Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-07-06
Inspecting the
library fireplace

Nothing was to be seen there but the
marks left by the removal of its base
from the blackencd boards.
Disguised with myself if not with
this object of my present disappoint-
ment, left that portion of the room
in which it stood and crossed to where
had found the little table on the night
| Of Mrs. Jeffrey's death. 1t was no
| longer there. 1t had been set back
against the wall, where it properly be-
| longed, and the candelabrum removed.
| Nor was the kitchen chair any longer
| to be seen near the bookshelves This
| fact, small as 1t was, caused me an in
slant OF chagrin. I had intended to
look again at the book which had eX-
amined with such unsatisfactory re-
suits the time before. A glance showed
me that this book had been pushed
back level with the others. But l re-
membered its title, and had the means
Of reaching it been at hand l should
certainly have stolen another peep at
it.
| Upstairs found the same signs of
police interference. The shutter had
been fastened in the southwest room
and the bouquet and wrap taken away
from the bed. The handkerchief also
was missing from the mantel where
had left 1t, and when opened the clos
ct door it was to find the floor bare and
the second candelabrum and candle re-
moved.
Gall gone" thought leach and ev-
cry clew."
But l was mistaken. In another mo-
ment came upon the minute filings ]
had before observed scattered over n
small stand. Concluding from this
that they had been passed over by Dur
bin and his associates MS valueless, l
swept them, together with the dust in
which they lay, into an old envelope 1
happily found in my pocket. Then 1
crossed to the mantel and made a close
inspection of its now empty shelf. The
scratches which had made there were
| visible enough, but the impressions. for
which they stood had vanished in the
handling which everything in the house
had undergone. Regarding with great
thankfulness the result of my own
| foresight, l made haste to leave the
room. l then proceeded to take my
first steps in the ticklish experiment
by which l hoped to determine wheth-
er Uncle David had had any share in
the fatal business Which had rendered
the two rooms l had just visited so
memorable.
First satisfying myself by peep
through the front drawing room WIN
dow that he was positively ut watch
behind the vines, went directly to the
kitchen, procured chair and carried it
into the library, where put it to a use
that to an onlooker's eye would have
appeared very peculiar. Planting it
squarely OH the hearthstone- with
out some secret perturbation us to
what the results might be to myself
l mounted it and took down the ell
craving which have already described
as hanging over this mantelpiece.
Setting it on end against one of the
jambs Of the fireplace, mounted the
chair once more and carefully sifted
over the high shelf the contents of a
little package which had brought with
me for this purpose.
Then, leaving the chair where it was,
l betook myself out of the front door,
ostentatiously stopping to lock it and
to put the key in my pocket.
Crossing Immediately to Mr.. NIoore's
side Of the street, encountered him,
us had expected to do, at his own
gateway.
well, what now?' he inquired, with
the same exaggerated courtesy l had
noticed in him OH previous occasion.
"You have the air Of q man bringing