Mexico Missouri message., 1906-04-05
sAAh ~ SnAs time r. was qults oarK
=. ~. -, 10, : 49,, sal,.d


CASA ~ Shis time it was qulSs oarK
n tha roOmi" Lamm asked.
Absolutely stella's conclusion that
Marion held her fathers pistol was one
Of those intuitiye leaps at correct con-
illusions that are peculiar to women.
And thereupon, almost crazy with ter
ror, Stella cries out: You killed him,
MarIoni It was your own hand. OF
course, the momeLt the words were out
OF her lips she was penitent for having
uttered them. Stella, says Marion
tremblingly, your mad suspicious are
indiscreet. Do you suppose could sleep
In this house where the man who has
given me all that possess except life
is lying dead, II the guilt Of his death
were at my door? And are you the same
girl who used to cuddle down in my arms
in the old days and tell me that you loved
me better than anyone In the world ex-
cept papa? Tell me, do you remember
what owe to this man who was more
than father to me? Have you forgot
ten who Il was that nursed him in his
last illness because he couldn't bear to
have a hired nurse profane him with
unsympathetic hands? Can you recall
ever in my life single expression Of in
gratitude"
"Bosh!" interrupted the detective.
"That is ali very we'll for Stella, but for
me It is necessary to be told how she be-
came possessed Of that pistol which was
supposed to be locked in Paul North's
desk in Marlboro street"
Unfortunately" returned Thomas,
uneasily, "she neither explained nor
apologized for her conduct. You know
what women are. Stella's heart which
is 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 wom-
an said to her very coldly: Go to your
aunt, dear. What you want is somebody
| to dry your tears and soothe you. l am
| no comforter in time like this, and l
certainly shall not tell you things
which would only add to your worry and
Distress And she did go to her aunt;
not to make a colfidante of her, but to
beg for consolation and sympathy"
"And this scene between the girls end
ed in nothing, then?"
"It ended just as have told you. But
Stella, though shn tried her best, could
not repress her an xiety. She was unable
to bear the strain of such position.
She constantly saw before her eyes the
spectacle of the officers entering the
house and dragging Marion off to 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 to Marion's room. took the re-
volver, and fled-a headlong, terror
stricken flight. Her first idea was tC
put the evidence of Marions guilt out
of sight. She threw 1t into the water
little thinking that 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 go bach
to the house. She felt that she coulC
never face her sister again. In the trail
to Boston she bethought herself of SOM
friends in Hartford where she had Otter
visited, and had always been welcome
For that city she therefore set out, onl!
to find that the house was closed, ant
her friends gone to the beach for tn,
summer. BY this time she was almos
crazy from fright, lack of sleep ant
food. for she had been able neither t
eat nor rest since the news of the muir
der. Heaven knows what would hav
become of her if accident had not pu
me upon her trail! Such is the story o
Stella North; and in view of II, Johl
, Lamm, want to know if you blame m
for what have done?"
81 blame you for only one thing
Thomas" said Lamm, earnestly; IAN
: that was for being afraid to trust m
, with your secret"
l Glow did know in what light 20
, would view it?" returned the reporter
! uneasily. "You are always so matter-oi
, fact and husiness-like. And, of course
am perfectly aware that my presen
! position Is quite the reverse of business
s like"
r Hang the positionv' exclaimed job
g I.amm. That's your affair. It's the in
:. wardaess Of the North case that II
5 looking efter, and your story has give
y me a wonderful push ahead"
> The detective took out his note-bool
dishgured with his peculiar hieroglypi
4 les, and began at once making additions
corrections and reflections, quite as
the problem before him had been one
q mathematics, and could be approved b
t applying some Of the advanced rules {
a the higher arithmetic.
d "Well." said Thomas, after he ha
/. watched him in silence for some mil
IS utes, what is your theory?"
D None, Thomas" returned the dete
/, tive quickly. What is yours?"
= "That Marion is trying to shield SOM
/ body from the results of capital o
y tense"
!; "And that somebody ISL"
u EITHER Fetridge or stackhouse."
q esWith a leaning toward"