Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-01-13


night gave a temporary relief to nay
tufr-ring. ! could bear no more. I have @
cim remembrance OF putting out my hands
30 save myself from falling
Il have no means OF knowing how lonr-
Jay upon the ioor when / awoke / saw
/ sssy father lying motioaless by the door.
with that horrible dripping scrawI which
knew had been made by his own blood
upon the wall ! called TO him. / seized his
hand. but soon saw that he was quite,
dead
The sight OF the blood did not terrify
me- ! am ashamed TO confess IT, and
cannct explain it but Il filled me tempo
rarilJ with q strange. wild. savage exulta-
ton know nov that I must have been
crazy. Emotional insanity. the physicians
call II God knows how I honored and loved
the man who had been a father TO me
i am told they suspected me Of having
killed him Heavea knows / am wicked
enough; bat not that orime-no not thatf
LET me pass over the next IS minutes.
they win be a terror TO me as long a..
memory remains TO me When I became
calmer. / tried 10 realize what had been
done 1 hsd no doubt that my father had
Intended 60 write a message to me-to tell
me no doubt that this nan was not my
husband. In his dying moments his un-
fulfilled purpose had haunted him.
Il cannot tell the sitting sensations
whtcts followed the sudden realization that
this writing on the wall would be taken
as an accusation against the man who haxs
done bis best 10 ruin us both.
when this awful idea FIRST came 70 me
1 He'd from the room. as n by doing
could leave the idea behind me. 1 actually
had opened the outer door to call help.
when the full realization OF all that my
false husband had done to me rushed over
ne with renewed force. I stopped still and
my heart as steelef 20 every CRY Of con-
science. A. fully possessed OF my facul-
ties 1 ever wa9 In my life. I stood at the
door and thought OF everythlng-of the
chances OF the success OF this terrible re-
Vcnge for my wrongs; OF my ability 20 carry
out the plan; Of the fact even that once
embarked Ia Il there could be no drawing
back: that I could never survive the dis
grace OF discovery. Revenge I say, now:
but that night the word In my mind was
Justice Would this act OF mine immo-
late Albert Runyon in a greater degree
than he had sacrificed me7 No-and this
TO my mind that night was 'justicer
This reflection sealed my fate. 1 went
back rcso.uteiy. 7 assured ~ self that
my father was dead beyond AL recall re-
placed the cartridges la The drawer whence
he had .akcn them. The fatal pistol stiu
lay upside down-frmly wedgcd IN It's place.
with it's barrel laid across the corner % .nt-
Ing outward at an upward angle The
hammer had caught upon the ornamental
scroll work just above the drawer as Il
fell To such a point we're my faculties
sharpeued by the danger aud the bo.dncss
OF nay designs that noted every detail OF
these facts ] knew that this pistol was
the only testimony 10 the real facts OF
my fathers death.
II put the pistol in my pocket. turned out
the lights. and stole from The chamber OF
death with the fun realization that 1 had
made myself a criminal.
1t is unnecessary for me to tell what
Followed; CT the clearer realization OF my
position that came with reflection: OF the
awful complication In which found has
involved myself and my innocent sister:
OF my bitter remorse when IL was too lato.
May Heaven have mercy on me.
MARION NORTH"
Commonwealth OF Msssachu seJts.
Essex -.
"Swampscott. June % 1857.
Then personally appeared before me Tho
above named Marion North, who made
oath that the foregoing statement, BY her
submitted. Is true.
WILLIAM FLETCHER.
Justice OF the Peace"
That is all, gentlemen" said Thomas,
as he folded the document-"an that is
written here. / hardly need say that DO
not rubscribe TO the ladys idea OF her
fathers purpose IA writing his partners
name on the wall. She takes a view
lenient as possible 10 him. But TO my
mind that he carried a full intention
OF revenging himself upon his recreant
partner from the moment he set out to
load that pistol with the intention OF
shooting him, to the moment Of his
death, is the only logical construction
TO be placed upon his conduct And
/ unhesitatingiy put North at the head
OF the conspiracy. His daughter-un-
fortunate wOman!-let his purpose be
carried out by concealing the evidences
or the accident In the sequel we see
the mockery OF fate: for in the end it
is not Stackhouse, bat Richard Fetridge.
who is arrested for the crime"
And, indeed. Thomas view Of the case
was the theory which came eventually
TO be accepted By all cognizant Of the
facts, and though II may not be quite
possible 10 determine beyond a doubt
the intent OF Paul North in writing upon
the wall, still Mr.. Thomas conclusion,
that deadly purpose Of revenge filed
the mind OF the dying man. must be,
In lieu Of something Better, accepted as
final
The profound silence which imme-
diately followed the reporters words
was broken by Fetridge, who had been
sitting with his hand shading his eyes
during the latter portion Of the reading.
And to think" he murmured, that
1t was for this end have been trying
70 keep TINS scandal from the public
earl Why, 1t viii be worse. a thousand
times WORSE he exclaimed, starting
mp. than If had precipitated the facts
as / knew them. Then il might have
been hushed up. Now that is impos-
sible."
IF you had but had little confidence
In mel" said John Lamm. reproach-
fully. Well inspector, what's to be
done?"
He asked the question a little ma
iciousIy.
How do we know that this state
ment is true?" exclaimed Applebee. who
was but just recovering from his breath
less amazement. Fortunately this wom-
an is already under arrest, and"
"Ah, pardon me" interrup pied Thomas,
solemnly. she is not, inspector"
Not arrested" exclaimed the aston