The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-07-28

question and one which any man might
be pardoned for attempting to answer,
especially If that man was young de-
tective lamenting his obscurity and
dreaming of recognition which would
yield him fnme ana the wherewithal
to marry certain clever but mis-
cbcvous little mink of whom you are
destined to hear more.
But how was that same young de-
tective, hampered as he was and held
in thrall by fear OF ridicule ana a
total lack of record. to get the chance
TO push an inquiry requiring opportuni-
ties which could only come by special
favor? This was what l continually
asked myself. and always without re-
suit
True. ! might approach the captain
or the major with my story of the
| tciltaIe marks | had discovered In the
dust covering the southwest chamber
manteshelf. and. if fortunate enough
| to find that these had been passed over
| by the other detectives, seek to gain
hearing thereby and secure for my
self the privileges ! so earnestly de-
sired. but my cgotism was such that
wished to be sure of the hand which
had made these marks before parted
with Il secret which. once told. would
make or mar me. Yet to obtain the
slight concession of an interview with
any of the principals connected with
this crime would he difficult without
the aid of one or both Of my superiors.
Even to enter the house again where
but few hours before I had made
myself 80 thoroughly at home would
require a certain amount Of pluck, for
Dnrbin had been installed there, and
Durbin was a watchdog whose bite
as well as his bark ! regarded with
considerable respect. Yet into that
house I must sooner or later go. IL only
to determine whether or not ! had
been alone in my recognition Of GER
tain clews pointing plainly toward
murder. Should trust my lucky star
and remain for the nonce puiescent!
This seemed Il wise suggestion, and l
decided to adopt it. comforting myself
with the thought that IL after a day
or two of modest waiting | failed In
obtaining what | wishcd1 could then
appeal to the lieutenant of my own
precinct. He, I had sometimes felt as
srred. did not regard me with an al
together unfavorable eye.
Meantime | spent all my available
time in lettering around newspaper Of
fees and picking up such stray bits OF
gossip as were offered. As no question
had yet been raised of any more Sc
| ~. ,l lr
related 10 the idiosyncrasies of the
Moore family and the solitary position
into which Miss Tuttle had been
plunged by this sudden death of her
only relative As this beautiful and
distinguished young woman had been
and still was "a great belle in her spe-
cial circle, her present homeless. If not
penniless, position led to many sur
} misses. Would she marry, and, II so,
to which of the many wealthy or
prominent men who had openly court
ed her would she accord her hand! In
the present egotistic state of my mind
| secretly fattercd myself that | was
right i'm concluding that she would say
yes to no mans entreaty till Il certain
newly made widower's year of mourn
ing mad expired.
But this opinion received something
Of check when in Il qniet talk with q
reporter ! learned that ii was openly
stated by those who had courage 10
speak that the tie which had certainly
| existed at one tine between Mr.. JEFF
frey and the handsome Miss Tuttle had
been entirely of her own weaving and
that the person of Veronica Moore,
rather than the large income she com
mandcd, had been the attractive pow
er which had led him away from the
older sister. This seemed improbable
for the charms of the poor little bride
were not 10 be compared with those of
. her maturer sister. Yet, as we al
know, there are other attractions thar
those offered by beauty. have since
heard it broadly stated that the pc
culiar twitch of the lip observable IL
all the MOOres had proved an irresist
: ible charm in the unfortunate Veronica
: making her radiant image when she
laughed. This was by no means rare
n Off to Alexandria