The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-10-06

should there be q telescope commands
ing the knoll the story told to Gertrude
would appear to be verified; and yet,
even In that contingency Cronkite was
not prepared to abandon the lead of
his trained Judgment.
The room was an odd combination of
utility and comfort, with work bench
opposite the lounge, and chamois rub
bers and emery boards mingled with
French novels and pipes on the table.
On the wall were racks of telescopes
and etchings of rare taste and value.
Cronkite selected the instrument of
greatest power and brought 1t to bear
on the Heaton place opposite. Yes,
paths and shrubbery stood out dis
ttnctly. There was rose bush to the
right Of the Knoll and book lay open
on one of the open benches. AS n sense
of the difficulties before him If he per-
sisted In suspecting one so fortified
by fact swept over him. he gave n
gasp of astonishment for into the field
of the glass, cautiously advancing
across the knoll to the edge of the
declivity came Paul Poloff himself, ev-
cry movement as unerrngly revealed
as If the two were not 100 feet apart!
The Hungarian looked this way and
that. All was as silent, as solitary.
as serene, as on the day Merrill Heaton
met his death. He crept lightly to the
embankment and swung down from
bush to branch until he stood
on a ledge. He raised rock
from the rubble and placed some
thing that was white vet
not all white. underneath: then he
swung himself just as lightly back
again. and walked away through the
plantation with the air of proprietor.
This sight was as fresh scent to
hound. Abe Cronkites mind was no
longer perturbed by difficulties;
straight and true it ran after the
quarry! Poloff was the murderer,
crafty and cowardly; first Staying his
benefactor to avoid exposure for theft,
and then seeking to secure his wealth
through marriage with the daughter.
What though he must shed more blood
to accomplish his purpose: was he not
already arranging to do so: did not his
furtive movements just now show that
he was preparing the proof that should
condemn an honest man? Let him
beware then, lest when he came to
show it he found instead what pointed
unerringly to himself All, but the
boy of all work had seen his man ly-
Ing on the lounge the very afternoon
of the murder. Granted he thought
so. what then? OF course Poloff took
precautions; Of course he prepared a
dummy. SO that if any one should spy
the evidence of that one would be in
his favor! So the detective, all stimu-
lated to highest mental activity, rea-
soned; so, in accordance he presently
acted, searching the room until he
found a dressing gown arranged
around a pillow in such a way as to
represent human form, until he
came across something white, yet not
all white-another instance in itself of
how murderer when inventing
scheme to incrimnate the innocent, al
most involuntarily has recourse to
what really took place!
1t was the following day and Judge
Marcellus was at the Heaton place,
where Gertrude, repentant of her rash
ness and terrified by it's consequences,
had summoned him, Poloff, she said,
had named the murderer; he promised
to produce proof before the family
lawyer. And oh, dreadful. incredible,
impossible though it was, the one he
denounced was Herbert Lowering, the
kindest friend the gentlest soul-FIere
the girl had burst into torrent of
tears and wild lamentations. which.
however, settled into composure, res
olute, even hard, after the judge had
made an explanation and u suggestion.
POLOFF TELLS Ills STORY.
Abe Cronkite was there, too, in his
~ nyfn nr'S ;,,,J,
the weeds from the verge of the en-
bankment. But Paul Poloff thought
nothing of it as he saw him so en-
gagged. 1t had been Mr.. Heaton's wont
to have the men from the works to do
odd jobs around the place. Doubt
less when he himself was the master
he would do away with such piecemeal
methods by employing a skilled land
scape gardener; but now, ah there
We're more important things to occupy
mis- attention! And so he hung perss-
tently over Gertrude, with high, ex-
cited speech and exaggerated gesture
as he and she. with Judge Marcellus.
came across the knoll.
1T is here" the lensmaker was say
ing, that your honored father stood
1T was here, pardon me, that-he-fell
to rise no more! The vile assassin, he
ran. wiping his hands, so, so, with his
Down he plunged, out of
sight for a moment, and then, plunged
a gain from rock to tree to shrub, until
he reached the railway track and dis
appeared around the bend! But, nv
dear young lady, when he reached the
bottom he did not have that handker-
chief In his hand. I know him, as I
have told you, by dress, by movement,
by form: but at that distance your
police, so rough with the poor for
eigner, might say I was mistaken, 7
had no proof! And SO l kept silent un-
til l spoke for love Of you, and then,
and then, why, thought of that hand
kerchief, all spotted! The torrential
rains, they might have washed it into
some crevasse! I looked, l found:
left 1t for your dear eye. so Distress
full! See!"
Paul Poloff crept lightly to the en-
bankment and swung down from bush
to bush until he stood on ledge. He
raised rock from the rubble and took
out something that was white, yet not
all white, from underneath. Then he
presented his discovery to Gertrude.
"There is a name In the corner" he
said: will you favor me by reading
it?"
The girl took the handkerchief
shrinkingly, all dabbled as it was,
and held it up to the light. Her ewes
were firm, though her lips were pale.
as she read the name in the corner.
Paul Poloff!"
The effect of this unlocked for trans.
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