The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-06
The srseer

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make, the whole roomful Of eager spec.
tators craned forward and were star
tied enough when he asked:
did you ever see bow like this be-
| foreY"
| Her answer came in the faintest of
tones.
"Yes; have one like it, very like it,
so like it that yesterday I could not
suppress an exclamation on seeing this
one"
where did you get the one you
have? Who fashioned 1t, 1 mean, or
tied it for you, If that is what I ought
to say?"
1T was tied for me by-Miss futile.
She Is friend Of mine, or was, and
very good one, and one day while
watching me struggling with a piece
Of ribbon which 1 wanted made into a
bow she took 1t from my hand and
tied a knot for which I was very much
obliged to her 1t was very pretty"
"And like this?'
almost exactly, sir"
"Have you that knot with your
She had
"Will you show it to the JuryT
Heaving n sigh which she had much
better have suppressed, she opened a
little bag she carried at her side and
took out a pink satin bow. 1t had
been tied by a deft hand, and more
than one pair Of eyes fell significantly
at sight of it.
Amid a silence which was intense
two or three other witnesses were
called to prove that Miss Tuttle's skill
in bow tying was exceptional and was
often made use OF not only by mem
bers of her household, but, as in Miss
Nixon's case, by outsiders, the special
style shown in the one under consider
alton being the favorite.
During all this kept my eyes on Mr..
Jeffrey. When finally several persons
of both sexes were brought forward to
prove that his attentions to Miss Tut
tie had once been sufficiently marked
for an announcement Of their engage
ment to be daily looked for. he let his
head fall forward on his breast as IL
the creeping horror which had seized
him was too much for his brain il not
for his heart. The final blow was
self seen in Alexandria testified to the
contretemps which had occurred in At
lantic City, an additional point being
given to it by the repetition of some
old conversation, raked up for the pur-
pose, by which an effort was made to
prove that Miss Tuttle found 1t hard
to forgive injuries even from those
nearest and dearest to her. This SUBJ
ject might have been prolonged, but
some Of the jury objected. and the time
being now ripe for the great event Of
the day the name Of the lady herself
was called.
After SO significant a preamble the
mere utterance of Miss Tuttle's name
had almost the force Of an accusation,
but the dignity with which she rose
Gained all minds and subdued every
expression OF feeling. She faltered
only when by chance she glanced at
the shrinking figure of Francis jeffrey.
Her name, which she uttered with
out emphasis and yet in way to
arouse attention, sank into all hearts
with more or less disturbance.
"Alice Cora Tuttlev' How In days
gone by, and not SO long gone by Ell
Their, those three words had aroused
he enthusiasm OF many a gallant man
md inspired the toast at many gal
ant, feast. They had their charm yet
Z the heightened color observable on
many a cheek there was a true index
% the quickening heart below.
How are you connected with the
deceased Mrs. Jefrrey?''
xho - hav hr
former husband. We were half sis
ers."
No bitterness in this statement. only |
IN infinite sadness. The coroner con- |
Iinued to question her. He asked for |
IN account Of her childhood and forced |
Ter to lay bare the nature OF her rela- |
ions with her sister. But little was |
rained by this. for their relations seem |
ID to have been Of a sympathetic char
lcter up to the time Of Veronica's re- |
urn from school, when they changed |
omewhat, but how or why Miss Tut
lie was naturally averse to saying.
indeed she almost refused to do so.
Ind the coroner. feeling his point gain
ID more by this refusal than | any /
admission she might have made. did /
lot press this subject. but passed on /
o what interested us more-the vari-
'us unexplained actions on her part
which pointed toward crime
His first inquiry was in reference to
he conversation held between her and
dr. jeffrey at the time he visited her
Dom. We had listened to his account
Il ii. and now we wished TO hear hers.
But the cue which had been given her
y this very account had been invalua-
lie to her. and her testimony naturally
'oincided with his. We found our
elves not an inch advanced. They
lad talked Of her sisters follies, and
he had adviaed natiorce and that was |