The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1909-04-01

Il believe 1t is Mrs. Wigglesworth
herself" declared Aunt Rebecca. Der
tie, I'm going into the other room;
she will talk more freely to you. She
would want to spare my nerves. That
is the nuisance of being old. Now open
the door"
She was halfway across the thresh-
old before she finished, and the colo
nefs fingers on the doorknob waited
| only for the closing of her door to
turn TO admit the lady in waiting.
A lady she was beyond doubt and
| any one who had travelled would have
| been sure that she was a lady from
| Massachusetts, She wore that little
| close bonnet which certain elderly Bos-
! ton gentlewomen can neither be driv-
| en- nor allured to abandon; her rich
| and quiet black silken gown might
| have been made any year within the
| last five, and her furs would have
! graced princess. She had beautiful
| gray hair and soft complexion and
wore glasses. Equally evident to the
| observer was the fact of her sup
| pressed agitation.
! She waved aside the colonels prof
fered chair, introducing herself in a
| musical, almost tremulous voice with
| the crisp enunciation of her section of
| the country. 81 am Mrs. Wiggles-
worth; / understand, Col. Winter
| you?-y-yes, no. thank you, | will not
| sit. II understand Mrs. Winter-ah,
Your aunt, is an elderly woman"
This is my sister-in-law, Mrs. Mel
vile Winter" explained the colonel
my aunt is elderly in years. but in
i nothing else"
| The colonel, in few words, dis
played the situation. He had pre-
vailed upon his visitor to sit down, and
! while he spoke he noticed that her
hands held each other tightly, al
| though she appeared perfectly COM
posed and did not interrupt. She an
swered his questions directly and
| quietly She had been away taking
tea with a friend; she had remained
! to dine. Her maid had gone out ear
lier to spend the day and night with a
| sister in the city; so the room was
empty between six and seven o'clock
"The chambermaid wasn't there
them"
Il don't think so. She usually does
the room and brings the towels for the
bath in the morning. But l asked her,
to make sure, and she says that she
was not there since morning. She
seems good girl; / think she didn't
but I have found something. At
least am af-I may have found some
thing. I thought l might see Mrs.
Winters niece about it"-she glanced
toward Millicent, who said, Certain
ly," at venture; and looked fright
ened.
| And you found-?" said the colonel.
only this. l went to my rooms,
| turned on the light and was taking off
| my gloves before | united my bonnet.
| One of my rings fell on the floor. 1t
went under rug, and / at once re-
marked that it was a different place
| for the rug to the one where 1t had
been before. Before, it was in front
| of the dresser, very natural place,
but now it is on the carpet to one side.
a place where there seemed no reason
| for it's presence. These details seem
trivial, but"
Il can see they are not" said the
colonel Pray proceed, madam The
| ring had rolled under the rug."
Mrs Wigglesworth gave him CRATE
| full nod
4. A,.I xx.L4 I
the rug saw 1t; but as bent to pick
| it up / saw something else. In one
place there was a stain, as large as the
| palm of my hand. little pool Oft
| looks like blood"
Mrs. Melville uttered an exclama-
| ton of horror
| The colonel's face stiffened but
! there was no change in his polite at
tention.
May we be permitted to see this
ah, STAIN" said he.
| The three stepped through the cor
ridor to the outside door, and went
into the chamber. The rug was flung
| to one side, and there on the gray vel
| vet nap of the carpet was an irregular.
| sprawling stain about which were
spattered other stains, some crimson,
some almost black.
Millicent recoiled, shuddering The
| colonel knelt down and examined the
stains. Yes he said, very quietly,
you are right, it is blood
There was a tap on the door, which
was opened Immediately without wait
| ing for a permission. Millicent, rigid
with fright, could only stare helpless
ly at the eract figure, the composed,
| pale face and the brilliant, imperious
| eyes of her aunt
What did you say, Bertie?" said
Rebecca Winter. Il think | have