Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-05-06

would be proper for me to reveal any
thing may learn unless you should
become Wright's attorney"
Certainly not" answered the col
onel promptly. II have no desire tc
pry, but shall watch your investiga
ton with interest, and shall be glad
to learn from time to time that yor
are making progress. Butt have
an engagement at the hotel at hall
past three, and I shall have to beg
you to excuse me-"
He rose to Indicate that he could
spare no more time, and Warde be
took himself leisurely toward the Of
fee Of the Gazette.
CHAPTER VII.
After supper Warde was busy In hii
Office writing resume Of the facts
brought out In the Wright case and
WAS employing considerable shu II
making prominent the unexplained
side of the crime. He knew very well
how the other morning paper, the
Journal, would treat it; how 1t would
be described as perfect case of cir
cumstantial evidence; and how the
old proverb murder will out" would
be worked into its weary place again
for the edidcation Of those who like
their crime mulled with bit Of NOR
saEing. Warde was endeavoring in
q really skillful way to emphasize the
mystery in which the case was In
volved. and to create doubt In young
Wright's favor. Il was while he was
occupied thus that he realized fully
how strong chain Of evidence had
been wrought around the man he be-
ieved to be innocent. How was 1t
possible for an innocent man to have
got himself tangled up in this way?
While he was working away at his
task, Detective Eenton entered the Of
flee and said he had secured some I'D
ditional evidence in the case, which
he had no objection to making pub
lie.
what is it?" asked Warde, inter
ested at once.
Late this afternoon the chief in
structed me to 60 to Wirght's house
and search it for weapons. found
Mrs. Wright at home and told her
what must do. She made no obiec-
ton, and led me to the place where
she said her husband kept his pistol.
There 1 found this weapon" taking
from his pocket handsome ivory
handled pistol, which, as you see, has
one empty cartridge in It,"
That looks ugly for Wright" said
Warde, regretfully.
Ordinarily it would, but there is
something behind all this"
What do you mean?"
"Why, when took out this pistol
Mrs. Wright was dumfounded for q
moment. Then she daclared that it
was not her husband's pistol, and that
when she had left the house this
afternoon that weapon had not been
there, for she had examined the one
that was-an old shair-in order, she
said, to see whether it had been fred
OF not. She asserted positively that
some one had changed the pistols in
her absence"
by Jove!" cried Warde, this
grows exciting"
II don't claim to be an extra good
Judge Of human nature" said the de-
tective, "but in my opinion the wo-
man was telling the truth. She led
me to the pistol without q particle
of hesitation, and I never saw any
persons face fall as hers did when I
took out the shining revolver. put
It up this way, that the man who
changed these revolvers must have
taken hand in the murder, OF else
is bitter enemy of young Wright.
At any rate, my idea Of the case has
changed considerably since this
II have an idea" said Warde, "and
u you win help me perhaps we can
bit on solution of this riddle"
II win do anything consistent with
my official duty"
Il ask nothing more. It is your
duty, as I conceive 1t not to bolster
up any pet theory OF anybody's hob
BY, but TO get at the truth and un-
mask the real criminal"
you are right. I agree with you
thoroughly"
LET me make . suggestion 70 you.
90 back to Mrs. Wright tomorrow
md ind out whether she has any
proof that the old pistol was there
yesterday morning; II she has not,
perhaps some of her nsighbors could
tell whether anybody visited tho
house while she was away. II you
can find the man who put the pistol
there, you are in fair way to find
The man who killed John T. Wright"
"I'll go out there tomorrow and
Zee what can do. In the mean time
[ must turn in this new link of EVIL
ience against that young fellow"
The detective retired, and Warde
nused awhile before resuming his
work. Il was indeed singular that
while the mystery was deepening, at
he same time the visible proofs were
against Wright. He had
more reason now than ever to believe
hat still darker crime that involved
besides murder lay beyond
he prima facie case that had been
made out. For the first time he felt
hat he was contending with an un-
seen antagonist, and that while he
vas endeavoring to clear the name
If Herbert Wright some one was
lighting him step by step and was
Trying to fasten the guilt upon the
young man. It could not be the au-
shoridss. They were, of course, mere
v doing their duty to the best of
heir ability and they could not be
expected to yield anything to the
side of the case.
From this time on Warde never
eessed 70 feel that he and the unseen
we're engaged in . desperate game,
Ia which human life was involved.
he silently accepted the unwritten
to battle and made up his