Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-11-17

| facts are as | have stated.
The inspector regarded him with
an earnestness which made my heart
sink.
you can fix the time of this visit,
I hope; tell us, mean, just when you
| left the alcove. You must have seen
some one who can speak for you"
| II fear not"
Why did he look so disturbed and
uncertain?
There were but few persons in
the hall just then" he went on to ex-
plain. mo one was sitting on the
| yellow divan."
"You know where you went,
though? Whom you saw and what
you did before the alarm spread?"
Inspector, am quite confused. 1
did go somewhere; l did not remain
in that part of the hall. But can
tell you nothing definite, save that
walked about, mostly among strang-
ers, till the cry rose which sent us
all in one direction and me to the
side Of my fainting sweetheart"
Can you pick out any stranger you
talked to, or any one who might have
noted you during this interval? You
see, for the sake of this little woman,
| wish to give you every chance"
| Inspector, / am obliged to throw
myself on your mercy. l have no
such witness to my innocence as you
call for. Innocent people seldom
have. 1t is only the guilty who take
the trouble to provide for such con-
| tingencies."
This was all very we'll, if it had
/ hnpn nftprnd with n iOb tfnryuo nd
air and in clear Tone But it was
not. who loved him felt that it was
not, and consequently was more or
now took place in the inspectors
manner. Yet it pierced me to the
heart to observe this change, and
instinctively dropped my face into
my hands when l saw him move to-
ward Mr.. Durand with some final
order or word of caution.
Instantly (and who can account for
such phenomena?) there foated into
view before my retina a reproduction
of the picture had seen, or imagined
myself to have seen, in the supper
room; and as at that time it opened
before me an unknown vista quite re-
moved from the surrounding scene,
so it did now, and beheld again in
faint outlines, and yet with the effect
of complete distinctness, a square OF
light through which appeared an
open passage partly shut off from
view by half-lifted curtain and the
tall figure of man holding back this
curtain and gazing, or seeming to
gaze, at his own breast, on which he
had already laid one quivering finger.
What did it mean? In the excite
ment of the horrible occurrence
which had engrossed us all, had for
gotten this curious experience; but
on feeling anew the vague sensation
of shock and expectation which
seemed its natural accompaniment, I
became conscious of sudden con-
viction that the picture which had
opened before me in the supper-room
was the result of reflection in a
glass or mirror Of something then 60
4 ing on in place not otherwise with
| in the reach of my vision; refiec-
ton, the Importance Of which sud
denly realized when recalled at
what a critical moment it had oc-
! Cured. A man in a state of dread
looking at his breast, within five min
utes of the stir and rush of the
dreadful event which had marked
4 this evening!
i A hope, great as the despair in
which had just been sunk, gave me
courage to drop my hands and adj
vance impetuously toward the in
spector.
| Don't speak; I pray; don't Judge
any of us further till you have heard
what | have to say"
/ In great establishment and with an
aspect of some severity, he asked me
what | had to say now which l had
not had the opportunity of saying be-
fore. replied with all the passion
! of forlorn hope that it was only at
this present moment I remembered a
fact which might have very decided
bearing on this case; and, detecting
evidences, as l thought, of relenting
1 on his part, I backed up this state
ment by an entreaty for few words
with him apart, as the matter I had
4 to tell was private and possibly too
fanciful for any ear but his own.
He looked as if he apprehended
1 some loss of valuable time, but
4 touched by the involuntary gesture OF
appeal with which l supplemented my
request, he led me into corner
/ where, with just an encouraging
glance toward Mr. Durand, who
seemed struck dumb by my action,
told the inspector of that momentary
I picture which | had seen reflected in
| what / was now sure was some win
dow-pane or mirror
ut was at time coincident, or very
nearly coincident, with the perpetra
ton of the crime you are now investi
gating," l concluded. within five
minutes afterward came the shout
| which reused us all to what had hap
pened in the alcove I do not know
what passage l saw or what door OF
even what figure; but the latter, an
sure, was that of the guilty man
Something in the outline (and it was
| the outline only l could catch) ex
| pressed an emotion incomprehensible
to me at the moment, but which, in
my remembrance, impresses me as
that of fear and dread. 1t was moi
! the entrance to the alcove beheld-
that would have struck me at once
but some other opening which 1 might
4 ,aoNoni1o N& NO.