Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-07-15

a form lay before me. outstretched
on that portion of the floor which had
hitherto been hidden from me by the
half open door-a woman's form.
which even in that first casual look
impressed itself upon me as one of
aerial dclicacy and extreme refine
ment; and this form lay as only the
dead lie; the dead, And l had been
looking at the hearthstone for just
such picture. No, not just such a
picture. for this woman lay face upper
most. and, on the floor beside her was
blood
A hand had plucked my sleeve. 1t
was Hibbard's. Startled by my i'm
mobility and silence, he had stepped in
with quaking members. expecting he
hardly knew what But no sooner did
his eyes fall on the PROSTATE form
which held me spellbound than an un-
foreseen change took place in him.
What had unnerved me, restored him
to full self possession. Death in this
shape was familiar to him. He had no
fear Of blood. He did not show sur
prise at encOuntering 1t, but only at
the effect it appeared to produce ON me.
Shot" was his laconic comment as
he bent over the PROSTATE body "Shot
through the heart! She must have
died before she fell"
Shot.
That was a new experience for this
room. No wound had ever before dis
figured those who had fallen here, nor
had any of the previous victims been
found lying on any other spot than the
one over which that huge settle kept
guard. AS these thoughts crossed my
mind instinctively glanced again to.
ward the fireplace for what l almost
refused to believe lay outstretched at
my feet. When nothing more ap-
peared there than that old seat Of sin.
lister memory, l experienced thrill
which poorly prepared me for the cry
which now heard raised by Hubbard.
Look here! What do you make Of
thisT
He was pointing to what. upon closer
inspection, proved to be q strip OF
white satin ribbon running from one
Of the delicate wrists of the girl before
us to the handle Of u pistol which had
fallen not far away from her side. 1T
looks as IL the pistol was attached to
her. That is something new in my
experience. What do you think II
meansW
Alas, there was but one thing II
could mean. The shot to which she
had succumbed had been delivered by
herself. This fair and delicate creature
was a suicide.
But suicide in this place! How could
we account for that? Had the story
| Of this rooms Ill acquired fame acted
hypnotically on her, or had she STUN.
bled upon the open door In front and
been glad Of any refuge where her
misery might find solitary termina.
tOnf Closely scanning her upturned
face, sought an answer to this Ques.
ton. and while thus seeking received
fresh shock which l did not hesitate
to communicate to my now none too
sensitive companion.
Look ut these features" cried. II
seem to know them. Do your"
He growled out dissent, but stoop-
ed ut my bidding and gave the pitif,1
young face prolonged stare. When
he looked up again it was with a puz-
Fled contraction Of his eyebrows.
I've certainly seen 1t somewhere"
he hesitatingly admitted. edging slow.
ly away toward the door. Perhaps In
the papers. Isn't she like
Like" I interrupted. 1T Is veroni.
ca Moore herself, the owner Of this
house and she who was married here
two weeks since to Mr.. jeffrey. Ev1
IDENTIFY her reason was unseated by thu
tragedy which threw e. deep q gloon
| over her wedding"