Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-05-21
CHAPTER VII.


 brought out in the Wright case and was employing considerable skill in making prominent the unexplained side of the crime. He knew very well how the other morning paper, the Journal, would treat it; how it would be described as perfect case of cir cumstantial evidence; and how the old proverb murder will out" would Se worked into it's weary place again Tor the edification of those who like their crime mulled with a bit of mor- Rlizing. Warde was endeavoring in really slxillful way to emphasize the mystery in which the case was in wolved, and to create 8 doubt in young Wright's favor. It was while he was occupied thus that he realized fully how strong a chain of evidence had been wrought around the man he be- ieved to be innocent. How was it possible for an innocent man to have got himself tangled up in this way? While he was working away at his task, Detective Fenton entered the of flee and said he had secured some ad- ditional evidence in the case, which he had no objection to making pub ic.
 sa.What is it?'' asked Warde, inter- ested at once.
 sLate this afternoon the chief in- structed me to go to Wirght's house and search it for weapons. I found Mrs. Wright at home and told her what I must do. She made no objec- ion, and led me to the place where She said her husband kept his pistol. There found this weapon" taking from his pocket a handsome ivory handled pistol, which, as you see, has one empty cartridge in it."
 That looks ugly for Wright" said Warde, regretfully.
 eOrdinarily it would, but there is something behind all this"
 What do you mean?"
 ''Why, when took out this pistol Mrs. Wright was dumfounded for moment. Then she daclared that it was not her husbands 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 affair-in order, she said, to see whether it had been fired pr not. She asserted positively that some one had changed the pistols in her absence"
 eBy Jove!" cried Warde, ''this grows exciting"
 sI don't claim to be an extra good fudge of human nature" said the de- . tective, "but in my opinion the wo- ' man was telling the truth. She led 1 AI- l. l. of hesitation, and never saw any persons face fall as hers did when took out the shining revolver. I put 1t up this way, that the man who changed these revolvers must have taken hand in the murder, or else Is bitter enemy of young Wright. At any rate, my idea of the case has changed considerably since this morning"
 T have an idea" said Warde, land If you will help me perhaps we can hit on a solution of this riddle"
 .I will do anything consistent with my official duty.''
 q ask nothing more. It is your duty, as I conceive it not to bolster ap any pet theory or 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 a suggestion to you. Go back to Mrs. Wright tomorrow and find out whether she has any proof that the old pistol was there yesterday morning; if she has not, perhaps some of her neighbors could tell whether anybody visited the house while she was away. If you can find the man who put the pistol the man who killed John T. Wright J
 aPn go out there tomorrow and zee what can do. In the mean time { must turn in this new link of evi- dence against that young fellow"
 The detective retired, and Warde mused awhile before resuming his work. It was indeed singular that while the mystery was deepening, al she same time the visible proofs were accommodating against Wright. He had more reason now than ever to believe that a still darker crime that involved something besides murder lay beyond The prima facie case that had been made out. For the first time he felt that He was aeontending with an un seen antago: and that while he was endeavol to clear the name of Herbert Wi some one was fighting him stel step and was trying to fasten the Suilt upon the young man. It could not be the au thorities. They were, of course, mere iv doing their duty to the best ot their ability and they could not b' expected to yield anything to tht sentimental side of the case.
 From this time on Warde nevel ceased to feel that he and the unsee1 were engaged in q 5esparate game