The Cairo bulletin., 1904-04-16

II is vacant, Uncle David Moore, prosperity,
heir, widower recluso, lives across the street
His niece, Veronica Moore, in Il fit of capric,
opens the house to celebrate her wedding with
Francis Jeffrey. A supposed guest is found ly'
ing dead in the fatal room before the ceremony
was finished. When the story opens, the house
isagain empty, and Uncle David notifies The
police that light is seen the re at night
III detective goes with Uncle David and af
Ter u view from the outside concludes tina
there is someone in the house. Summoninl
aid, he enters, while Uncle David retlres with
in bis own home and begirs PLAYING the organ
Tine detective finds the body of q woman on the
floor in front OF Il settle which has
played part IN previous tragedies PTS
~ is attached 10 her wrist by a ribbon
l In an upstairs room the detective finds
urncd matches, candles, a rich wrap lying
with the bridal bouquet and a handkerchief
marked Veronica" with dust upon 1t. On
mantei are finger marks in the dust, and :
,'cturc ON the wall has recently been busted
VtI-Veronics's haT sister, Cora futile, is
strangely affected on the scene of the tragedy
'rh' dead womau's watch had fallen and stop
Ieda T:1i Jeffrey comes in with a note from
ms wifi. saving she did OF love him as she
thought. Miss futile ev IDENTIFY loves him
CHAPTER ".
y AN in some ways representative.
n Among my other weaknesses |
n have a wholesome dread Of ridl-
~ cule, and this is probably why l
failed TO press my theory on the cap
tain when he appeared and even for
bore to mention the various small mat
tcrs which had so attracted my attcn-
ton. If he and the experienced mon
who came with him saw suicide and
nothing but suicide in this lamentable
shooting Of q bride Of two weeks then
it was not for me to suggest a deeper
crime. especially as one Of the latter
eyed me with open scorn when pro-
posed to accompany them upstairs into
the room where the light had been
seen burning. No, would keep my
discoveries to myself, or at least for
bear to mention them till found the
captain alone, asking nothing at this
juncture but permission TO remain In
the house till Mr. Jeffrey arrived.
had been told that an officer had
gone for this gentleman. and when
heard the sound Of wheels in front
made rush for the door in my anx-
ioty to catch glimpse Of him, but it
was a woman who alighted. er
AS this woman was in state of
great agitation, ore of the men has
tened down to offer his arm. AS she
took 1t asked Hibbard. who had sud-
denly reappeared upon the scene, who
she was.
He said THAT she was probably the
sister Of the woman who lay inside
upon which | remembered that this
Lady under the name of Miss futile
she was but half sister to Miss Moore
had nheen repeatedly mentioned by
the reporters in the accounts Of the
wedding before mentioned as n person
OF superior attachments and magniti-
cent beauty.
This did not take from my interest,
and. 1inging docorum TO the winds,
approached as near as possible TO the
threshold which she must soon cross.
AS | did so l was astonished to hear
the strains Of Uncle Dayid's organ
still pealing from the opposite side OF
the way. This at n moment so serious
and while matter Of apparent consc-
quence were taking place in the house
TO which he had himself directed the
attention of the police struck me as
carrying stoicism to the extreme. Not
very favorably impressed by this dis
play of open If not insulting indlffer-
encc on the part of the sole remaining
Moore, an Indifference which did not
appear quite natural even in man of
his morbid eccentricity. | resolved to
know more Of this old man and. above
all. to make myself fully acquainted
with the exact relations which had
existed between him and his unhappy
niece.
Meanwhile Miss futile had stepped
within the circle of light cast by our
lanterns.
have never seen finer woman or
one whose features displayed a more
hcartrending emotion. This called for
respect, and | for one endeavored to
show it by withdrawing into the back
again. My desire to understand hcr
was too great, H. impression made by
her bearing too complex. to be passed
over lightly by one on the lookout for
a key TO the remarkable tragedy before
us.
Meanwhile her lips had opened with
the cry
"My sister. Where is my sister,"
The captain made a hurried move
ment toward the rear and then, with
the laudable intention doubtless of
preparing her for the CHASTITY sight
which awaited her, returned and open
ed a way for her into the drawing
room. But she was not to be turned
aside from her course, Passing him
by, she made directly for the library,
which she entered with bound.
Struck by her daring. we all crowded
up behind her and, curious brutes that
we were. grouped ourselves In a semi
circle about the doorway as she falter-
ed toward her sisters outstretchcd
form and fell on her knees beside it.
Her involuntary shrek and the fierce
recOil she made as her eyes fell on the
long white ribbon trailing over the
floor from her sisters wrist struck me
as vOieing the utmost horror of which
the human soul is capable. 1t was as
though her very soul were pierced.
Something in the fact itself. some
thing In the appearance of this snowy