Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-07-06

Q6IeCIlV6 GOES with Uncle DAVlu anu aIteTuVleW
from the outside concluded that there Is some
one in the house. Summoning aid, he enters,
while Uncle David retlres within his own home
a playing Y tine ga the n
Of q settle which has played a part In previous
tradeeies. A pistol is attached to her wrist by
tive finds burned matches, candles. q rich wrap
lying with the bridal bouquet and handkerchief
marked veronica" with dust upon it. On, a
tre on the wall has recently been busted w
Veronica's half sister, Cora futile, is strangely
affected on the scene Of the tradegy. The dead
jeffrey comes in with a note from Ills wife say
ing that she did not love him as she thought.
Miss Tuttle evidently loves him. V-Uncle
in the house although 1t is lit by gas. yI-Jef
frey had courted penniless Miss futile. then
turned to Veronica.
"Concussion of the brain, preceded
by mental shock or heart failure.
"The body went on to Denver today"
And below, separated by the narrow
est of spaces:
"Mr. and Mrs. Francis Jeffrey hav
decided to give up their wedding tour
and spend their honeymoon in Wash
ington. They will occupy the Ran
some house on 2 street"
The last paragraph brought me bae,
to the question then troubling my
mind. Was it in the household of this
newly married pair and in the possible
secret passions underlying their union
that one should look for the cause Of
the mufderous crime l secretly i'm
ngined to be hidden behind this SEEM
ing suicide, or were these parties in
nocent and old David Moore the one
motive power in precipitating trag
edy the result of which had been tc
enrich him aud impoyerish them? Ger
tainly most serious and important
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 a recognition which would
yield him fame and the whcrewithal
to marry certain clever but mis-
chievous little mink of whom you are
destined to hear more.
But how was that same young de.
tective, hampered us he was and held
in thrall by fear of ridicule and a
total lack of record, to get the chaisce
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, I might approach the captain
or the major with my story of the
telltale marks 1 had discovered in the
dust covering the southwest chamber
mantelshelf, and, if fortunate enough
to find that these had been passed over
by the iie other detectives, seek to gain
a hearing thereby and secure for my
self the privileges 1 So earnestly de-
sired. But my egotism was such that
wished to be sure of the hand which
had made these marks before parted
with 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 be difficult without
the aid Of one or both of my superiors
Even to enter the house again where
but few hours before l had made
myself SO thoroughly at home would
require certain amount of pluck, fol
Durbin had been installed there, anL
Durbin was q watchdog whose bite
rs well as his bark regarded witt
considerable respect. Yet into that
house must sooner or later co. if only
to determine whether or not l had
been alone in my recognition of Ger
tain clews pointing plainly toward
murder. Should trust my lucky stal
and remain for the noncc quiescent'
This seemed n wise suggestion, and
decided to adopt it, comforting mysel,
with the thought that if after day
or two of modest waiting failed il
obtaining what wished could ther
appeal to the lieutenant of my OWE
precinct. He, had sometimes felt as
sured, did not regard me with an al
together unfavorable eye.
Meantime 1 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.
rious crime than suicide, these mostly
related to the idiosyncnsies of the
Moore family and the solitary position
~AANo NAiiSh utllC llilu DGtl
plunged by this sudden death of hel
only relative. AS this beautiful and
distinguished young woman had beer
and still was Il great belle in her spe
cial circle, her present homeless. if moi
penniless, position led to many sur
misses. Would she marry, and, if so
to which Of the many wealthy OF
prominent men who had openly court
ed her would she accord her hand? In
the present egotistic state of my mind
secretly 1luttered myself that l was
right in concluding that she would say
yes to no mans entreaty till Il certain
newly made widower's year Of mourn.
ing had expired.
But this opinion received something
of check when in quiet talk with d
reporter learned that it was openly
stated by those who had courage to
speak that the tie which had certainly
existed at one time between Mr.. JEFF
frey and the handsome Miss Tuttie had
been entirely of her own weaving, and
that the person of Veronica Moore,
rather than the large income she COM
uaiocu, Huu Deel lne altfictlNe pow
er Which had led him away from the
older sister. This seemed improbable,
for the charms Of the poor little bride
We're not to be compared with those of
her maturer sister. Yet, as we all
know, there are other attractions than
those offered by beauty. have since
heard it broadly stated that the pc
culiar witch of the lip observable in
all the Moores had proved an irrcsist-
1ble charm in the unfortunate Veronica,
making her radiant image when she
laughed. THIS was by no means rare
Off to Alexandria
-.ssN O-.,