Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-12-30

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supposed to be locked in Paul North's
desk ia Marlboro street"
Unfortunately returned Thomas.
uneasily, she neither explained nor
apologized for her conduct. You know
what women are. Stella's heart which
- not located far from the surface, was
touched. She began to cry and TO plead
for forgiveness. And then Marion for
gave her; but just as soon as Stella be
gan to beg for an explanation the WON
an said to her very coldly: Go TO your
aunt. dear. What you want is somebody
TO dry your tears and sOothe you am
no comforter IN time ike this, and
certainly shall not tell you things
which would only add to your worry and
distress And she did 90 TO her aunt:
not 20 make a conhdante OF her. but to
beg for consolation and sympathy"
And this scene between the girls end
ed ia nothing then?"
1T ended just as have told you. But
Stella, though she tried her best. could
not repress her anxiety. She was unable
10 bear the strain Of such a position.
She constantly saw before her eyes the
spectacle Of the officers entering the
house and dragging Marion OF 70 prison.
In view OF all these facts, is there any
thing strange IN her eventual action?
The funeral was scarcely over. and the
family returned to the house, when she
FASTENED 70 Marion's room. took the re-
volver. and fed-a headiong. terror
stricken flight Her first idea was to
put the evidence OF Marion's guilt out
OF sight She threw 81 into the water.
little thinking that I was watching her.
She says that she had no clear idea what
she was doing. or where she was going:
but she had determined never TO so back
20 the house. she felt that she could
never face her sister again. In the train
70 Boston she bethought herself Of some
friends In Hartford. where she had often
visited, and had always been welcome.
For that city she therefore set out. only
10 End that the house was closed. and
her friends gone TO the beach for the
summer. BY this time she was almost
crazy from fright. lack of Sep and
food for she had been able neither 10
eat nor rest since the news Of the muir
der. Heaven knows what would have
become OF her n accident had not put
me upon her traui Such is the story OF
Stella North; and en- view OF Il. John
Lamm, ! want 20 know il you blame me
for what have done?"
Il blame you for only one thing.
Thomas said Lamm, earnestly: and
that was for being afraid 20 trust me
With your secret"
How did know In what light you
would view it," returned the reporter.
uneasily. You are always so matter-of-
fact and business-like And. OF course.
am perfectly aware that my present
position is quite the reverse OF business
like"
Hang the posiuonl" exclaimed John
Lamm That's your affair. It's the In
warduess ~ the North case that I'm
looking after and your story has given
me a wonderful push ahead"
The detective took out his notebook.
disfgured with his peculiar hieroglyph-
les. and bogan az once making additions.
corrections end reflections. quite as II
the problem before him had been one IN
mathematics. and could be approved by
applying some OF the advanced rules OF
the higher arithmetic.
Well" said Thomas. after he had
watched him iu silence for some min
utes what is your theory
None. Thomas returned the detec-
! tive quickly. What Is yours?"
THAT Marion lis trying 20 shield some
body from the results OF a capital Of
Tense"
And that somebody is?"
Either Fetridge or Stackhouse."
with leaning toward"
"Fetridge." said Thomas. But I
should like 60 know which OF the men
went 10 the house that night. II either
before expressing any deep oonvie-
ton"
All. quite so. And that I propose
to ascertain. But go on. Kingman.
Your conclusions are always logical.
and they interest me for that reason.
There ia no crime without a motive.
What was the motive.9'
My dear fellow" said Thomas.
that is just the mistake made by
criminal theorists. But you and l
| know that the majority OF murders are
done without adequate motives. Few
men in these days plot to kill They
/ Kill when they are insane with rum or
Jealousy. or to defend themselves
You emphasize that / see!"
Because / have thought IL right
along, said the reporter The fact
that the bullet must have been fred
from point lower down ;han an erect
man naturally carries his hand leads
me 70 believe that the murderer Of
Paul North was on his knees; and it
is logical TO presume from that that
he had been knocked down"
Clever" said John Iamm, with
genuine admiration. Clever, and just
like you. Thomas. or course we can
think Of hundreds Of reasons why
North might have knocked down his
partner, whose advice had ruined him
for North was steady enough before
he came under StaclIhouse's influence
or why he should have knocked
down an importunate gentleman who
might have been trying TO deceive his
daughter