Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-09-20
major and

Addressing the district attorney, he re- marked: "This will strengthen your case very materially. We have proof now that Mrs. Jeffrey's death was ac- tually determined upon. If Miss Tut tie had not shot her, he would. wonder if it was a relief to him on reaching his door to find that the deed was done"
 could not suppress my surprise.
 Miss Tuttlev' I repeated sTs it so 1 unmistakably evident that MT. Jeffrey did not get to the Moore house in time to do the shooting himself?'' The major gave me a quick look. 'I thought you considered Miss Tut tie the guilty one."
 I felt that the time had come to show my colors.
 T have changed my mind" said I. it'I can give you no good reason for this; something in the woman herself, I suppose. She does not look nor act like criminal. While not desirous of raising myself in opposition to the Judgment of those so greatly my su- periors in all respects, have had this feeling, and I am courageous enough to avow it. And yet, if MT. Jeffrey could not have left the cemetery gates and reached the Moore house in time to fulfill all the conditions of this tragedy, the case does look black against the woman. She admits to having been there when the pistol was l fired, unless"
 Unless what? You have something new to tell us. That have seen ever 1k@r,r q ! is itT'
 cast glance at the door Should
 I be able to finish my story before l Durbin returned? I thought it pos sibIe, and, though still upset by this ! new evidence, which could now see was not entirely in Miss Tuttle's favor, I spoke up with what spirit might
 T have just come from spending another night in the Moore house. All the efforts heretofore made to exhaust l its secrets have been founded upon theory that has brought us nowhere. | I had another in mind, and was anx- ious to test it before resting from all further attempt to solve this riddle. And it has not failed me- I As said this laid open on the table
 
 I spoke. Instantly the two men bent over it. When they looked up again, their countenance showed not excite ment only, but appreciation; and in the one minute of triumph which then enjoyed all that had wounded or dis turbed me in the past was forgotten.
 The major now proposed that we should go at once to the old house. "A ffanaily secret like this does not crop 1 up every day even in city so full of
 surprises as Washington. We will hunt for the spring under the closet drawers and see what happens, eh? And on our way there'-here he turned to mel should like to hear the par ticulars concerning the little clew just mentioned. By the way, MT. Jeffrey's explained. He knew it's diabolical secret"
 This was self evident, and my heart was heavy for Miss Tuttle, who seem 7 ed to be so. deep in her brother -inilaw' B confidence.
 It grew still heavier when Durbin, l joining us, added his incredulity to the 1 air of suspicion assumed by the others.
 Our first move was to go in body to the southwest chamber, take down l the picture. examine 1t with a magni- I flying glass and satisfy ourselves that I the words had picked out of it's may ] lines were really to be found there.
 This done and my veracity established,
 we next proceeded to the closet where, according to the instruction embodied \ %yn4 rNir+ ts I to be found by which some unknown and devilish machinery would be re leased in the library below. A
 To my great satisfaction the active 2 part in this experiment was delegated to me. Durbin continued to be mere I locker on. Drawing out the two large 1 drawers from their place at the end of this closet set them aside. Then I aI hunted for and found the small loop l hole which we had been told afforded
 a glimpse of the library hearthstonc,
 but seeing nothing through 1t, called
 for light to be placed in the room be- I low.
 I heard Durbin go down, then the I major and, finally, the district attor- ! ney. Nothing could stay their curios- 1 ity now, not even the possibility of
 danger, which as yet was a lurking and mysterious one. But when light shot up from below and the irregular opening before me became loophole through which could catch very
 wide glimpse of the library beneath, I 1 found that it was not necessary for me
 to warn them to keep away from the i hearth, as they were all clustered very near the sdoor-a precaution not alto
 gether uncalled for at so hazardous moment
 tAre you readyf" called down,
 "Readyw rose in simultaneous re- sponse from below.
 '"Then look outvf
 Reaching for the spring cleverly con- 1 cealed in the wall at my right vigor-
 ously pressed it.
 l The result was instantaneous Silent 1 ly, but with unerrins cerlalnsy some thing small, round and deadly fell plumb from the library ceiling to