Mexico Missouri message., 1906-03-29

soon. wen put this IL only apecuia-
ton. To go on with the facts: Fet-
ridges attentions 70 Stella were
thoughtlessly received--the girl insists
she has no other feeling for him than
that OF a pleasant acuuaintance-bu
after his departure on his recent busi-
| ness trip, the purpose OF which we
can't determine, It came to her ears
that there was a great deal Of gossip
about their association. She deter
mined to be more careful in the future.
1 The day before the murder, Fetridge
reappeared at the house. It would
seem that the instant he got home he
came to the North household. He be-
gan to lay out plans at once to 60
hither and yon with the girl. But the
poor things suspicious were aroused
by her long month Of reflection. She
determined not to be made a catspaw
of for any purpose and at the first OPP
portunity-having summoned up the
necessary courage-she preached the
tabooed subject to her sister"
what time of day was this?"
"It seems to have been about the
middle Of the afternoon. Marion was
not feeling very well. She was lying
down, and Stella was sitting beside her
with a fan. Marion introduced Fet-
ridges name herself making some in
uuiries about his visit of the previous
evening. Then Stella made so bold as
to ask her advice, and finally told what
her suspicious were."
, ''But you don't mean"
'Simply that Fetridge pretended to
, pay attentions to her (Stella) for the
, sake Of appearances, and that his real
, object was to be near Marion"
"Whew! Knowing the woman, can
imagine the result"
Easily. But Stella was innocent
enough. She merely intended to give
her sister a well-meant warning. Ma
rion received it as an insult. 1t is-a
Jealous lie,' she cries into the ears of
} / the astonished Stella Richard Fet-
ridge never meant to marry me; never
) cared a feather for me. If you had
asked me l could have told you 80,
] But since you thought It better to pay
the spy on me, why, Iii prove it to
! you And with a great emphasis on
t the word prove, she dashed out OF the
9 room"
y 'This woman is curious. No doubt
t about it. But her conscience troubles
: her, and she's jealous of Fetridge
There's no other explanation of this
. line OF conduct"
) "Ah, we'll" said Thomas, doubtfully
s eff Marion had married StackhOuse
d purely from pique, and had been car
: rying on the hollow mockery for q
J, Whole year, because she was too proud
o to betlay what she suffered to any liv
|, ing soul, it seems that there might b.
e enough infammable material in hel
g emotional nature to get up good Llaz'
l. at the first spark. Don't you thinl
u so?"
n quite likely. It's logically put, any
how. But about these proofs that Fet
J ridge didn't care for her. l am anx
l ious to know the nature of them"
| 80 am 1; but unfortunately the!
| disappear from my story with thi
i reference to them. Stella natural,
supposed Marion went upstairs to ge
| something. Imagine her surprise, fiv
minutes later, to see her driving OF
in a carriage In a short time tn
coachman came back. Mrs. Stack
house, he said, had gone to Boston
Stella began to be exceedingly alarmed
What in the world could have occs
stoned this sudden freak she could no
imagine. That her sister was terribl
angry she saw, and the insane ide
that perhaps she intended to tell Ricn
ard Fetridge what had been said droV
the poor girl quite distracted. Sh
followed Marion to the city in the nox
train, and searched everywhere for hel
1t was after six when she arrived, an
all the places of business were closed
This circumstance only increased tn
Il girls alarm. She began to have whs
q she calls a presentiment of evil Their
u were three places in town where sh
thought her sister might beth
n houses of three friends One of theI
N was way out in Roxbury. She mad
the rounds, exciting everywhere won
= der and concern; but she abruptly re
= fused all offers of escort. 1t was gel
e ting later and later all the time. A
y ready It was dark and the street light
we're burning. Suddenly she remem
:, bered that Marion had the keys to th
- house in Marlboro street. There-was
y bare possibility that she had gon
y there In quest of the proofs she had S
], mysteriously mentioned. Stella 81
= herself in that direction. It must hay
been about half-past nine o'clock whe
~ she approached the place, and saw
~ -
), house coming down the steps!"
- The imperturbable John Lamm fS
y once lost his professional sang froil
~ He sprang to his feet and brought b
- - hand down with a crash upon the to
~ Of his desk.
Good heavens!" he cried. And q
- this time you have been concealiu
I" this from mel"