The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-05

ut is not necessary" he burst forth.
/ in great heat. Il own to those marks.
That is, have no doubt they Were
made by my hand" Here uncon-
/ scious<y, bis eyes flew to the member
thus referred to, as Il conscious that
i'll some way it had proved a traitor
10 him; after which his gaze Travelled
slowly my way, with an understandable
question in it which reused my con-
science and made the trick by which
/ had got the impression of his hand
seem less of triumph than | had
heretofore considered il. The next
minute he was answering the coroner
under oath, very much as he had an
swered him in the unofficial interview
at which l had been present.
Il acknowledge having been in the
Moore house and even having been in
its southwest chamber, but not at the
time supposed. 1t was on the previous
night" He went on to relate how,
being in nervous condition and hav
ing the key to this old dwelling in his
pocket, he had amused himself by go
ing through it's dilapidated interior.
All of this made doubtful impression
which was greatly emphasized when,
in reply TO the inquiry rs to where he
got the light to see by, he admitted
that lie had come upon candle in an
upstairs room and made use of that:
though he could not remember what he
had done with this candle afterward
and looked dazcd and quite at sea, till
the coroner suggested that he might
have carried it into the closet of the
room where his fingers had left their
impression in the dust OF the mantel-
shelf.
Then he broke down like a man from
whom some prop is suddenly snatched
and looked around for seat. This
was given him, while a silence, the
most dreadful L ever experienced, held
every one there in check. But he
speedily rallied and, with the remark
that he was little confused in regard
10 the incidents of that night, waited
with wild look in his averted eye for
the coroner's next question.
Cnhappily for him, it was in continu- I
alton of the same subject. Had he
bought candles or not at the grocer's
around the corner? Yes, he had. Be
fore visiting TIE house? Yes. Had he
also bought matches? Yes. What I
htllu! 1OlulIOu Salety IlldlcHeS. f1du
lie noticed when he got home that the /
box he had just bought was half emp
ty? No. Nevertheless he had used
many matches in going through this
old house had he not? Possibly. To
light his way upstairs, perhaps? 1t
might be. Had he not so used them?
Yes. Why had he done so if he had
candles in his pocket. which were SO
much easier to hold and SO much more
lasting than lighted matchl All, he
could not say: - did not know; his
mind WAS confused. He was awake
when he should have been asleep. 1t
was all dream to him.
The coroner became still more per
sistent.,
Ibid you enter the library on your
solitary visit to this old house?"
Il believe So
"What did you do there?'
"Pottered around. L don't remem-
ber"
"what light did you use?'
"a candle. think"
''You must know"
"Well. l had cccdle. It was in
candelabrum.
"Vhat candle and what Candida
brumi"
The same 1 used upstairs, of
course
And you cannot remember where
you left this candle and candelabrum
when you finally Quilted the house?"
mo. l wasn't thinking about can
dies"
What were you thinking about?'
''The rupture with my wife and the
bad name of the house I was In
"Oh. And this was on Tuesday
night?"
''Yes. SIR
"How can you prove this to us?''
Il cannot"
but you swear
Il swear that it was Tuesday night,
the night Immediately preceding the
one when-when my wife's death rob
bed me of all earthly happiness"
1t was feelingly uttered. and several /
faces lightened: but the coroner re- .
pcating. Us there no way you can
prove this to our satisfaction" the
shadow settled again. and on no head ,
more perceptibly than on that of the
witness. ,
1t was now late in the day and the at ,
of the room had become
sitting, but no one seemed to be CON
scious of any discomfort, and a general
gasp of excitement passed through the s
room when the coroner. taking out
box from under a pile of papers dis
closed to the general gaze the famous
white ribbon with its dainty bow. "
ing on top of the fatal pistol. f.
That this special feature. the most
one of all connected with
The teIItale ribbon
. az