The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-23
THE FILIGREE BALL .
Being Full and True Account Of the Solution Of
the Mystery Concerning the Jeffrey-Moore Affair.
BY ANN1A KATHERINE GREEN.
Author Of The Leavcnworth Case The Co.

you have hitherto acknowledged.
II had rather not discuss the subject.
protested Mr.. Jeffrey. Then as If he sud |
denly recognized the official character of !
less you positively request me to do so;
in which case i must"
II am afraid that must insist upon It, "
returned the other. You will find that
1t will be insisted upon at the inquest, and
IT you do not wish to subject yourself to
much unnecessary unpleasantness, you
had better make clear to us to-day the
cause Of that special quarrel which to all
intents and purposes led to your wife
DEATH
II will try to do So" returned Mr.. jeff
rey, rising and pacing the room in his
intense restlessness. I'VE did have some
words; her conduct the night before had
vilely jealous, and I thought she
was little frivolous at the Ger
man ambassadors ball. But 7 had
no idea, she would take my sharp
speeches so much to heart. I had no idea
that she would care much or that I
should care so much: A little jealousy
Is certainly pardonabe in a bridegroom,
and if her mind had not already been
upset, she would have remembered how
T loved her and hopefully waited for a.
reconciliation
you did love your wife, then? 1t was
you and not she who had right to be
jealous? r have heard the contrary
stated It is a matter Of public gossip
that you loved another woman previous to
your acquaintance with Miss Moore;
woman whom your wife regarded with
sisterly affection and subsequently took
into her new home
Miss Tuttle?" Mr.. Jeffrey stopped in
his walk to fling out this ejaculation. Il
admire and respect Miss Tuttle,' he went
on to declare, but I never loved her.
Not as did my wife, he finished, but
with a certain hard accent apparent
enough to a sensitive ear.
Pardon me; it is as difficult for me to
put these questions as it is for you to
hear them Were you and Miss Tuttle
ever engaged?''
I started. This was a question which
half Of Washington had been asking itself
for the last three months.
Would Mr.. Jeffrey answer it? or, remern-
friendly than official, ref-,se to satisfy a
curiosity which he might well consider
| intrusive? The set aspect Of his features
promised little in the way Of informa-
! ton, and we were both surprised when
moment later he responded with a grim
emphasis hardly to be expected from one
| of his impulsive temperament:
"Unhappily no. My attentions never
went SO far" -.
| Instantly the coroner bounced on the
one weak word which Mr.. Jeffrey had let
fail. -..r: a.
'Unhappily?" he repeated. ''Why do
you say unhappily?'
Mr. Jeffrey flushed and seemed to come
out OF some dream
| did I say unhappily?" he inquired
''Well repeat 1t: Miss futile would never
have given me any cause for Jealousy .
The coroner bowed and for the present
dropped her name out Of the conversa-
| ton. 80 '.- 49,. .. 49,
"You speak again Of the jealousy
fareused~in, you by your wife'st impetu-
esities. Was this Increased or diminished
by the tone of the few lines she left be-
hind her?" =
The response was long in coming. It
was hard for this man to lie. The strug.
gle he made at 1t was pitiful. AS noted
what it cost him, began to have new
and curious thoughts concerning him and
the whole matter under discussion.
II shall never overcome the remorse
reused In me by those few lines" ne
finally rejoined. ''she showed a consider
alton for me-
| What"
| The, coroner's exclamation showed all
| the surprise he felt Mr.. jeffrey tottered
under it, then grew slowly pale as If only
| thru our amazed looks he had come to
| realize the charge of inconsistency to
4 which he had laid himself open.
/ II mean he endeavored to explain.
| that Mrs. Jeffrey showed an unexpected
| tenderness toward me by taking all the
| blame upon herself. It was generous Of
her and will do much toward making my
l memory of her gentle one.'
4 He was forgetting himself again. In
l deed, his manner and attempted explana-
lions were full Of contradictions. To en-
phasize this fact Coroner q. exclaimed:
IT should think so! She paid a heavy
| You believe that her mind was unseated?''
docs not her action show it?"
"Unseated by the mishap occurring at
her marriage?"
l9s."Yes." 49,. -. sz~ls-'- H.. g.. a., e.... -
you really think THAR"
| EYES,"
!, BY anything that passed between
you?" 49,. -
Eyes," .: ~
May ask you to tell us what passed
between you on this point?"
Yes "
He had uttered the monosyllable sc
often it seemed to come unconsciously
from his lips. But he recognized almos,
as soon as we did that it was not nat.
ural reply to the last question, and max.
ing gesture Of apology, he added. with
the same monotony Of tone which haC
characterized these replies:
"She spoke Of her strange guests unac
cOuntable death more than once, anl
whenever she did so, it was with an un.
natural excitement and in an unbalanced
way This was so noticeable to us al
that the subject presently was tabooet
amongst us; but tho she henceforth spared
us all allusion to it she continued to tall
about the house itself and Of the previous
deaths which had occurred there till W,
were forced to forbid that topic also. sh,
was never really herself after crossin,
the threshold Of this desolate house to b.
married The shadow which turks With,
its walls fell at that instant upon he
life. May God have mercy
The prayer remained unfinished HI
head which had fallen on his breast san]
lower
He presented the aspect Of one who
quite done with life, even it's sorrows.
But men in the position Of Coroner 2
cannot afford to be compassionate. Ev
: erything the bereaved man said deepene
i the impression that he was acting q part
J To make sure that this was really so, tn
(! coroner. with just the slightest touch G
I; sarcasm, quietly observed:
), 'And to ease your wife's mind-the wifi
:. you were so deeply angered with-yo
e visited this house, and, at an hour whic
g Iyou should have spent in reconciliatio
q with her, went thru Its ancient rooms |
s. the hope-of what?'
a Mr.. Jeffrey could not answer. Th
!. words which came from his lips were mer
Z calculations.
,e To be continued tomorrow.
L y 4 81 - :. :.