The Washington herald., 1909-05-30

She threw herself upon him, clnglng with her
arms around his neck and sobbing in the very eX
cess of her great JOY.
Benton Benton, do you still think that did
it,? Would you take the crime upon yourself to
snield me? l did not know that you loved me,
BENTON. l thought you loved her-that poor glrl
yonder, in the casket She came TO me last night.
She confessed that she loved you and IL gave
you up to her. told her that she should have
you; that would never stand in your way and
hers. Ana now you think that did this thing.
and you are willing to take IL upon yourself be
cause of that Oh, Benton, Benton, do you still
think that l did it2' ts
Tie wheeled upon her hercely. He had not
against the door with his fists all the time. He
seized her hands and held her off at arms length
'They will come, in a moment. to let you out"
he said rapidly unmndful of her struggles to free
herself II viii confess to the crime. Not q
shred of IL shall touch you. Not one. But that
dead girl there lies between us, Gertrude. have
loved you all my life; only you. did not know
that you cared for me enough for-for that God
If I had only known If had knownl But now
now you have killed her. But for your sake
because / love you, because you have done this
thing for love of me- the whole world shall think
that it my hand that struck down Agnes
Courtenay; and only Agnes, you and shall know
the truth"
and again threw her about his neck; but he
flung her away from him hercey so that she stag
gered half way across the room; and at that In
stant the door opened.
TT HE scene next enacted in connection with the
tragedy was not a part OF the plans of the chief
of police. Mignon Devere had been decoyed from
the house by subterfuge of the chiefs, in order
TO leave the coast entirely clear. But she had
returned before her time had admitted herself
with her key 10 the tisS and was inside the hall
way before the detective of clerical aspect could
stop her. The next instant she had turned the
key and was inside the room facing the two who
already there.
In the pause that followed which might have
lasted through second of actual time, Gertrude
perceived intuitively what all the police and de-
tective skill in the world might never have dis
covered she the solution of the mystery
acted
out pausing to give thought to the possible con
seouence Bear i'm mind the fact that she was
positive of her innocence and OF Cores. She
sprang forward toward Mignon and with gestures
that had in them all the force and significance of
actuaty she cried out with alarming impetuousity:
You are the murderessl You, Youl You!!
You'll" Her voice rose higher and became shril-
Ter with each enunciation OF the pronoun' and
Mgnon covered backward, hinging out her arms
as If to ward blow, shrinking and withering un-
der the sudden attack and actually startled into
self.betrayal by the fierce denunciaton. "You
shot Agnes Courtenay l you! saw
you! You in the hall when l went out of
this room You tried to hide from me in the
darkness at the end of i'll But l saw you'll You
had something in your hand that glistened I
didn't know what 1t was, then, but l know now!
1t the pistol, There 1t is now!' Gertrude
snatched the empty weapon and hurled it to the
floor at Mignon's feet and Mignon shrieked In
terror, If it were serpent. you were wait
ing in the hall outside the door till should go
away. I saw you. l you. Your eyes were
wild and scared. You frightened me- / thought
you mad woman-or drunken one. |
was afraid of you. l ran down the STAIRS and
when l did so | you start forward again.
remember &c all now. / don't know who you are
but do know that you killed Agnes Courtenayl'
The denuncaton came with such stunning ra-
pidity that there stemming the tide OF It
even had there been effort to do Mignon
Devere crouched lower and lower during It, Her
face was so haggard that IL resembled death
mask in clay Her head nodded like man
darin's. In dumb gesture she admitted every ac
cusation it was made. She tore her handker
chief to shreds and stripped her rings from her
fingers. She again the empty weapon on the
floor at her feet and she seized 1t and snapped 1t