Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-09-09

He presented the aspect Of one who
is quite done with life. even its sor-
rows
But men in the position of Coroner
H. cannot afford to be compassionate.
Everything the bereaved man said
decpcned the impression that he was
acting a part. TO make sure that this
was really so the coroner. with just
the slightest touch of sarcasm. quietly
observed:
And to ease your wife's mind-the
wife you were SO deeply angered with
you visited this house and. at an
hour which you should have spent in
reconciliation with her. went through
its ancient rooms in the hope-of
what:"
Mr.. Jeffrey could not answer. The
words which came from his lips were
mere CALCULATIONS.
Il was restless, mad. l found this
adventure diverting. I Ind no real
purpose in mind"
Not when you looked at the old pic
ture?
THE old picture? What old pic
turey"
THE old picture in the southwest
chamber. You took look at that,
didn't you-got up on a chair on pur-
pose to do SOP
Mr.. Jeffrey WINGED, but he made n
direct reply.
Yes; gave look ut that old pic
ture; got up, as you say. on chair to
do SO. Wasn't that the freak Of an idle
man, wandering, he hardly knows why,
from room to room in an old and de-
serted houseY
His tormentor did not answer. Prob
ably his mind was on his next line Of
inquiry. But Mr.. Jeffrey did not take
his silence with the calmness he had
shown prior to the last attack. AS no
word came from his unwelcome guest,
he paused in his rapid pacing and.
casting aside with one impulsive ges-
ture his hitherto imperfectly held re-
straint. he cried out sharply:
why do you ask me these questions
in tones Of such suspicion? Is it not
plain enough that my wife took her
own life under a misrepresentation Of
my state Of mind toward her? Why
should you feel it necessary to rake up
these personal matters. which. how
ever interesting to the world at large,
are Of painful nature to meY"
"Mr. jeffrey" retorted the other.
with a sudden grave assumption of
dignity not without its effect in a case
Of such serious import, I'VE do nothing
without purpose. We ask these ques.
tons and show this interest because
the charge Of suicide which has hither-
to been made against your wife is not
entirely sustained by the facts. At
least she was not alone when she took
her life. Some one was In the house
with her."
1t was startling to observe the effect
of this declaration upon him.
"Impossible"' he cried out in a pro-
test as forcible as it was agonized.
You are playing with my misery. She
could have had no one there; she would
not. There IS not man living before
whom she would have fired that dead
ly shot unless it " Is myself-unless II
was my own wretched, miserable self"
The remorseful whisper in which
those final words were uttered carried
them to my heart, which for some
strange and unaccOuntable reason had
been gradually turning toward this
man. But my less easily affected COM
paniOn, seeing his opportunity and pos.
sibly considering that 1t was this gen
tleman's right to know in what a
doubtful light he stood before the law
remarked with as light a touch OF
irony as was possible:
You should know better than we In
whose presence she would choose to die
If she did SO choose: also who would
be likely to tie the pistol to her wrist
and blow out the candle when the
dreadful deed was over"
The laugh which seemed to be the
only means Of violent expression re
manning to this miserable man was
| kept down by some amazing thought
which seemed to paralyze him. With
out making any attempt to refute O
suggestion that fell just short Of a per
sonal accusation, he sank down in the
first chair he came to and became, as
1t were, lost in the vision Of that ghast
~ ribbon tying and the solitary blow
ing out Of the candle upon this scene OF
mournful death. Then, with q strug.
Cling sense Of having heard something
ly to his feet and managed to let fall
these words:
you are mistaken. No one was there
or, II any one was, 1t was not 1. There
is man In this city who can prove 1t. u
But when Mr.. Jeffrey was asked to
give the name Of this man he showed
confusion and presently was obliged to
admit that he could neither recall his
name nor remember anything about
him, but that he was some one whom
he knew well and who knew him well
He affirmed that the two had met and
spoken near Soldiers home shortly aft
er the sun went down and that the
meeting If We could only find him.
AS Soldiers home was several miles
from the Moore house and quite out Of
the way Of all his accustomed haunts.
Coroner q. asked him how he came to
be there. He replied that he had just
come from the Rock Creek cemetery
that he had been In a wretched state
Of mind all day. and, possibly being in
f1uenced by what be had heard Of the
yearly vigils Mr.. Moore was In the
habit Of keeping there, had taken a
notion to stroll among the graves in
search Of the rest and peace Of mind
he had failed to find in his aimless
walks about the city. At least, that
was the way he chose to account for
the meeting he mentioned. Falling in.
to reverie again, he seemed to be try.
ing to recall the name which at this
moment was Of such importance to
him. But 1t was without avail. as be
presently acknowledged.
Il cannot remember who 1t was. My
brain is whirling, and l can recollec,
nothing but that this man and myself
left the cemetery together ON the night
mentioned. just as the gate was being
closed. AS 1t closes at shutdown, the
hour can be fixed to q minute. 1t was
J