The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-21
Our Daily $bort Story

and earnestly he reflected on all the ipossibiiities. He began at his earliest lrecollection and thought out all the
 circumstances of the family life in an
 endeavor to find q single thing that
 might suggest a ciew. All his early
 days, when he romped about the place
 and was scolded and spoiled in turn by the old man. passed in review. Tho
 servants all loved the master, whose tneutralized and overcome the frequent
 irritabiiity of his manner. After time Ida had joined the
 family circle upon the death of her
 parents. Homer drowned slightly at
 the thought, Things never had been quite the same since. Ida seemed to
 be a a/disturbing element and to de- light in putting people by the ears.
 But then he probably was little jea1- ous. because the grandfather so fre- lquently sided with Ida. After all, per-
 haps his principal objection to Ida had
 been that she had seemed determined
 from the first to be more than a cousin
 to him. Then he thought of the poor
 girls fate and his heart warmed to-
 ward her.
 He arose suddenly and sought his bed, resolving to take up the thread of
 the mystery betimes in the morning land never to rest until 1t had been solved.
 As soon as 1t was light in the morn
 ing he went over the entire scene of
 the tragedy accompanied by the po- lice official, whose sudden awakening
 from a light doze on the library lounge
 as he glanced in seemed to deepen
 Homer's impression of ubiquity. With several other officers they visited the
 scene of the murder, Idas disheveled ruom and the spot near the pump
 where the signs of the second strug-
 gle with the girl were apparent.
 ITO what motive do you attribute the murder of the girl?' Homer in-
 quired, as they gazed upon the blood- stains.
 "Ah. that we have not determined"
 replied the officer, land you may be of assistance to us there. We know noth-
 ing as yet of the disposition of Mir
 Rarcliffe's estate or whom, would profit by his disappearance. Neither have we yet inquired regarding her love affairs. There are many possi- ,,Q ble motives, Mr. Radcliffe. in such cases. My method is to ignore mo- i, tives until the facts are well in hand.' "Bst--" began Homer. then stopped, . appreciating his ridiculously amateur ish position.
 This attitude did not quite accord
 with the idealic pedestal upon which , Homer had placed the officer, but
 
 the familiar objects curiously. Some thing attracted his attention at the
 chicken house and he went over and
 looked it over. The door was broken and at lot of feathers were scattered about.
 Curious" he muttered, with Rover
 about"
 He asked the hired man if there had . been chicken thieves lately. = sGod bless you, mo-" replied John : laughing. Since Rover came it's : been mighty unhealthy for chicken \ thives in these diggins" new idea sprang into Eomers mind. [ Was Rover out that night?' h, saked sharply.
 Yes, sir" replied the man. Where is he now?' asked Homer eagerly.
 E Tn the barn." replied the man. i. Was out that fatal night ant
 showed up in the morning without ii;
 scrateh?" demanded Homer. sternly.
 S help me Noses" replied the man
 T let him in the barn myself.% z puzzled expression crossed Hom s CTS face. ''RoVer out and stranr, men struggled with Ida in the var, and killed her, and the dog made n, a outcry and returned unmarked:' h. . thought. Impossible"
 He walked over the yard, carefull, noting every familiar object. Under - meath the hedge at the east end O 0 the yard he saw a dead chicken II = gave 1t kick and as 1t flopped owe = he noted that the neck was cut. j mignty thought leaped into his mind He looked at the officer and the he - ginning of doubt crept over him re garding his first opinion of tha worthy's acumen. Lieutenant Bixb O had been waiting the young man ' movements impatiently
 r Come on. if you want to see tb . rest of the clew," he said Homer followed him through tn l. orchard and down to the river, tn
 trail being clear from bits of Ida = clothing dropped here and there. I = led to one of the deepest and mos U treacherous points in the river, over n hung by a great white rock mi n rock was smeared with blood. SCOT q Of boats were on the river and a . many great hooks were dragging tn t bottom.
 Upon returning home, Homer wen
 straight to the family lawyer 'T mus
 know at once about grandfather, l. will" he said. . "A will was made some months ago s replied the lawyer, leaving the entir, 2 estate to you and Ida. providing yo, | CuSh OIHST. SlIneT TefuSeO ' the estate was to go to the one de |, clining to follow his wishes. But tn, , old man never felt that the will wa, !, just and I had an appointment witt . him for this very day to draw n new 2 on6"
 , Homer sank into a chair, with whit. : face and staring eyes. He saw 1t all ' Ida. who always had been infatuated with him, and wno had pursued hin beyond the point of endurance, had
 wheedeled the old man into making
 the will commanding the marriage !. In some way she had found that hf had changed his mind and-on. the I horror of it! His head sank into his
 hands and he sobbed aloud, greatly tc ! the lawyers consern.
 . Arousing himself. he seized his hat t and rushed to his awaiting horse
 And these fool officers are dragging l the river" he sneered.
 [ He rode fiercely in the opposite di- t rection from the river He paused not } at the station generally used by the family in going to town, but flew t acoss to another railway line five ? miles distant. The time of the nur- } der had been pretty accurately deter mined So few injuries Of the night agents of three stations<dIsclosed that
 woman heavily yelled had boarded 3 a train for the city at l:45 a, m. on 3 the nignt of the mSrder. Persistent = inquiry that night among the cab men - at the depot discovered one who tooL,