The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1905-01-19
CHAPTER Y.

WINNY had not been gone an hour
from the cOroncrs Office when
a an opportunity was afforded for
me to approach that gentleman
myself.
With few apologies and no preamble
! Immediately entered upon my story,
which made as concise and as much
to the point as possible. | did not eX.
pect praise from him, but l did look
for some slight show of establishment
at the nature Of my news | was
therefore greatly disappointed when
after n moments quiet consideration
he carclessly remarked:
Every good, very good! The one
point you make is excellent and may
prove OF use to us. We had reached
the same conclusion. but by another
road. You ask, who blew out the can.
dleY We. who tied the pistol to Mrs
Jeffrey's armT 1t could not have been
tied by herself Who was her acces.
sorry, then? All. you didn't think of
that"
flushed as II pail of hot water
had been dashed suddenly over me.
He was right. The conclusion he spoke
OF had failed to strike me. Why? 1t
was Il perfectly obvious one. as obvl.
Gus as that the candle had been blown
out by another breath than hers; yet,
absorbed In my own train of thought,
/ had completely overlooked it, The
coroner observing my embarrassment,
cTptln1 onI nv ypoS 1Om.
pete, or would have been had Durbin
been there, but fortunately he was
not
II am fool" cried. 81 thought |
had discovered something. I might
have known that there were keener
minds than mine In this Office
Easy was the good naturcd
Interruption "You have done well. II
did not think so | would not keep YOU
here n minute. AS It is, am disposed
one man mast not expect to monopolize
all the honors. This matter of the
bow of ribbon would strike any old and
experienced official. | only wonder
that we have not seen it openly dis.
cussed in the papers
Taking box from his desk, he open
ed it and held it out toward me. a coil
of white ribbon surmOuntcd 10y crisp
and dainty bow met my eyes
you recognize it," he asked.
Indeed did.
at was cut from her wrist by my
deputy. Miss futile wished him to un.
tie 1t, but he preferred TO leave the
bow intact. Now lift it out. Careful,
man; don't soil it. You will see why In
Il minute" AS held the ribbon up he
pointed to some spots on its fresh
white surface. "Do you see thoseT' he
asked. "Those are dust marks, and
they were made as truly by some ones
fingers as the impressions you noted
on the mantelshclf in the upper cham
Der. This pistol was tied TO her wrist
after the deed; possibly by that same
hand"
1t was my own conclusion, but II did
not sound as welcome to me from his
lips as | had expected. Either my ma.
ture Is narrow or my inordinate jeal'
ousy lays me open TO the most aston
fishing Inconsistencies for no sooner
had he spoken these words than l eX'
percnced a sudden revulson against
my own theory and the suspicious
which it threw upon the man whom an
hour before was eager to proclaim a
criminal
But Coroner u. gave me no chance
for making such fool of myself, Res
culng the ribbon from my hands, which
no doubt were running little too free
ly over its snowy surface, he smiled
with the indulgence proper from such
man to novice like myself and OBJ
served quite frankly:
you will consider these observations
as confidential You know how to hold