Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1903-07-11
II Born
DefecfiOe

When I was on the detective fore
by the way, my name is Jacl
Hindson, at your service I had {
case on my hands that baf1ed me
| wanted to get on, for 1 was at tina
time engaged to Kitty Pease, anc
she had said that though she was
very fond Of me she did not NEAR
to marry me until I had enough tt
marry on, which / should have az
soon as I had found out the party
who committed certain murder.
Mrs. Jefries, rich, miserly sort
of old lady, had been found dead
in her bed, murdered by some one.
No one knew who it was.
Everybody was under suspicion
manservant who had been dis
missed weeks before, a dissipated
nephew, who had quarreled with
her; a peddler, a man who had
mended the roof-but it seemed
likely that no one would be actually
proved guilty. To be sure, the neph-
ew would come in for her property,
being her only relative, but though
he had been to the door that even
ing he had been seen to go away
again, and no doors were found I'M
locked, and the servant had to call
for help before the bedroom door
could be broken in.
The only clew I had was bit of
black cloth clutched tight in the
dead woman's hand, fine bit of old
black broadcloth torn in quite a
singular shape. We hid the fact that
this had been found from the news
paper men, and | was looking for
the coat it had been pulled out of.
That would be my chance.
The dismissed servant was wait
er, but I bribed myself into a chance
of seeing his black coat off duty,
and it had not been torn or patched.
| hunted up the nephew's boarding
house and got into his room under
pretense of having been sent from
the telegraph Office to see the wires,
but his clothes were all of thick,
coarse cloth. | talked these things
all over to Kitty, and she set her
wits to work to help me. She asked
me to let her go to the old lady's
home and show her the room she
slept in, and she went out on the
roof, as I had done many a time,
and went along first in one direc-
ton and then in another, looking
at all the scuttle doors, until /
thought she would go off into the
street, but she stopped at the last
Of the row and beckoned me. /
hurried up.
Close to the scuttle door lay a lit
tie black button.
"This belongs to the garment the
bit of cloth came FROM" she said.
"There are blacks and blacks. This
is a button that matches that black
Not blue black, nor a brownish
black, nor foxy black, but a black
that is almost invisible green. Do
you know No. 1902"
OTIS very respectable, first class
boarding house." said I.
"Will they take ladies ?" she ask
ed.
eff they are well introduced"
81 shall go there to board"
Next day I got a card from her
she hadn't been in the habit Of hav-
ing cards-with that address on it.
[ called. She came down to see me
IN her best black silk, with her bon
net and mantilla on.
There was an old lady in the
room. She introduced me to her
and then said she was ready. |
,ook the hint. We went out to-
yether.
"0f course you know why came
mere" she said. ''Pm spending all |
ny salary and wearing my best |
but I've found something |
out already. Mrs. Jeffries' nephew |
calls here sometimes. He calls on
i young widow, who has the upper |
'front.' room. He has been engaged |
% her for some time"
She paused long time and then
aid:
HE was here the night of the
murder"
'SWell," I said, Fthas she let him
tut upon the roof"
q wish you wouldn't ask me any
luestions," said Kitty. Il shall
NOW before long. When l send
or you come at once. Will you let
ne have that bit of cloth ?"
'1t's more precious than dia-
nonds," I said.
Her answer was:
L