Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-08-03

AT oHSe uHu very DTutally. he uSk-
ed II she was Mrs. Jeffrey's sister, and
when she nodded and gasped Yes he
blurted out that Mrs. Jeffrey was dead;
that he had just come from the old
house in Waverley avenue, where she
had just been found"
.And Miss Tuttle?"
Didn't know what to say; Just hid
her face. She was leaning against the
newell post, SO it was easy for her to
dose. l remember that the man stared
at her for taking it SO quietly and ask.
ing no questions"
"And did she speak at all?"
"Oh, yes, afterward. Her face was
wrapped in the folds Of her cloak, but
heard her whisper as if to herself:
No, no! That old hearth is not q
lodestone. She cannot have fallen
there And then she looked up quite
wildly and cried: There is something
more! Something which you have not
told me! She shot herself, If that's
what you mean Miss Tuttle's arms
went straight up over her head. 1t
was awful to see her. Shot herselfY
she gasped. oh, Veronica, Veronica!
With pistol he went on-I suppose
he was going to say, tied to her wrist
: SfdraAe lexer GOT Il -seHt ter Mss Tut
tie at the word pistol clapped her
hands to her ears and for moment
looked quite distracted, SO that he
thought better of worrying her any
more and only demanded to know If
MI. jeffrey kept any such weapon.
Miss Tuttle's face grew very strange
at this. Mr.. Jeffrey! Was lie thereY
she asked. The man looked surprised.
They are searching for Mr.. jeffrey
he replied. Isn't he hereY No. came
both from her lips and mine. The man
acted very impertinently. You haven't
told me whether pistol was kept here
or not said he. Miss futile tried to
compose herself, but l saw that l
should have to speak If any one did, SO
told him that Mr.. Jeffrey did have O
pistol, which he kept In one of his bu.
reau drawers. But when the officer
wanted Miss futile to go up and see If
1t was there she shook her head and
made for the front door, saying that
she must be taken directly to her sis.
ter"
"And did no one go up? Was no at.
tempt made to see IL the pistol was OF
was not in the drawer?"
Yes; the officer went up with me.
pointed out the place where 1t was
kept, and he rummaged all through It.
but found no pistol. l didn't expect
him to- Here the witness paused
and bit her lip, adding confusedly,
"Mr. Jeffrey had taken it, you see"
The Jurors. who sat very much In the
shadow, had up to this point attracted
but little attention. But now they be-
gan to make their presence felt, per-
haps because the break in the witness
words had been accompanied by sly
look at jimmy. Possibly warned by
this that something lay back of this
hitherto timid witness sudden volu.
bility, one Of them now spoke up.
I'm what room did you say this pis.
tol was kept?"
In Mr.. and Mrs. Jeffrey's bedroom
Sir; the room opening out of the sit
ting room where Mrs. Jeffrey had kept
herself shut up all day"
"Does this bedroom Of which you
speak communicate with the hall us
well ms with the sitting room?"
mo, sir; 1t is the defect of the house
Mr.. and Mrs. Jeffrey often spoke of 1t
as great annoyance, You had to pass
through the little boudoir in order to
reach it,
The juryman sank back, evidently
satisfied with her replies, but we who
marked the visible excitement with
which the witness had answered this
seemingly unimportant question won.
dered what special interest surrounded
that room and the pistol to warrant
the heightened color with which the
girl answered this new interlocutor.
We were not destined to know ut this
time, for the coroner when he spoke
again, pursued different subject.
How long was this before Mr.. JEFF
frey came int"
"Only few minutes. l was terribly
frighteneI.2 ut being left there alone
and was on my way to ask one of the
other girls to come up and stay with
me when henrd his key in the lock
and came back. He had entered tho
house and was standing near the door
talking to an officer, who had evidently
come in with him. 1t was different
officer from the one who had gone
away with Miss futile. Mr.. Jeffrey
was saying: What's that? My wife
hurt! Dead, sir!' blurted ont the
nan. l had expected to see Mr.. JET
frey terribly shocked, but not In SO
awful n way. 1t really frightened me
to see him and turned to run, but
found that l couldn't and that 1 had
to stand still md look whether want
ed to or not. Yet he didn't say word
or ask question"
.Nhat did he do, Lorctta?
~ cannot saw. He was on his knans