Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-15

quick look inside which my present doubt
full position demanded. But once l had
broken the spell and taken the look just
mentioned, 1 found my manhood return
and with it my old ardor for clues. The
bed held no gaping. chattering criminal;
yet was 1t not quite empty. Something lay
there. and this something, while common
place in itself, was enough out of keeping
with the place and hour to rouse my inter-
est and awaken my conjectures. 1t was
lady's wrap so rich in quality and of such
festive appearance that it was astonishing
to find it lying in neglected state in this
crumbling old house. Though 1 know little
of the cost of womens garments, 1 do know
the value of lace, and this garment was
covered with it.
Interesting as was this find, 1t was fol-
lowed by one still more so. Nestled in the
folds of The cloak lay the withered remains
of what could only have been the bridal
bouquet. UnSightly now and ScentleSS, 1t
was once a beautiful specimen of the
florists art. AS noted how the main bunch
of roses and lilies was connected by long
satin ribbons to the lesser clusters which
hung from it, I recalled with conceivable
horror the use to which a similar ribbon
had been put in the room below. In the
shudder called up by this coincidence I
forgot to speculate how bouquet carried
by the bride could have found it's way back
to this upstairs room when, as all accounts
agree, she had fed from the parlor below
without speaking or staying foot the mo-
ment she was told of the catastrophe which
had taken place in the library. That her
wrap should be lying here was not strange,
but that the wedding bouquet
That it really was the wedding bouquet
and that this was the room in which the
bride had dressed for the ceremony was ap-
parent to the most casual observer But it
became an established fact when in my
further course about the room CHANGED on
handkerchief with the name Veronica
embroidered in one corner.
This handkerchief had an interest apart
from the name on it. 1t was of dainty tex
ture and quite in keeping, so far as value
went. with the other belongings of its fas-
tidious owner. But it was not clean In
deed it was strangely soiled, and this soil
was of a nature 1 did not readily under
stand. A woman would doubtless have
comprehended Immediately the cause of the
brown streaks 1 found on it, but 1t took
of cambria. delicate as cobweb had been
used to remove dust. To remove dust. Dust
from what? From the mantel-shelf proba-
bly,, upon one end of which found it. But
no! one look along the polished boards con-
WINGED me that whatever else had been
busted in this room this shelf had not. The
accumulation of days, If not of months,
was visible from one end to the other of its
unreiieved surface save where the hand
kerchfef had lain, and-thc greatest dis
covery yet-where five clear spots just to
the left OF the center showed where some
mans finger-tips had rested. Nothing but
caused just the appearance presented by
these spots. BY scrutinizing Them closely
I could even tell where the thumb had
rested. and at once foresaw thu possibility
of determining by means Of these marks
both tho size ana shape of tie hand which