The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-11-20

pretty pillow that Kendall had noticed.
He had not troubled himself to rise as
he called. Come in" in response to the
detectives knock.
"Mr. Elmendorf." said he, good even
ING, sir. What can | do for you?"
II want to ask you a few questions,
DOCTOR" replied Elmendorf. Hello.
Had a burglary"
He pointed to a desk in the corner
that seemed to have been broken open.
There was a blankbook that had
contained a business memorandum" he
said. land it was locked up in that
desk. 4 friend Of mine was so anxious
TO see it that. calling in my absence.
he did not wait for me to return. lie
broke the desk and got the book. But,
u~nluckily for him. l had already re-
moved the page on which the memo
randum appeared
"Blackmail:" Queried Elmendorf.
Something Of the Sort" was the re-
ply.
"If l a be Of any assistance, let me
know" said the detective. "And now
want to talk about the case Of Elsie
Miller. There's a little medical point
"Why don't you ask KendallT'
CDR. Kendall Is not laxative" said
Elmendorf. and
Neither am l." responded Blair.
However, let's hear your question"
you remember" said Elmendorf.
seating himself and looking across the
table in the center Of the room. his
arms resting upon it. that Miss Miller
was stabbed in a peculiar way. There
was q little mark. a scar you might
call it. just below the collar bone on
the left side
1.-The mark Of what we call a green
fracture said Blair; that is, the bone
was broken in youth. | understand
she fell against a sharp point Of some
thing while she was at play. The rib
at that spot was permanently weaken
ed and somewhat depressed afterward.
but not enough to interfere with the
lung"
at was no Disagreement when she
wore a low cut dress. was it?" asked
Elmendorf.
"Quite the contrary" replied Blair.
ct looked like a large dimple."
IAN ordinary man wouldn't have
known what it was, eh"
Probably not"
1.-The knife couldn't have struck there
by accident" said Elmendorf. 1T
looks to me like one Of those freaks of
q murderer who has brooded over the
crime in advance"
Curious point" said Blair.
$50 it seemed to me-" said Elmen-
dorf, land here's another. OF course
the man who stabbed her meant to kill
her"
Certainly"
a thief would have struck her on
the head"
II should think likely"
$50 this was n murder case" said
Elmendorf. There was the intention
to kill. Now, why didn't the murderer
strike again"
He probably thought h wound
was fatal" responded Blair.
That's the queer part Of It." said
the detective. II wouldn't have
thought it was fatal. Most murderers
60 on stabbing: they strike half a
dozen times in a sort Of frenzy. This
man was content with one blow. but
it was Il good one, and If the knife
blade hadn't been bent
WAS it beut?" inquired Blair.
Yes" was the reply. And II the
assassin wa one who knew the loca-
ton of the vital organs, but was at
the time too much excited to notice
the defect in the instrument. why.
then. that bend in the blade may have
saved her life"
IF it is saved added Blair.
III was certainly saved for q time"
said the detective. though every doc
tor who saw the wound Immediately
pronounced it fatal. That's a point in
The case"
From which you conclude-what?'
said Flair. rising and taking a seat at
the table opposite E~lmendorf.
Tie detective did not Immediately
answer Tie question. He seemed to be
deep in thought.
by the way" he said suddenly.
there's another point while ! remem-
Der il. mean that letter"
What letter.
"Thr one Alden wrote and Elsie new
er got" replied ElmenGorf. THE post
man really delivered 1t. OF course.
though lie won't testify positively. 1t
WAS undoubtedly put by the servant
under the door of the vestibule. that lit
tie hall leading to Miss Miller's room.
1t WAS put under that door. but not far
enough"
Not far %enough?".
NO. Somebody came along and
pulled 1t out. II 1t happened to be a
man who was in love with Miss Miller.
the reading Of it couldn't have been