The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1905-03-29

ana Ine SllSnL INJURY made TO her I'm
ger? Should you not say that the ring
had been dragged from her handY''
81 should"
'By whom was it dragged? BY
you?"
mo, SIR
"By herself, then?" I
ut would seem So"
"Much passion must have been in
that act. Do you think that any ordi-
nary quarrel between husband and
wife would account for the display of
such fury? Are we not right in sup
posing deeper cause for the disturb
ance between you than the slight one
you offer in way Of explanations"
An inaudible answer; then sudden
Strengthening Of Francis Jeffrey's fine
figure. And that was all.
"Mr. Jeffrey, in the talk you had
with your wife on Tuesday morning
was Miss Tuttle's name introducedY'
''It was mentioned; yes, sir"
with recrimination or any display
Of passion on the part of your wife?"
"You would not believe me if 1 said
no." was the unexpected rejoinder.
The coroner, taken aback by this di-
rect attack from one who had hitherto
borne all his innuendoes with apparent
patience, lost countenance for q mo-
ment, but, remembering that in his Of
fetal capacity he was more than a
match for the elegant gentleman, who
under other circumstances would have
found it only too easy to put him to the
blush, he observed with dignity:
"Mr. jeffrey, you are on oath. We
certainly have no reason for not be-
lieving you.'
Mr.. Jeffrey bowed. He was prob
ably sorry for his momentary loss of
self control, and gravely, but with eyes
bent downward, answered with the alb.
rupt phrase:
well, then, will say no"
The coroner shifted his ground.
"Will you make the same reply when
ask If the like forbearance was
shown toward your wife's name in the
conversation you had with Miss futile
Immediately afterward?"
"Miss futile was Mrs. Jeffrey's halt
sister. The bond between them was
strong. Would she-would I-be apt
to speak Of my young wife with bit.
terness?"
"That is not an answer to my Ques
don, Mr.. jeffrey. must request a
more positive reply"
'cThere were no recriminations ut
tered. Mrs. Jeffrey had dispieased me,
and said 30, but did not forget that
was speaking of my wife and to her
sister"
AS this was in the highest degree
poncommittal, the coroner could be ex-
cused for persisting.
e.The conversation, then, was about
your wife?"
ut was"
"In criticism of her conductY
Eyes,
"At the ambassadors ball?"
"Yes."
Mr.. Jeffrey was poor hand at lying
That last yes" came with great effort
The coroner waited, possibly for the
echo Of this last yes to cease; the1
he remarked with a GOODNESS which
lifted at once the veil from his hitherto
well disguised antagonism to this wit
ness:
"lf you will recount to US anything
which your wife said or did on tina
evening which, in your mind, was
worthy Of all this coil, it might help III
to understand the situation"
But the witness made no attempt Il
do SO, and while many of US wer,
ready to pardon him this show Of del
icacy others felt that under the circum
stances 1t would have been better hat
he been more open.
Among the latter was the corone
himself, who from this moment threw
aside all hesitation and urged forwart
his inquiries in way to press the wit
ness closer and closer toward the ne
he was secretly holding out for him
First, he obliged him to say that hi
conversation with Miss Tuttle had no
tended to smooth matters, that no rec
ondliaton with his wife had FOLLOWED
it and that in the thirty-six hour
which elapsed before he returned hom
again he had made no attempt t
soothe the feelings Of one who, accord
ing to his own story, he considere,
hardly responsible for any extrava
gances in which she might have in
dulged.
Then when this inconsistency hat
been given time to sink into the mind
of the jury Coroner 2. increased tn
effect produced by confronting Jeffre,
with witnesses who testified to tn
friendly, if not loverlike, relation
which had existed between himself an,
Miss futile prior to the appearance 0
his wife upon the scene, closing witt
q question which brought out the de