Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-11-15
next to the closet and drew out the

the place is, but no one but myself can
ever realize what it was for me, still
loving, still clinging to wild inconse-
quent belief in my wife, to grope in
that mouth Of hell for the spring she
had chartered about in her sleep, to
find it, press it, and then to hear down
in the dark Of the fearsome recess, the
sound of something deadly strike
against what took to be the cushions
Of the old settle standing at the edge
Of the library hearthstone.
II think I must have tainted, for
when found myself possessed of suf-
fcient consciousness to withdraw from
that hole of death the candle in the
candelabrum was shorter by an inch
than when l first thrust my head into
the gap made by the removed draw
ers. In putting back the drawers
hit the candelabrum with my foot, up
setting it and throwing out the burn
ing candle. AS the flames began to
lick the worm eaten boarding of the
floor a momentary impulse seized me
to rush away and leave the whole
place to burn, but did not. With
sudden frenzy stamped out the flame
and then. finding myself in darkness,
CROPPED my way downstairs and out.
II entered the library do not remem-
Der it. Some lapses must be pardoned
man involved as was"
"But the fact which you dismiss so
lightly is an important one," insisted
the major. 1--WE must know positive
~ whether you entered this room or
not"
II have no recollection Of doing So"
"Then you cannot tell us whether
the little table was standing there.
with the candelabrum upon it or
II can tell you nothing about it."
The major, after long look at this
suffering man, turned toward Miss
futile.
"You must have loved your sister
very much" he sententiously remark
cd.
She. flushed, and for the first time
her eyes fell from their resting place
on Mr.. Jeffrey's face.
II loved her reputation" was her
quiet answer, "and"- The rest died
in her throat.
But we all-such of us, mean, who
We're possessed of the least sensibility
or insight-knew how that sentence
sounded as finished in her heart, "And
loved him who asked this sacrifice
Of me-"
Yet was her conduct not quite clear.
"And to save that reputation you
tied the pistol to her wrist?" insinu-
ated the major
NO." was her vehement reply. 81
never knew what was tying to her.
My testimony in that regard was abso-
iutely true. She held the pistol con-
cealed in the folds Of her dress. did
not dream-I could not-that she was
contemplating any such end to the
atrocious crime to which she had con-
fessed. Her manner was too light, too
airy and too frfvolous-a manner adopt
ed, as now see, to forestall all ques-
tons and hold back all expressions of
feeling on my part. Tie these hanging
ends Of ribbon to my wrist were her
words. Tie them tight; knot under
and bow on top. I am going out.
There, don't say anything. What you
want to talk about will keep till to-
morrow. For one night more I am
going to make merry-to-to enjoy my
SELF She was laughing. I thought
her horribly callous and trembled with
such an unspeakable repulsion that
had difficulty in making the knot. To
speak at all would have been impossi-
BILE. Neither did l dare to look in her
face. was touching the hand that
and she kept on laughing-such a hol-
low laugh covering up such an awful
resolve! When she turned to give me
that last injunction about the note this
resolve glared still In her eyes"
| "And you never suspected?"
"Not for an instant. I did not do
Justice either to her misery or to her
conscience. fear that 1 have never
done her justice in any way. thought
her light pleasure loving. 1 did not
know that it was assumed to hide
terrible secret"
"Then you had no knowledge of the
contract she had entered into while a
schoolgirls"
"Not in the least. Another woman
and not myself had been her confidant,
a woman who has since died. No init
nation Of her first unfortunate mar
riage had ever reached me till Mr.. JEFF
frey rushed in upon me that Tuesday
morning with her dreadful confession
on his lips"
The district attorney. who did not
seem quite satisfied on certain point
passed over by the major, now took
the opportunity of saying:
"You assure us that you had no idea
that this once light hearted sister of
yours meditated suicide when she left
you"
"And I repeat it, sir"
"Then why did you Immediately go
to Mr.. Jeffrey's drawer, where you
could have no business, unless it was
to see If she had taken his pistol with
herY
| Miss Tuttle's head fell, and a soft
flush broke through the pallor of her
cheek.
because was thinking of him; be.
cause was terrified for him. He had
left the house the morning before in a
half maddened condition and had not
come back to sleep or eat since. did
not know what man so outraged in
every sacred feeling Of love and homer
might be tempted to do. thought OF
suicide. I remembered the old house
and how he had said: 4 don't believe
her I don't believe she ever did SC
cold blooded an act or that any such
dreadful machinery is in that house