Morris tribune., 1904-05-21
CHAPTER ".
AM in some ways representative
Among nv other Weaknesses

cule. and this is probably why
failed TO press my theory Oh the ,.ir
tain when be appeared ;eld even for
bore to mention the various small Nat
ters which had so attracted my atteu-
iOn. II he and the experienced men
who came with him saw suicide and
nothing but suicide in this lamentable
shooting Of bride of two weeks, then
it was not for me to suggest a deeper
crime. especially as one of the latter
eyed me with open scOrn when l pro-
posed to accompany them upstairs into
the room where the light had been
seen burning. No. l would keep my
discoveries to myself. or at least for
bear to mention them till 1 found the
captain alone. asking nothing at this
juncture but permission to remain in
the house till Mr.. Jeffrey arrived
had been told that an officer had
gone for this gentleman. and when
heard the sound of wheels in front
made a rush for the door in my anX-
iety to catch a glimpse of him, but it
was woman who alighted.
! AS this woman was in a state of
great agitation. one of the men has
tened down to offer his arm. AS she
took it asked Hibbard, who had sud-
she was
He said that she was probably the
sister Of the woman who lay inside,
upon which I remembered that this
lady. under the name of Miss Tuttle-
she was but half sister to Miss Moore
had been repeatedly mentioned by
the reporters in the accounts of the
wedding before mentioned as a person
of superior attainments and magnifi-
cent beauty.
This did not take from my interest,
and, fingin:c; decorum to the winds, l
approached rs near as possible to the
threshold which she must soon cross
AS did SO | was astonished to hear
the strains of Uncle Davids organ
still pealing from the opposite side Of
the way. This at moment so serious
and while matters of apparent conse-
quence were taking place in the house
to which he had himself directed the
attention of the police struck me as
carrying stoicism to the extreme. Not
very favorably impressed by this dis
play of open if not insulting indiffer-
ence on the part Of the sole remaining
Moore, an Indifference which did not
appear quite natural even in a man of
his morbid eccentricity, 1 resolved to
know more Of this old man and, above
all. to make myself fully acquainted
with the exact relations which had
existed between him and his unhappy
niece.
Meanwhile Miss Tuttle had stepped
M1thin The circle Of light cast by our
lanterns.
- I have never seen a finer woman or
one whose features displayed a more
heartrending emotion. This called for
respect, and l for one endeavored to
show it by withdrawn into the back
ground. But I soon stepped forward
again. My desire to understand her
was too great, the impression made by
her bearing too complex. to be passed
over lightly by one on the lookout for
a key to the remarkable tragedy before
us.
Meanwhile her lips had opened with
the cry:
''My sister! Where is my sister?'
The captain made a hurried move
>ment toward the rear and then. with
the laudable intention doubtless Of
preparing her for the ghastly sight |
which awaited her, returned and open
ed way for her into the drawing
room. But she was not to be turned |
aside from her course. Passing him
by, she made directly for the library,
which she entered with a bound.
Struck by her daring, we all crowded |
up behind her and, curious brutes that ,
we were, grouped ourselves in a semi |
circle about the doorway as she falter-
ed toward her sisters outstretched |
form and fell on her knees beside it. ,
Her involuntary shrek and the fierce /
recoil she made as her eyes fell on the |
long white ribbon trailing over the |
door from her sisters wrist struck me /
as voicing the utmost horror Of which |
the human soul is capable. 1t was as
though her very soul were pierced !
Something in the fact itself, some
thing in the appearance Of this snowy
ribbon tied to the scarce whittier wrist.
seemed to pluck at the very root OF
her being. and when her glance, in
travelling it's length. lighted on the
death dealing weapon at it's end she
eringed in such apparent anguish that
we looked to see her fall in q swoon or
break out into delirium. We were cor
respondingly startled when she sud-
denly burst forth with this word of
stern command:
"Untie that knot! Why do you leave
that dreadful thing fast to her! I'm
tie it, say 1t is killing me- l cannot
bear the sight" And from trembling
she passed to shuddering till her whole
body shook convulsively.
The captain, with much considera-
ton, drew back the hand he had i'm
pulsively stretched toward the ribbon.
mo, no." he protested; "we cannot
do that. We can do nothing till the