The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1901-05-10

note from the sutcioo upon his taDle,
directing him where 70 look for bis
body; but, added Holbin, while the
coroner had by . slfillful selection Of o
jury from among the family's friends
secured a hasty verdict in accordance
with the theory Of suicide, it was APP
parent that the police were suspicious,
and 10 was said that some Of them were
had left the imprnts Of number two
shoes under the window Of the wing
room. Such was the story.
Louise believed IL implicitly. The
horror OF her crime deprived her for
the time OF her mental powers and
good jud sment. She suffered herself
to be guided and directed by Holbin.
She was consigned 20 the care Of an
elderly negro woman, and readily &C.
repted her room as her prison. 1t was
not long before she was physically
powerless to leave IL.
Raymond Holbin's most serious APP
prehension during tho day which Wit
messed the death Of John Broolin
grew out Of the fact that by infer
ence at least he had been charged with
crime in connection with Louise. His
common sense told him that something
said by Frances In her last interview
with her father had provoked the sud-
den accusation. What did Frances
know Of Louise and who was her In
formantl Gradually during the day
his suspicious nature secured ascend
ancy over his common sense. A Sc
cret VISIT outside the window of the
wing betrayed the still distinct
tracks made by Louise and the fact
that the ivy had been disturbed.
From the moment Of these discov-
cries Holbin was a miserable man. IL
is a peculiar but q well-lnown lido
syncrasy of the masculine nature that
whatever the man himself may bring
to the marriage altar he demands that
he shall meet there only immaculate
purity. The realization by Holbin
that fortune could be secured only by
linking himself for life TO Frances,
who was thus proven 70 have COM
promised herself, was alone sufficient
TO ill him with bitterness and hatred,
though II did not for a moment deter
him; but by not unnatural operation
Of the processes which were molding
his future be had found himself
strangely influenced from the hour
Of their first meeting by this young
girl whose future was TO be linked 70
his. Fresh from school, her mind I'M
formed, and with but vague ideas Of
real life, Frances Broolsin presented
that charming combination of knowl-
edge and ingenuousness which makes
the girl-woman forever irresistible to
men Of experience. Himself accom-
plished and versatile, he set about the
pleasant task Of winning her conf
dence, and he might perhaps have
succeeded but for ver-assiduousness
and ths wonderful intuition of the
feminine mind The unwelcomo TO
suits of his efforts were that within
two weeks he had fatally alarmed her
and as fatally involved himself. For
the ArEt time in his life he was genu-
inely IN love.
II was at this time that DR.. Brod-
mar, lowering around his aged patient,
discovered the drift Of affairs, and, be-
coming aware Of the infamy planned
through the will. privately took con,
troll of Frances and revealed TO her
the plot Of which she was to be the
victim. From that moment Frances
turned from Holbin as from a Grim
inal, and Holbin was piquSd to court
her with a fercer jealousy.
1t was TO this heart, consumed by
hopeless passion, that the revelation
made by Louise had winged its high
like shaft of flame. Try as he might
he could not In the face of corroborat
ing facts convince himself that sh,
spoke altogether falsely or labored un
der a complete haliucination. Yet
looking with the eyes of memory int
the open, pallid face of Frances, HI
could not he would not, accept thu
inevitable conclusion forced upon hin
by Louise. Such was his frame o
mind on the day of the funeral, wheI
he remained at the BroolSin residence
perhaps his only opportunity to max
an examination of Frances apart
ments. Before the carriages ha'
reached the cemetery he turned tn
latch and entered her deserted bed
room.
The appointments of this room wer
few, but tasteful. 1t abounded in tn
little belongings of a young girl To
day there were many evidences of
scene which had defeated good order
A jaunty hat and bright ribbons wer
hastily thrown aside, and the open bu
reau drawers revealed dainty lace
and lingerie. But the eyes of the in
quisitive intruder took notice of non
of these things; they were riveted in
stantly TO an object that lay besid
a book upon the comfortable, nea
which stood an armchair. That oh
ject was a slender cigar. He took |
up-answered. He knew that in tn
, Brookin household he was the onl.
, smoker-and he did not smoke slende
:, cigars. To the mind of this man, eve
open to suspicious and suggestions 0
! evil, that strange cigar was testimon.
unimpeachable. II was the knife Il