The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1905-04-06

| did not get to the Moore house In time
to do the shooting hlmsef?"
The major gave me a quick look.
81 thought you considered Miss Tut
tie the guilty one"
| felt that the time had come TO show
my coors
Il have changed my mind" said |
81 can give you no good reason for
this; something in the woman herself
| suppose. She does not look nor act
| like Il criminal While not DESTROYS of
raising myself in opposition to the
| judgment of those so greatly my su.
/ periors in all respects, ! have had this
| feeling. and | am courageous enough
to avow II. And yet. If Mr.. Jeffrey
! could not have left the cemetery gates
ana reached the Moore house in time
to fulfill all the conditions of this
tragedy. the case does look black
against the woman. She admits to
| having been there when the pistol was
fired, unless"
Unless what? You have something
new to tell us That | have seen ever
since you entered the room. What
is IT,"
| cast u glance at the door Should
be able to finish my story before
| Durbin returned? | thought II pos.
sible. and though still upset by this
new evidence. which | could now see
was not entirely in Miss Tuttle's favor.
spoke up with what spirit | might
81 have just come from spending
another night in the Moore house All
the efforts heretofore made to exhaust
its secrets have been founded upon a
theory that has brought us nowhere.
| had another in mind, and | was anX-
lous to test it before resting from all
further attempt to solve this riddle,
And 1t has not failed me-"
AS | said this laid open on the table
before me the transcription of which
| spoke. Instantly the two men bent
over 1t. When they looked up again,
their countenance showed not excite
ment only, but appreciation; and In the
one minute of triumph which | then
enjoyed all that had wounded or dis
turbed me In the past was forgotten
The major now proposed that we
should go at once to the old house. "A
family secret like this does not crop
up every day even in city so full Of
surprises MS Washington. We will
hunt for the spring under the closet
drawers and see what happens. ch?
And on our way there"-here he turned
TO mel should like to hear the par.
tiCulars concerning the little clew just
mentioned. BY the way, Mr.. Jeifrey's
interest in this old drawing In now
explained He knew Its diabolical
secret"
This was self evident. and my heart
was heavy for Miss Tuttle who seem.
ed to be so deep in her brother-in.law's
confidence.
1t grew still heavier when Durbin,
joining us, added his incredulity to the
air Of suspicion assumed by the others.
Our first move was to go in body
to the southwest chamber, take down
the picture. examine 1t with magni.
flying glass and satisfy ourselves that
the words had picked out Of its may
lines were really to be found there.
This done and my veracity established,
we next proceeded to the closet where,
according to the instruction embodied
in this picture, the secret spring was
to be found by which some unknown
and devilish machinery would be re.
leased in the library below.
TO my great satisfaction the active
part in this experiment was delegated
to me- Durbin continued to be mere
locker on. Drawing out the two large
nj "a n
this closet | set them aside. Then
hunted for and found the small loop
hole which we had been told afforded
n glimpse of the library hearthstone
! but seeing nothing through 1t, called
for light to be placed in the room be
low.
heard Durbin go down, then the
major and, finally, the district attor
: ney. Nothing could stay their curlos
ity now, not even the possibility OF
danger, which ms yet was n lurking
and mysterious one. But when n light
> shot up from below and the irregular
opening before me became Il loopholc
: through which | could catch very
: wide glimpse of the library beneath,
found hat II was not necessary for me
to warn them to keep away from the
: hearth. ms they were all clustered very
near the door-,a precaution not alto
; gcthcr uncullcd for at so hazardous {
i moment.
: Are you rendy?" called down.
D READY" rose in simultaneous re
5 Spouse from below.
q "Then look outn'
Reaching for the spring clevcrly con
n cealed in the wall at my right vlgor
n ously pressed It,
:. The result was instantaneous. Silent
ly, but with unerrng certainty, some
i thing small, round and deadly fel
PLUMB from the library ceiling t
= where the settle had formerly stoo'
= against the hearthstone. Finding moth
. ing there but vacancy to eXpend itsel
upon, it swung about for II momen
on what looked like a wire or whip
:, cord, then slowly came to rest withi
! a foot or so from the floor.
u A cry from the Mortified officials bt
low was what first brought me to my
self, Withdrawing from my narroy