Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-24

better. whl,n ,soy .o.y efauua.iJ. we
had to take her away, SO that hau
no opnvtunity of speaking OF this &C.
currence to any one till week ago.
when some remark published in con-
nection with Mrs. Jeffrey's death re-
called that encounter on the bridge.
| told neighbor that l believed the
man l had seen there was MIR. JEFFREY,
and we looked up the papers and ran
over them till we came upon his pic
ture. That settled it, and l could no
longer-being free from home anSieties
now-hold my tongue, and the police
heard
''That will do, Mr.. Gelston," broke in
the major. When we want you again
we will let you know. Durbin. see Mr..
Gelston out"
I was left alone with the major and
the district attorney.
The major was the first to speak.
Addressing the district attorney. lie re-
marked: "This will strengthen your
case very materially. We have proof
now that Mrs .Jeffrey's death was &C
tually determined upon. II Miss Tut
tie had not shot her. he would. l
wonder If it was relief to him on
reachinp his door to find that the deed
was done"
l could not suppress my surprise
Miss Tuttlev' I repeated. rs 1t so
Enthusiastically evident that Mr.. jeffrey
did not get to the Moore house IN time
to do the shooting himselfi'
The major gave me quick look.
II thought you considered Miss Tut
tie the guilty one"
I felt that the time had come to show
my colors.
II have changed my mind" said !.
II can give you no good reason Tor
this; something in the woman herself,
/ suppose. She does not look nor act
like a criminal. While not desireus OF
raising myself In opposition to the
Judgment Of those SO greatly my SUI
periors In all respects, have had this
feeling, and I am courageous enough
to avow it. And yet, II Mr.. 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
fired, unless
Unless what? You have something
new to tell us That l have seen ever
ho
Is it?''
I'll cast glance at the door. Should
I be able to finish my story before
Durbin returned? I thought it pos
sible. and, though still upset by this
new evidence, which l could now see
was not entirely in Miss Tuttle's favor,
spoke up with what spirit might.
II have just come from spending
another night in the Moore house. All
the efforts heretofore made to exhaust
its secrets have been founded upon a
theory that has brought us nowhere.
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-"
AS said this laid open on the table
before me the transcription OF which
l 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
family secret like this does not crop
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 therefore he turned
to met should like to hear the par
ticulars concerning the little clew just
mentioned. By the way, Mr.. Jeffrey's
interest in this old drawing is now
explained He knew its diabolical
secret"
This was self evident, and my heart
was heavy for Miss Tuttle, who SEEM
ed to be so deep in her brother-in-law's
confidence.
1t grew still heavier when Durbin,
joining us, added his incredulity to the
air Of suspicion assumed by the others.
Our first move was to go In body
to the southwest chamber, take down
the picture. examine it with magni-
flying glass and satisfy ourselves that
the words had picked out Of its may
liues were really to be found there.
This done and my veracity established,
we next proceeded to the closet where.
according to the instruction embodied
in this picture, the secret spring was
to be found by which some unknown
and devilish machinery would be re-
leased in the library below.
To my great satisfaction the active
part in this experiment was delegated
to me. Durbin continued to be mere
locker on. Drawing out the two large
drawers from their place at the end of
this closet l set them aside. Then l
hunted for and found the small loop
hole which we had been told afforded
glimpse of the library hearthstonc.
but seeing nothing through it, called
for Light to be placed in the room be-
low.
l heard Durbin go down, then the
major and, finally, the district attor-
ney. Nothing could stay their curios-
ity now, not even the possibility of