The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-10

Sweetvvater Has an Idea-

I was greatly Interested Taking out a
box Of cigars, laid 1t before him on the
table, ~ Wv
BE free with them," said I. IF there
IS any help to he got out OF smoke let US
make use of it,"
He eyed the cigars ruefully.
100 Dad,' he murmured; "unfor-
tunately. it does not work that wav with
me- Some people think better between
Whiffs, but smoking clouds my faculties,
and I would be no friend to Mr. Gillespie
II took your cigars now. Free ar and
an undisturbed mind for Caleb Sweet
water when he settles down to work.
Smoke yourself, sir; that won't affect
me; but draw the box to your side of
the table and give me rebuking look If
my hand goes out to it before this sub
| ject is settled
| q did as he requested, but not to the
point of taking a cigar. / could think
| without its aid as we'll as he
! Now, Sir" he immediately began.
you were the first man to enter upon
the scene of crime. May I ask if you will
be so good as to relate afresh and cir
cumstantially your whole experience with
Mr. Gillespie? You cannot be too minute
in your details. Somehow or some
where we have missed the clue necessary
to the clearing up of this case. You
may be able to supply it. Will 1t bore
you too much to try?'' ~ ].
'Not in the least. I am as anxious SIS
yourself to get at the bottom of this
| business" - " .
! Begin, then, sir. You won't mind my
closing my eyes? I find 1t so much easier
to identify myself with the situation
when I see nothing about to distract me.
And, sir, since I dread speaking when
actively absorbed in this kind of work,
will you pardon me if simply raise my
finger when 1 want a minute for refec-
ton? I know l am crank, and not
much used to gentlemen's ways, but I ap-
preciate kindness more than most folks
especially when 1t takes the form of re-
spect paid to my whims.' ~
I assured him I was only too ready tc
do anything which would serve to further
} the end we had in view; and all pre-.
liminaries being thus amicably settled
, he dropped his head into his hands and
, began my tale in much the same Language
I have used in these pages. He listened
without a movement while I spoke O.
Claire and OF my entrance into the house
but his finger went up when I mentioned
the appearance presented by Mr.. Giles
the table in a condition Of impending col
3 lapse.
WAS the house quiet?" he asked. "Di'
5 you hear no sneaking step in the halls O.
, adjacent dining-rocm?''
mot step. I remember receiving tn
impression that this old gentleman an
+ his grandchild were all alone in the house
] One Of the greatest surprises of my lif
was the discovery that there wer
T servants in the basement and more tha
/ one member of the family On the floor
+ above"
? "a discovery which leads to our frs
: argument, sir. We have taken it 70
I granted (and certainly We were just1f1e
b in doing SOY that MIR. Gillespie kne,
i whose hand poured out the poison he fel
= burning into his vitals. We have argue
T. that it was this knowledge which led hill
4 to spend the final moments Of his life i
t an extraordinary effort to settle tn
v doubts of his favorite niece. But, sir,
4 he had had this knowledge, would he nc
4 have mentioned outright and without an
t circurnl ocuation the name of the~son b
n had finally settled upon as the guilty ont
rather than have made use of the sam
: vague phrase which had been his tormen
4 and hers, ever since the hour he told he
4 of the shadowy hand he had detecte
: lowering over his glass of medicine? Wit
a the remembrance in your mind of the fe'
9 words he left behind him, are you read
to declare that you find In them an
4 proof of his knowing then, any bette
S than before. which Of his three sons ha
s mingled poison with his drink? And, 81
n you are a lawyer,-does it follow fro
"a any evidence we have since received tia
It he even positively knew it was one
e these three men? Might not his fears an
n 4 the haunting memory Of that former al
+ tempt have so worked upon his failir
2 faculties that he took for granted 1t we
Y one of his sons who had made this la.
d effort at poisoning him? ''
n cit is possible admitted, but
''You don't place much stress on tt
: suggestion
h sNo," said I, ttI don't Anxious as
am that each and all of these young me
It should be relieved from the appalHI
l. charge Of parricide, I saw too great di
play of anxiety on his part for the rig
delivery of what he believed to hold Il
- last communication he had to make
a. his favorite niece, for me to think the