The Weiser semi-weekly signal. (Weiser, Washington Co., Idaho) 1904-1911, 1904-06-18


ence Of the old tragedies with which
my mind was necessarily full, that
paused, baked in my advance and well
nigh uncertain whether looked upon
real thing or on some strange and
terrible fantasy of my aroused tmagi-
nation.
A form lay before me, outstretched
on that portion of the floor which had
hitherto been hidden from me by the
half open door--a woman's form
which even in that first casual look
impressed itself upon me as one OF =
aerial deicacy and extreme refine
ment and this form lay as only the
dead lie; the dead! And had been
looking at the hearthstone for just
such a pictured No, not just such
picture, for this woman lay face upper
most, and, on the floor beside her was
blood
A hand had plucked my sleeve. II
was Hibbard's. Startled by my I'M
mobility and silence, he had stepped in
with quaking members, expecting he
hardly knew what But no sooner did
his eyes fall on the PROSTATE form
| which held me spellbound than an I'M
foreseen change took place in him.
| What had unnerved me, restored him
| to full self possession. Death In this
| shape was familiar to him. He had no
fear of blood. He did not show sur
prise at encountering it, but only at
the effect it appeared to produce on me-
"Shotr was his laconic comment as
he bent over the PROSTATE body. "shot
through the heartl She must have
died before she fell"
Shotl
That was new experience for this
room. No wound had ever before dis
figured those who had fallen here, nor
had any of the previous victims been
found lying on any other spot than the
one over which that huge settle kept
guard. AS these thoughts crossed my
mind 1 instinctively glanced again to
ward the fireplace for what almost
refused to believe lay outstretched ut
my feet. When nothing more APP
2 peared there than that old seat Of sin
lister memory, l experienced thrill
which poorly prepared me for the cry
u which l now heard raised by HiDparu
e Look here! What do You make Of
!. thisY ,
!. He was pointing to what upon closer
u inspection, proved to be strip O.
a white satin ribbon running from ON
a OF the delicate wrists OF the girl befor'
3 us to the handle Of q pistol which hat
y fallen not far away from her 100. =
/. looks as IL the pistol was attached .
~ her. That is something new In m
experience What do you think
:, means?'
Alas, there was but one thing
could mean. The shot to which 81
u, had succumbed had been delivered
iu herself. This fair and delicate creatur
was a suicide. a
ne But suicide In this PLACED How coul
III we account for that? Had the stor
of this rooms Ill acquired fame acte
We hypnotically on her, or had she stnr
GU bled upon the open door In front al
been glad of any refuge where a
ay misery might find solitary testuin
'is. ton? Closely scanning her upturn'
ecu face, sought an answer to this que
WI ton. and while thus seeking receive
NY n fresh shock which 1 did not heetta
nd, - ~,,,,,,,,,,icata 70 INV now none +
20" sensitive companion.
Look at these features" cried.
iao seem to know them. Do your
0" He growled out dissent but stot
rec ed Mt my bidding and gave the piti1
Ter young face prolonged stare. VIII
liiy he looked up again it was with p'
tne zled contraction of his eyebrows.
om .Tve certainly seen it somewher
, d he hesitatingly admitted, edging slo
tne ly away toward the door. Perhaps
ara the papers. Isn't she like
ieir "Likep' l interrupted. 1T is Vero
ca Moore herself, the owner or t
ave house and she who was married d
set two weeks since to Mr.. jeffrey y
Oh IDENTIFY her reason was unseated by
tne tragedy which threw SO deep gio
TINS over her wedding"
ious RIO BE CONTINUED