Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1904-06-25

i
have? Who fashioned it, I mean, or
tied it for you, if that is what ought
to sayW
at was tied for me by-Miss TuttIe.
She is a friend of mine, or was, and
q very good one, and one day while
watching me struggling with a piece
Of ribbon which wanted made into
bow she took it from my hand and
tied knot for which I was very much
obliged to her. 1t was very pretty"
"And like this?"
almost exactly, sir"
"Have you that knot with you"
| She had
"Will you show it to the jury?"
Heaving a sigh which she had much
| better have suppressed, she opened
) little bag she carried at her side and
took out a pink satin bow. 1t had
been tied by deft hand, and more
than one pair Of eyes fell significantly
at sight Of it.
Amid a silence which was intense
two or three other witnesses were
called to prove that Miss Tuttle's skill
in bow tying was exceptional and was
often made use of not only by mem
bers of her household, but, as in Miss
NiXon's case, by outsiders, the special
style shown in the one under consider
alton being the favorite.
During all this kept my eyes on Mr..
Jeffrey. When finally several persons
of both sexes were brought forward to
prove that his attentions to Miss Tut
tie had once been sufficiently marked
for an announcement Of their engage
ment to be daily looked for, he let his
head fall forward on his breast as if
the creeping horror which had seized
him was too much for his brain If not
for his heart. The final blow was
struck when the man whom had my
self seen in Alexandria testified to the
contretemps which had occurred in At
lantic City, an additional point being
given to it by the repetition of some
old conversation, raked up for the pur-
pose, by which an effort was made to
prove that Miss Tuttle found it hard
to forgive injuries even from those
nearest and dearest to her. This sub.
ject might have been prolonged, but
some of the jury objected, and the time
being now ripe for the great event Of
the day the name of the lady herself
was called.
After so significant a preamble the
mere utterance Of Miss Tuttle's name
had almost the force of an accusation,
but the dignity with which she rose
Gained all minds and subdued every
expression Of feeling. She faltered
only when by chance she glanced at
the shrinking figure Of Francis Jeffrey.
Her name, which she uttered with
out emphasis and yet in way to
arouse attention, sank into all hearts
with more or less disturbance.
"Alice Cora Tuttle!' How in days.
gone by, and not so long gone by Ell
Their, those three words had aroused
the enthusiasm of many a gallant man
and inspired the toast at many a gal
liant feast! They had their charm yet
if the heightened color observable on
many cheek there was true index
to the quickening heart below.
"How are you connected with the
deceased Mrs. Jeffrey?'
81 am the child of her mother by
former husband. We were half Sis
ters."
No bitterness in this statement, only
an infinite sadness. The coroner con-
tinued to question her. He asked for
an account of her childhood and forced
her to lay bare the nature of her rela-
tons with her sister. But little was
gained by this, for their relations SEEM
ed to have been of a sympathetic char
acter up to the time of Veronica's re-
turn from school, when they changed
somewhat, but how or why Miss Tut
tie was naturally ayerse to saying.
Indeed she almost refused to do so,
md the coroner, feeling his point gain
I'd more by this refusal than by any
admission she might have made, did
lot press this subject, but passed on
o what interested us more-the vari-
JUS unexplained actions on her part
which pointed toward crime.
His first inquiry was in reference to-
he conversation held between her and
Ir. Jeffrey at the time he visited her
DOM. We had listened to his account
# it, and now we wished to hear hers.
But the cue which had been given her
" this very account had been invalua-
lie to her, and her testimony naturally
'oincided with his. We found our
elves not an inch advanced. They
lad talked of her sisters follies, and
he had advised patience, and that was
ii she could say on the subject-all
he would say, as we presently saw.
The coroner introduced fresh topic.
"What can you tell us about the in
erview you had with your sister prior
o her going out on the night Of her
eath?''
every little except that it differed en-
rely from what is generally supposed.
he did not come to my room for con-
ersation, but simply to tell me that
he had an engagement. She was in
n excited mood, but said nothing to
larm me. She even laughed when she
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