Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-12-30

What do you mean?"
What do I mean?'' asked the de-
tective. Good heavens, Thomas.
where are your eyes? Can't you see
that In every step we have taken we
have been bahied. misled. made fools
or Do you imagine Paul North would
have gone TO his town house. shut up
az IL was for the summer, unless he
had been enticed there? The writing
or Stackhouse's name on the wall
proves conclusively to my mind that
Stackhouse did not do t. Why. how
absurd il Is! The medical examiner
gives $50 seconds as a limit TO North's
Life after he was shot Do you SUD
pose II Stackhouss had shot him he
would have run away before assuring
himself that he was dead? Would he
have let North write his name on the
waltz II North had done Il. wouldn't
he have smesred It out again? Why.
OF course he would. And in this name
upon the wall is the animus OF the
whole matter. There we sec the fangs
and tho teeth OF the serpent. The
bitter deadly enmity that underlies
the whole scheme That the entire OBJ
jet was revenge upon Stackhouse I
do not believe. II is too roundabout
and too dangerous a method OF re-
venGe; but that the perpetrators Of the
deed hated that mau-why the fact Is
as clear as sunlight Now who hates
Stackhouse? Who on the day OF the
discovery OF the crime drove him from
her side. from the house. knowing fulI
f~lr tnra frr-.
fact In so many words-that such an
act would only deepen the suspicion
about him? Who. with Paul North
alive. was not free TO meet the man
she really loved. and who. Paul North
dead. and Stackhouse out of the yvav
might reunite herself with her guilty
lover? Who. for no cause but one that
under such circumstances we can m
derstand, flies into a passion OF anger
at the remonstrance OF an innocent
girl, and is SO excited by the impend-
Ing crime that She cannot keep herself
away from the scene?"
stop Don't go ont"
Thomas had risen and was holding
up HIS hand. There was something
horrible even 20 this veteran I'm the
merctless arraignment Of the sister OF
the woman he had protected. II might
be true John Lamm was the sbrew5-
est OF shrewd men. but he would not
believe it until he had ali the proofs
before him.
Il tell Won. Lamu." ne declared. ~
will not believe that woman planned
that murder as long as there is
chance In the world for reasonable
doubt And 7 can show"
There was a tale az the door han
die
ITS my man. Bill" said the detec-
tive. back agais from Swampscott. ="
He unlocked the door.
And what has her laeyship 70 orer
today"
This"
The messenre~ placed letter IA
John Lamm's hand The detective
broke the seal and read 70 eagerly
"See" he said. passing it 20 Thomas
ats from my little parlor maid M
Swampscott"
The reporter ra-usof .ho r,iseivo g.,
HIS turn With LITTLE editing II would
have read as follows:
she Is 10 tins worse and worse this
goes or "a longer can't stay hcrc
Since Stella ran ava ~ she's acted sirarrer
than ever. 10 wouldn't 60 90 sneak 20
her for your .fe Mr. Fctrlfgo called r,es
l right again. Their talk was short SIZE
| GOT n letter FROM her husband last rirht
! ] brought 10 from tho post office and Lnoy,
HIS SIS $50 spent ali the evening think
writing for her room was fun OF tiny
scraps written on. thiS morn Inc. buf She
must have torn them an up FOR no letter
has been posted from This house. that's
certain. u crazy Co know u that poor
gir. has been heard from Don't Keep The
ae"s from mc as soon as she is found. /
| tnlrk Stc-a's going has scared NJ. She
| looks lke a ghost. and 4 "a afraid OF her
ana So are a.. tao rest"
Its euCe-L she tried 20 answer the
letter SJacAGOuse wrote her" said
Thomas. something must have
| thrown her into an unusual state OF
lndecislon.' JOnn Lamms comments
were entirely mental. lie only re-
marked That he lad a deal OF work
| before him. Before setting out how
ever. on has new quests, the detective
took decided notion that he wanted
| 10 be introduced 10 Stella, with whom
he had never been given an opportun-
It, TO talk. Thomas was delighted at
the chance OF converting his friend
| wholly 10 the cause OF the unfortun-
ate girl, as he was sure a visit TO her
would do. So the two men were soon
in the horse cars, on their way to the
reporters home
Thomas led Lamm 20 a little room
In the second story. where his mother
"a delightful lady with a sweet voice
J and face little faded and worn with
! the cares OF 50 years, but trimming
full Of good will and sympathy OF a
heart that the years had failed to
harden-is seated al her knitting. The
| old lady takes on her spectacles. and
Is delighted 90 meet any friend OF her
son. whom 1t is easy TO see she has
placed in niche far above the or
binary walks OF mankind. She drops
little courtesy. and when her son
whispers in her ear, becomes brimful
OF importance and mystery. Going TO
the door Of the adjoining chamber
| her own room-she says something in
a low voice. There is a rustic OF
Woman's dress, and Stella North an