The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-08

7 81
give out the same odor OF bitter almonds
When the expert was seated. Detective
|Sweetwater was called back. And then,
for the first time, / not iced a large pack
age encumbering the cOroner's desk. AS
this package was being unrolled, / stole
look at the witness, who, from his as
sured air, evidently had the thread Of
Alfred's future destiny in his hand, and
was astonished to see how attractive
very plain man can sometimes become
Perhaps have not spoken of this young
detectives plainness. 1t was SO. marked
and of such an unreleVed type that,
after once seeing the man, you could
never again think of him without recall
Ing his lank frame and inharmopious fea-
lures.
Yet, as he stood there, calm amidst the
tremor Of this throng his eye sparkled with
such Intelligence that trembled for the
man whose cause he was expect ed to dam
| age with his testimony Seeing that my
feelings were shared by those about me,
glanced back at the coroner's table to
see What the unrolling of that package
nad revealed, and saw, hanging from the
coroner,s hands, three vests, which he
proceeded to display, one by one before the
witness.
| What are these?" he asked with a.
stern look down the room, calculated to
suppress any too open demonstration of
| interest.
Vests; the property of the three gen
tlemen> members of the present Gillespie
household; in other words those sever
ally worn by Messrs George, Leighton
and Alfred Gillespie on the evening of
\ their fathers DEATH
i How do you know these particular
vests to be the ones then worn?''
j From their material and cut, of which
| ! took especial note at the time"
mo other way?"
Yes, sir. Foreseeing the difficulties
which might arise if it ever became nee
essary to distinguish the vests then worn
1 from the half dozen others which we
should doubtless find in their we'll sup
piled wardrobes, took the precaution
OF secretely running my finger over a.
freshly linked pen before taking hold Of
their vests in the search had been COM
manded to make of their persons If the
marks OF my finger con he seen on the
| Whlte Innings of the vests now in your
mana, you may be sure they are the ones
subjected to my search on that night, as
! communicated my intention to no one
4 and have since been exceedingly careful
not to take anyone into my confidence
concerning this little trick
+. The coroner turned the vests, On the
back of each black spot was plainly
visible to the remotest observer in the
room. A murmur Of mingled admiration
and suspense responded to this discovery,
and the coroner. turned again to Sweet
water. ~ ...s.0.,..,- .T
MAY I ask said he, s' if you are in a
position to tell us to which of these young
gent iemen these several vests belong?'
! Ihe Messrs. Gillespie can be trusted
to identity their own property" was the
answer. But doubt if you will consider
this a necessary formality. There is no
scent OF bitter almonds lingering about
any of these pockets. There was none on
that night. This l made it my special
business to ascertain And he glanced
at. Alfred as much as to say, "Thank me
for doing you what justice 1 cam
Such surprise followed this unexpected
Acknowledgement from one whose manner
had given promise of very different re-
suit, that 1t was hard to tell where the
effect was greatest. Hopes veil was
shifted again, and the three brothers
looked up simultaneously and with an
equal show of relief. .
But their countenances fell again as
they noted the witness still on the stand
t-waiting.
My countenance fell too or rather my
heart began to throb apprehensively as
now perceived the face and form of Mr.
Gryce slowly appearing round the corner
OF certain jut in the wall where he had
held himself partially concealed during
most of the days proceedings. If this
sagacious but scl1ly old detective thought
it worth his while to come forward,
thought it worth mine to note upon whom
or on what his glance first fell. But
had forgotten his habit, known to most
men who have had anything to do with
|, this celebrated detective, He had looks
for nothing save the umbrella he rolled
round and round between his palms
though his FACET this indicated any.
thing-was turned towards the seat where
the three Gillespies sat, rather than to-
, wards the witness with whose testimon.
, |past, present, and to come he was proba
bly, fully acquainted ~
(To be Continued)