Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-07-08
Mystery Of the
Bayou Woods
BY WALKER KENNEDY.
CHAPTER VI.

Irving Wardc could not have ex-
planned the impulse which caused him
to seek an interview with Miriam
Wright when the coroncr's jury had
finished its Investigation. 1t was
certainly not idle curiosity, nor the
mere professional instinct of the
newsgatherer; but some occult sym
patty seemed to draw him to the
cold, emotionless young woman
whose beauty had been as great n
revelation to him as her personality
had been mystery.
Miriam Wright had had no expert
ence with newspaper people, and had
no horror of the interviewer. At that
time he had not attaincd the pin
nacle of caustic opprobIium that has
since then been erected to his indus
try and his dicrcdit So when Irving
Warde sent UP his card she came
down Immediately TO the parlor to
see what was wanted Of her He had
the appearance and manners of a
gentleman-for he was onc-and so
Miss Nright's suspicious of prying
newspaper reporter were never
al ouSed.
From her appearance IL was evident
that she was the victim of nervous
relapse from great mental strain.
Her behavior on the witness stand,
hey marvellous self-posscssion until
she was led to testify in the dark
had visibly been the result of IN in
tense benumbing excitement The
icinesS had gone from her face. and
1T was helpless, feverish woman
who confronted him.
Warde found himself, strange to
say. endeavoring to allay her alarm
Miss Wright" he said, 81 am one
of those who believe that your
brothers innocence will eventually
be established, and ! have core to
ask YOU whether / can be of any as
sistance whatever TO YOU"
! After he had said this IL sounded
very FOOLISH but she evidently ap-
preciated his good intentions, for
she said: at is very kind of you. Mr..
Warde. ] hardly know what 10 say.
Ut has come upon us SO suddenly. so
horribly that I cannot tell what we
shall do. If. however. we should see
way in which YOU could assist
Believe me. I shall be only too
ready 10 do So"
Herbert and ! have been peculiar.
Iy attached TO each other since child
hood. and need hardly say Mr..
Warde, that bis implication in the
murder is 10 me more terrible even
than my fathers death. and / cannot
conceive how it would have been pos
sible for him TO bring himself 10
commit such a crime. IL is true that
he was always high-strung and pas
sionate. but that he could have taken
his fathers life, II cannot believe
it."
Il haze become deeply interested
in this case, Miss Wright. because I
am satisfied that the mystery has not
yet been solved. IT has taken hold of
me completely, and ] have thought
of making some Investigations in an
entirely new line. The police have
taken up plausible theory and have
made out strong case without a
doubt; but il is not n complete case
for the reason that there are several
minor clews which they have ignored
entirely"
He then went on to give her an
account of his operations i'm the
snow, and then continued: "The DO
lice dismiss this circumstance with
the clumsy explanation that the man
with the arctics stumbled across the
corpse by accident, examined il
through curiosity then rambled
about the woods awhile. took the
short way for town, met the com
Enny following the eoroner's jDFy,