The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-06-05
65s
FILIGREE BALL
.By.
anna KATHARINE GREEN,
AutAor Of -7Ns Mystery n AOatha Wsbh.-
Los hdnt Loas, Etc.

we will let you know. Durbln, see Mr.
GelItOn out"
was left alone with the major and
the district attorney
The major was the Hrst TO speak.
Addressing the district attorney. he re-
marked: TT will strengthen your
case very materially We have proof
now that Mrs. Ieffreys death was ac-
tually determined upon. IL Miss Tut
tie had not shot her he would.
wonder II it was a relief to him on
reaching bis door to end that the deed
was done"
could not suppress my surprise.
Miss Tuttler' ! repeated. "1s It so
unmistakably evident that MIR. Jeffrey
did not get to the Moore house in time
TO do the shooting hlmself?"
The major gave me a quick look
Il thought you considered Miss Tut.
tie the guilty one.
felt that the time had come to show
my colors.
Il have changed my mind" said I.
~ can give you no good reason for
this; something in the woman herself,
| suppose She does not look nor act
like a criminal While not desirous OF
raising myself In opposition 10 the
judgment Of those so greatly my su.
periOrs in ali respects, I have had this
feeling and | am courageous enough
TO ayow It. And yet. If 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
fred, unless
Unless what? You have something
new to tell us That have seen ever
since you entered the room. What
is IT,"
cast a glance at the door Should
| be able TO finish my story before
Durbin returned thought II pos
sible, and, though still upset by this
new evidence, which / 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 Ia the Moore house All
the efforts heretofore made to exhaust
its secrets have been founded upon
theory that has brought us nowhere.
had another In mind. and I was anx-
ious to test II before resting from all
further attempt to solve this riddle
And II has not failed me-"
Az I said this | laid open on the table
before me the Transcription Of which
spoke. Instantly the two men bent
over L. When they looked up again.
their countenance showed not excite
msnt only, but appreciation: and Ia 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 a 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 there"-here he turned
to mel should like to hear the par
ticulars concerning the little clew just
mentioned. BY the way. Mr.. Jeffreys
Interest in this old drawing is now
explained. He knew It's diaboIcal
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.
II grew still heavier when Durbin.
joining US, added his lncredulity 10 the
air of suspicion assumed by the others.
Our first move was 20 go in a body
TO the southwest chamber, take down
the picture, examine II with magni-
flying glass and satisfy ourselves that
the words | had picked out OF its may
lines 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
10 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 10 be a mere
locker on. Drawing out the two large
i
this closet / set them aside Then
hunted for and found the small ioop-
hole which we had been told Afforded
a glimpse of the library hearthstonc.
but seeing nothing through II. / called
for light TO be placed in the room be-
low
I I heard Durbin 90 down. then the
major and. finally, the district attor-
ney Nothing could stay their curios-
/ ity now, not even the possibility OF
/ danger which as yet was a lurking
I AMI mysterious one. But when a light
shot up from below and the Irregular
! opening before me became a loophole
. through which ! could catch a very
I wide glimpse Of the library beneath. /
found that 1t was not necessary for me
70 warn them 10 keep away from the
bearth. as they were all clustered very
near the door-a precautbn not alto
gether uncalled for at so hazardous a
moment
Are you ready?" I called down
Ready" rose IN simultaneous re-
sponse from below.
Then look outl"
Reaching for the spring cleverly con-
cealed in the wall at my right / ylCor-
ously pressed 10
The result was instantaneous. Silent.
ly. but with unerring certainty. some
thing small. round and deadly fell
plumb from the library ceiling e
where the settle had formerly stood