Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-06-21
CHAPTER NvIII.-,Continued.)

''1n the first place. 1t struck us all that
II was a strange thing that the head
should have been cut off. There seemed
NO motive for such mutilation. unless to
render identification difficult, In which
case the clothing and jcwclry might also
easily have been removed: or unless there
were n plot to make 1t appear that the
body Of u stranger was That or Miss
Wynnc. After the finding of the body"
I went on. "it occurred to me to try and
put on the foot of the dead woman one
of the shoes which had been found stuff
ed inside the crown of the hat. Even al
lowing for the swelling Of the flesh. the
body having been for some time In the
water, II was evident that the shoes
which l can state upon oath were those
which Miss Wynnc wore on the afternoon
OF her disappcarancc-would in any case
have been several sizes too small. The
woman whose body was found In the
moat. though of much the same height
and general build rs Miss Wynnc, had
feet which were considerably larger. And
this was also true Of the hands, for. al
lowing for swelling. as with the feet.
there were signs that the skin had been
torn In forcing on the rings"
II think 1t Is impossible to rely upon
any evidence of this Sort" one jurymah
said audibly TO another.
My heart sank u little. but still went
on:
"Whcn my uncle. Sir Wilfrid Amory.
took us under his care we were both chill
drcn. and played constantly together. 1t
was In Sussex. one day. when Miss
Wynne was almost \ and IL or IL. that
We were wading barefootcd In a brook,
and my cousin. stepping on a sharp stone,
hurt herself seriously. She was unable
TO walk for some time. and when she did
recover q scar was left on the sole OF
her right foot. which in those days she
very often displayed to mo. Ii Is not
now more than six months ago that the
old episode happened to come up In the
course Of conversation. and my cousin
assured me that the scar was still as
strongly marked as II had ever been. 1t
was peculiar. and unmistakable, ut least
two inches In lcngth-a dead white seam.
Jagged as the teeth of u saw.
II very carefully examined the feet Of
the body now lying In this house. and Oh
neither Is there any scar whatever"
There was visible stir among the
jurymen. / paused for an instant, and
was asked by the coroner IL this piece of
evidence completed my statement.
mo-" l returned, II have still some.
thing else to say, Of equal, IL not more,
Importance"
Deliberately I removed the gold links
from my cuff and pulled up the sleeve of
my right arm. Between the wrist and cl-
bow. nm anchor and heart, neatly tattooed
In blue ink. were distinctly to be seen.
II learned the trick Of doing this sort
Of thing from nn old sailor when was
q boy" ! said. Il did this tnttooing my
self, and my cousin insisted upon having
u design Of the same kind on the inner
side Of her right arm, above the bend OF
the elbow. And now. II you will have
the doctor who examined the body r..
called, you will hear from him the con-
firmation of my words-that there IL no
scar upon the foot, nor stain OF tattOOing
upon either arm"
! had finished; l Ind said all that
meant to say, and l felt that the aspect
Of the case was changed: but, still, the
time which interviewed before the finding
Of the verdict passed more heavily than
any moments my life had ever known. At
persons unknown, upon the body u u
woman unknown"
"vhank heaven" said Uncle Wilfrid
beneath his breath. But Hayncs.IIavi-
land did not speak. lie went up 70 my
uncle and shook hands, but there was
that In his face which contradictcd the
cordially Of his action.
"Terry," Uncle Wilfrid said, II did
mean to be the one to tell Consuelo. but,
on second thoughts, l would prefer 1t to
be you. Go to her, and put an end to
her suspense"
! knocked ut her boudOir, and ConsuciO
herself opened the door.
II have good news" l said, ana told
her what the verdict had been.
She took It calmly; but she held out
both her hands.
"And for 1t all ] have to thank YOU"
she said. "Once you saved my life.
Now you have saved what Is worth more
to me and to those who care Tor me.
What reward will you havcT'
II have done nothing" l returned. II
do not want, much less ask, a reward"
but IL offer 1t to your"
My pulses lcapcd.
Then, there Is but one thing on earth
] have begged OF you, and-yOu refused
1t. DO you still refusey
"HOw can ! tell, unless you ask 1t OF
me againT
"Yoa told me that was what l never
must do"
But l am woman. May l not change
my mindT
"COnsuelO. give me your love-"
"What II promised You my love. and
could not promise that you and ! should
ever be more to each other than We are
ut this momentT
Her hand was on my breast, holding
me at arms length, when ! would have