Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-09-02


me to approach that gentleman
myself.
With few apologies and no preamble
l Immediately entered upon my story.
which l made as concise and as much
to the point as possible. 1 did not ex-
for some slight show of establishment
Mt the nature Of my news. 1 was
therefore greatly disappointed when
after a moments quiet consideration
he carelessly remarked:
VERY good. very good! The one
prove Of use to us. We had reached
the same conclusion, but by another
road. You ask. Who blew out the can
die? We. who tied the pistol to Mrs.
Jefrrey's arm| 1t could not have been
tied by herself. Who was her Access
sorry, then? All, you didn't think Of
that"
I flushed as II pail of hot water
had been dashed suddenly over me.
He was right. The conclusion he spoke
Of had failed to strike me- Why? It
was perfectly obvious one, as obvi-
GUS as that the candle had been blown
out by another breath than hers; yet,
absorbed in my own train Of thought,
I had completely overlooked 1t. The
coroner, observing my embarrassment,
smiled. and my humiliation was COM
plete, or would have been had Durbin
been there, but fortunately he was
not.
* am a fool" cried. II thought
had discovered something. I might
have known that there were keener
minds than mine In this Office
'Easy-easy," was the good natured
interruption. you have done well. If
did not think 30 l would not keep you
here minute. AS 1t Is, am disposed
to let you see that in a case like this
one man must not expect to monopolize
all the hOnOrs. This matter of the
bow Of ribbon would strike any old and
experienced official. only wonder
that we have not seen it openly dis.
cussed in the papers,
Taking box from his desk, he open.
ed 1t and held it out toward me. A coli
Of white ribbon surmounted by q crisr
and dainty bow met my eyes.
you recognize itf' he asked.
Indeed did.
1T was cut from her wrist by my
deputy. Miss Tuttle wished him to un
tie 1t. but he preferred to leave the
bow intact. Now lift 1t out. Careful
man; don't soil 1t. You will see why in
a minute" AS held the ribbon up he
pointed to some spots on its fresh
white surface. do you see thoser' he
asked. Those are dust marks, and
they were made as truly by some ones
fingers as the Impressions you noted
on the mantelshelf In the upper cham.
Der. This pistol was tied to her wrist
after the deed; possibly by that same
hand"
1t was my own conclusion, but 1t did
not sound as welcome to me from bis
lips as I had expected. Either my ma.
ture Is narrow or my inordinate jeal.
ousy lays me open to the most aston
fishing Inconsistencies, for no sooner
had he spoken these words than I ex.
perienced a sudden revulsion against
my own theory and the suspicious
which 1t threw upon the man whom an
hour before I was eager to proclaim q
criminal.
But Coroner 2. gave me no chance
for making such fool Of myself. Res.
cuing the ribbon from my hands, which
no doubt were running little too free
ly over Its snowy surface, he smiled
with the indulgence proper from such
a man to a novice like myself and OBJ
served quite frankly:
You will consider these observations
as confidential. You know how to hold
your tongue; that you have proved.
Hold 1t, then, little longer. The case
Is not yet ripe. Mr.. jeffrey Is a man
OF high standing. with a hitherto un.
blemished reputation. 1t won't do. my
boy. to throw the doubt Of 80 hideous
a crime upon so fine a gentleman with.
out ample reason. That no such mis-.
take may be made and that he may
have every opportunity for clearing
himself l am going to have q confiden.
tial talk with him. Do you want to be
PRESENT.
l flushed again, but this time from
extreme satisfaction.
Il am obliged for your confidence"