Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-04-28

sition awakened led me to look up at
the mantel, with which it seemed to
be in some way connected, and thus
became aware Of wan old drawing
hanging on the wall above it. Why
this picture, which was totally unin-
teresting sketch Of a simpering girl
face, should have held my eye after
the first glance cannot say even now.
1t had no beauty, even of the sentimen-
tai kind, and very little If any mean
ing. It's lines, weak at the best, were
nearly obliterated and In some places
quite faded out, yet / not only paused
to look ut it, but in looking at it forgot
myself and well nigh my errand. Yet
there was no apparent reason for the
spell it exerted over me.
It may seem both unnecessary and
out Of character for a man Of my call
ing to acknowledge these chance sen
sations. but only by doing SO can ac-
count for the minutes which elapsed
before summoned sufficient self pos
session to draw aside the closed cur
tains Of the bed and take the quick
look inside which my present doubtful
position demanded. But, once I had
broken the spell and taken the look
just mentioned, found my manhood
return and with it my old ardor for
clews. The bed held no gaping, chat
tering criminal, yet was it not quite
empty. Something lay there. and this
something. while commonplace In IT.
self, was enough out Of keeping with
the place and hour to rouse my inter-
est and awaken my conjectures. 1t
was lady's wrap, SO rich in quality
and Of such festive appearance that
it was astonishing to find it lying In q
neglected state in this crumbling old
house. Though I know little of the
cost Of women's garments, do know
the value Of lace, and this garment
was covered with 1t.
Interesting as was this find, it was
followed by one still more so. Nestled
in the folds of the cloak lay the with
cred remains of what could only have
been the bridal bouquet. Unsightly
now and scentless, it was once beau
tiful specimen Of the florists art. AS
noted how the main BUNCH OF roses
and lilies was connected by long satin
ribbons to the lesser clusters which
hung from it l recalled with conceiva-
BILE horror the use to which similar
ribbon had been put in the room be-
low. In the shudder called up by this
coincidence forgot to speculate how
bouquet carried by the bride could
have found Its way back to this up
stairs room when, as all accounts
agree, she had fed from the parlor be-
low without speaking or staying foot
the moment she was told Of the catas-
trophe which had taken place in the
library. That her wrap should be ly-
ing here was not strange, but that the
wedding bouquet
That it really was the wedding bou-
quet and that this was the room in
which the bride had dressed for the
ceremony was apparent to the most
casual observer. But it became an es-
tablished fact when in my further
course about the room CHANGED on a
handkerchief with the name Veronica
embroidered in one corner.
This handkerchief had an interest
apart from the name on it. 1t was Of
dainty texture and quite in keeping SO
far rs value went with the other be-
longings Of it's fastidious owner. But
1t was not clean. Indeed It was
strangely soiled, and this soil was Of
nature / did not readily understand. A
woman would doubtless have compre-
hended Immediately the cause of the
brown streaks I found on it, but 1t
took me several minutes to realize that
this bit of cambria, delicate as a cob
web. had been used to remove dust.
To remove dust! Dust from what?
From the mantelshelf probably, upon
one end Of which found 1t. But no!
One look along the polished boards
convinced me that whatever else had
been busted in this room this shelf
had not. The accumulation Of days il
not of months was visible from one
end to the other Of its unrelieved sur
face save where the handkerchief had
laid, and--tne greatest discovery yet
where five clear spots just to the left
of the center showed where some
mans finger tips had rested. Nothing
but the pressure Of finger tips could
have caused just the appearance pre-
sented by these spots. BY scrutinizing
them closely could even tell where
the thumb had rested and at once fore
saw the possibility Of determining by
means Of these marks both the size
and shape of the hand which had left
behind it so neat and unmistakable
clew.
Wonderful! But what did It all mean?
Why should man rest his finger tips
on this out Of the way shelf? Had he
done so in an effort to balance himself
for look up the chimney? No, for
then the marks made by his fingers
would have extended to the edge of the
shelf, whereas these were in the mid
die Of it. Their shape, too. was round,
not oblong. Hence the pressure had
come from above, and-ah! l had it.
These impressions In the dust Of the
shelf were just such as would be made
by a person steadying himself for
close look at the old picture. And this
accounted also for the overturned
chair and for the handkerchief used as
4 buster. Some ones interest in this
picture had been greater than mine;
some one who was either very near
sighted or whose temperament was
,I, %I&nk tvv Ah~ al fvNnvN IN