
to herself for having left out that win
dow sash. One phase of her character,
however, l was at a loss to account
for, and that was the sudden and un-
accountable aversion she had taken to
Aunt Samyra's poor old yellow cat
Formerly, / remembered. she had
been the cats greatest champion and
many a time had shared a meal with
pussy, but now she actually shivered
If the animal happened to brush
against her.
But it was many years before | dis
covered the cause of that aversion.
Aunt Samyra was dead; pussy had
died and been buried by me with many
tears under the cypress tree in the
back yard; Susan Ellen had married
Mr.. Wentworth, the young man who
had been her escort to the concert the
night of Uncle Ralph's death; the old
home had been broken up. and was
drifting about the world in an aimless
way.
Susan Ellen had invited me to spend
a week with her, and as her husband
was away on business we had ample
opportunity for the exchange Of long
condolences about old times.
One night as we sat by the fire the
subject happened to turn on Aunt
Samyra's old yellow cat. asked her
why it was that she took such sud-
den and unaccountable aversion to that
poor animal.
cit is something have often want
ed to tell you." she answered, but
somehow always shrank from doing so.
At first was afraid, and afterward
just kept putting it off because knew
] ought to have told it at first. You
remember the night Uncle Ralph was
killed."
81 certainly do"
"Well, that evening went to a con-
cert with Mr.. Wentworth. We got
home about 1920 and stood talking at
the front gate few minutes, he mean
while calling my attention to the COM
ct. l felt guilty standing at the gate,
for Aunt Samyra had often told me not
to do so. and involuntarily glanced
toward the house, expecting to see her
poking her head out Of the window,
looking at me. Instead two curious
objects in Uncle Ralph's window
caught my eye.
"You remember it was such a bright
moonlight that one could see very dis
tinctly. You remember also about my
washing the windows. The bottom
sash was in. but hoisted on a piece Of
broom handle so as to take the place Of
the top sash. leaving the bottom of the
window open.
snow. then. on the window sill.
walking backward and forward, look
ing at the comet, too, l suppose. was
Aunt Samyra's old yellow cat. while
Uncle Ralph. with his head poked out
from the window, was also regarding
the comet with rapt intentness.
''My first feeling was one Of guilty
dismay He was looking at the comet
now, to be sure. but if he were to
glance in my direction and then to tell
Aunt Samyra!
"While hesitated what to do pussy
began rubbing herself against the piece
of broom handle that held up the win
dow. The broom handle, am afraid,
had been put up in very slanting, in
secure fashion. l realized this in a
fash as noticed Uncle Ralph's pistol
lying on the window sill. And had
barely realized it when the broom ham
die slipped. the window came down
On the pistol, and you heard the shot
and know the rest"
She paused and took deep breath.
"And now I want to know which
was responsible for the murder. the
cat or the cometT-C Chicago Times
Herald.