The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-05

Some one had shouted aloud:
Mrs. Falrbrother has been muir
dered and her diamond stolen. Lock
the doors!o
The Gloves.
I must have remained insensible for
many minutes, for when I returned to
full CONSCIOUSNESS the supper room was
empty and the two hundred guests had
left seated at table were gathered in
agitated groups about the hall. This
was what l first noted; not till after
wards did l realize my own situation.
l was lying on couch in q remote
me, but not looking at me, stood my
How he came to know my state and
find me in the general hubbub I did
not stop to inquire. It was enough for
me that moment to look I'D and see him
SO near; Indeed, the relief was so
great. the sense of his protection so
comforting that I involuntarilly
stretched out my hand in gratitude
attention, slipped to the floor and took
my stand at his side This reused him
and he gave me look which steadied
me notwithstanding the thrill of sur
prise with which 1 recognized his ex-
IRENE pallor and certain peculiar hes
itation in his manner not at all natural
to him. .~.
Meanwhile, some words uttered near
US were slowly making their way into
my benumbed brain. The waiter who
had raised the first alarm was endeavor-
ing to describe to an importunate group
in advance of us what he had come
upon in that murderous alcove.
u was carrying about a tray of
psex{ed t to End pf the p Tsns Fiji Of h ssns
men, but she was all alone, and did not
move as I picked my way over her
long train. The next moment 1 had
dropped ices. tray and ALL I had come
face to face with her and seen that she
was dead; She had been stabbed and
robbed. There was no diamond on her
A hubbub Of disordered sentences
seasoned with Mortified cries followed
this simple description. Then gen
eral movement took place in the direc-
ton Of the alcove, during which Mr..
Durand stopped to my ear and whis-
"We must get out of this. You are
element. Don't you think we can es-
cape by the window over there9
"What, without wraps and in such
q snowstorm9' I protested. "Besides,
uncle will be looking for me. He came
with me, you KNOW.
An expression of annoyance, or was
it perplexity, crossed Mr.. Durand g
to leave me. T."
81 must co." he began, but stopped
at my glance Of surprise and assumed
a. different air, and one which became
him very much better. "Pardon me,
dear, I will take you to your uncle.
This-this dreadful tragedy, interrupt
ing so gay scene, has quite upset me.
I was always sensitive to the sight,
the the Word word blood.'' WV ''
So was I, but not to9the point, Of
cowardice. But then had not just
come from an interview with the muir
dered woman. Her glances, her smiles,
the lift Of her eyebrows were not fresh
memories to me. Some consideration
emust be laboring under. Yet I did
not know how to keep back the vital
80 WHO he, did i'd; it; You must have heard
"I have heard nothing was his
somewhat fierce .rel0inder. Then. as |
made a move, e'What! You DO not
wish to follow 10 st. the b crowd II, there reg :,
in that crowd.' I'll
Mr.. Durand~ said nothing further,
and together we passed down the hall.
A strange mood pervaded my mind.
Instead Of wishing to fly scene which
under ordinary conditions would have
filed me with invincible repugnance, l
felt a desire to see and hear every
moved most Of the people about me,
but because of some strong inner draw
ing I could not understands; as if it
were my heart which had been struck,
and my fate which was trembling in
the balance.
We were consequently among the
first to hear such further details as
were allowed to circulate among the
knew the perpetrator Of the deed nor
did there appear to be any direct evil
dence calculated to fix the identity
Indeed, the sudden death Of this beau.
tiful woman in the midst Of festivity
might have been looked upon as sui:
eide, if the jewel had not been found
lacking from her breast and the instru
ment of death removed from the
wound. So far, the casual search which
had been instituted had failed to pro
duce this weapon; but the police would
be here soon and then something would
be done. AS to the means of entrance
employed by the assassin there seemed
to be but one opinion. The alcove con
tanned a window opening upon small
balcony. By this he had doubtless
both entered and escaped. The long
plush curtains which, during the early
part of the evening, had remained
looped back on either side Of the case
ment, were found at the moment Of
the crimes discovery closely drawn
stance. However, the question was
one easily settled. If any one had ap
preached by the balcony there would b.
marks in the snow to show it. Mr.
Ramsdell had gone out to see. H
would be coming back soon.
edo you think this, a probable ex
PLANTATION of the crime9' demanded
of Mr.. Durand at this juncture. IT:
this window overlooks the carriag,
drive, as it must from it's location, thel
it is within plain sight of the doc
thru which some three hundred guest
have passed tonight. How could an,
one climb to such height, lift tn,
window and step in without beins
seen9'' ."
You forget the awning He spok
quickly and with unexpected vivacity
"The awning runs up very near thi
window and quite shuts it off from tn
sight of arriving guests. The driver
of departing carriages could see it i
they CHANGED to glance back. But thei
: eyes are usually on their horses il
: such a crowd. The probabilities ar
n