The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-07-14

A form lay before me. pitstretcllcd
on that portion OF tie floor which had
hitherto been hiddrl from me by the
half open door Il wou,au'S form
which even IN t.ut irs: casual look
IMPRESSED Itself ,;,T me as one of
ar iHl d"l:cacy Hud extreme refine
m,nt; and this form lay us only the
dead lie; the dead! And had been
looking ut the hcGrthslune for lust
such II picture. ~. not iust such Il
picture. for this woman lay face upper.
most. and. on the floor beside her was
blood
A hand had pluckcd my sleeve II
was llibhard's. Startled by my i'm
mobility and silence. he lad stepped in
with quakiug members. expecting lie
hardly knew what. But no sooner did
his eyes fail on the prostrate form
which held ne spelhound than an un
forcsecn change took place in him.
What had mncrvcd 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 encountcting il. but only at
the effect ii appeared TO produce on me-
shot was his luconic comment as
he bent over the PROSTATE body. "Shot
through the heart! She must have
died before she fell.'
Shot!
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 ! instinctively glanced again to-
ward the fireplace for what almost
refused to believe lay outstretched at
my feet When nothing more APP
peared there than that old seat Of sin.
lister memory, experienced thrill
which poorly prepared me for the cry
which now heard raised 10y Hibbard.
Look here. What do you make of
this!'
He was pointing TO what. upon closer
inspection. proved to he strip OF
white satin ribbon running from one
Of the delicate wrists of the girl before
us TO the handle Of Il pistol which had
fallen not iar away from her side. 1T
looks as if the pistol was attached to
her. That is something new in my
experience. What do you think II
meauS:'
Alas, there was bUt one thing it
could mean. Ihc shot to which she
had succumbcd had been delivered 10y
herself. This fair and delicate creature
was a suicide.
But suicide in this place, How could
we account for that; Had the story
of this rooms i'll acquired fame acted
hypnotically on her. or had she STUN.
bled upon the open door in front and
been glad Of any refuge where her
misery might find 4 solitary tcrmina-
uonf Closely scanning her upturned
face. | sought uu answer TO this qucs-
ticn, and Willie thus seeking received
fresh shock Which I did not hesitate
to communicate TO Liy now none too
sensitive companion
Look at these features" cried. II
seem to know them. DO youf"
He growled out a dissent. but stoop.
ed at my bidding and gave the pitifuI
young face . prolonged stare. When
he looked mp again Il WAS with puz-
zled contraction Of his eyebrows.
I've certainly seen 1t somewhere"
he hesititiu-iy admitted, edging slow
ly away toward the door. Perhaps in
the papers. Isn't she like
81 lEsH fu.o,r,,p...I .T 4. V,,,,t
ca Moore herself, the owner of this
house and she wLo YVES married here
two weeks since 10 Mr.. Jeffrey. Evi. \
dent!y her rcasaE was unseated by the
tragedy which threw :" deep a gloom
over her welding"