Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-16

! time she returned. I presume that Short
| had told him..
What time was this?"
ooh, about half-past 10. I should
| think" replied Nurse Kate. He said
something about it being bad night to go
! out to a theatre. and hoped she would
| not take cold
..He was not angry?
mot in the least. He was never angry
| when she went to town. He used to say
| to me- My wife's a young woman. Nurse.
| She wants little amusement some
| times and I'm sure I don't begrudge 1t
! her.
This puzzled me quite as much as 1t
puzzled the detective. I had certainly
been under the impression that husband
and wife quarrelled over the latter S
frequent absences from home. Indeed,
in household where the wife is young
and the husband elderly. Iuarrels of that
character are almost sure to occur SOON
er or later. AS doctor I knew the
causes of domestic infeicity in good
many homes. Men in my profession see
a good deal, and hear more. Every doc
tor could unfold strange tales OF queer
menages, if he were not debarred by the
bond of professional secrecy.
You heard no noise during the night?'
inquired the Inspector.
"None, I'm light sleeper as rule,
and wake at the slightest sound. the
woman replied. But / heard absolutely
nothing"
ANY one, in order to enter the dead
mans room, must have passed your door.
/ think?'
Yes. And what's more the light was
burning and my door was ajar; always
kept it so in order to hear if my patients
wanted anything
Then the murderer could see you as he
stood on the landing?"
mo. There's a screen at the end Of
my bed. He could not see far into the
room. But I shudder to think that to-
! night I've had an assassin dozen feet
from me while I slept she added.
Finding that she could throw no light
upon the mysterious affair the officer
turned his attention to the four frighten-
| ed domestics each in turn.
All, save one. declared that they heard
not single sound. The exception
was Alice. the under house-maid, young
| fair-hared girl, who stated that during
| the night she had distinctly heard Il
sound like the low creaking Of light shoes
on the landing below where they slept.
This first aroused our interest, but on
| full reflection it seemed so utterly impro-
| bable that an assassin would wear pair
| OIL cTGdSlHS DOOlS Nllell O1i SuCi az ci
rand that we were inclined to disregard
the girls statement as a piece of magma
ton. The feminine mind is much given to
fiction on occasions of tragic events.
But the girl over and over again as
| serted that she had heard it. She slept
alone in a small room at the top of the
| second flight Of stairs and had heard the
sound quite distinctly.
"When YOU heard it what did you do?"
II lay and listened
For how long?'
| 'Oh, quite a quarter of an hour, l
| should think 1t was just before half
past 1 when I heard the noise. for the
church clock struck almost Immediately
afterwards. The sound Of the movement
| was such as I had never before heard
at night. and at first I felt frightened.
But I always lock my door, therefore
/ felt secure. The noise was Just like
some one creeping along very slowly.
with one boot creaking.
But if it was SO loud that Won could
hear it with your door closed, 1t is
strange that no one else heard it the
detective sergeant remarked obviously
II don't care what anybody else heard,
| I heard it quite plainly the girl asserted.
ooh. only just as though som one as
stealing along the corridor. We often
is always astir at , o'clock. giving the
master his medicine. If it hadn't ha' been
for the creaEing / should not have ta.- en-
notice of it. But I lay quite wide awake
for over half an hour-unsil Sh TT came
banging at our doors and telling us to
get up at once, as we were wanted down
stairs
We'll" exclaimed the inspector, now
I want to ask all of you very simple
question. and wish to obtain an honest
and truthful reply. Was any door or
window left unfastened when you went to
bed ?"
"No, SIR the cook replied promptly.
"I aIwaEs go round myself, and / saw
that everything was fas eGed.'
"rhe front door. for example?"
81 bolted it at Miss Etheiwynn's orders"
cat what timer
"One o'clock. She told me to walt up
until then and if mistress did not return
l was to lock up and go tc bed"
"Then the tragedy must have been
enacted about half an hour iater?"
IT think SO. sir
You haven't examined the doors and
windows, to see if any have been forced?'.
..As far as can see they are just as
I left them when I went to bed sir"
That's strangevery strange" remark
must make an examination and satisfy.
ourselves.
The point was one that was mcst jim
portant in the conduct of tie 'nq Try.
If all doors and windows were still
locked. then the assassin was one of that
strange household.
Led By the cook. the officers began a
round of the lower premises. One of the
detectives borrowed the constables bulls
eve and accompanied by a second OFF,
Ger went outside to make an examina-
ton of the window-sashes. while we re-
mained inside, assisting them In their
! search for any marks.
Ettelwynn had been called asidesby one
of the detectives. ard was answering
some questions addressed to her, there
fore. for an instant I found myself alone.
It was the moment I had been waiting
for. to secretly examine the clue ] had
| obtained.
| was near the door of the morning
room anu for a second slipped inside aud
| switched on rhe electric light
| chen / took from my vest pocket the
tiny little object had found and care
f,I}lv4 exa mined it, -rs5s ssa