The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-05-08

Imagination ran riot. The first point.
he thought TO himself, in discovering
p tential murderer is to inquire
who will be benefited by the vie.
Tins death Apparently the only
ones to profit by the passing of Mad.
eleinc Van Norman were Tom WI.
lard and Miss Morton. But even
the ingenious Imagination of the
young detective baked at the idea
of connecting either OF these two
with the tragedy lie knew Willard
had MT bcea in the house at the
time of the murder. and Miss Nor.
ton. as he had chanced 10 discover.
had occupied a room on the third
floor. Moreover 1t was absurd on
the face Of things to fancy a we'll
bred middlc-aged lady stealing down.
stairs at the dead of night to kill
her charming young hostess
II was with sense Of satisfaction.
therefore. that Fessenden assured
himself that he had formed no sus.
picious whatever. and could listen
with a mind entirely unprejudiced to
such evidence as the coroncr's IN.
quiry might bring forth.
He was even glad that he had not
discussed the matter further with
Kitty French He still thought she
had clear vision with & cd judgment,
but he had begun to realize that
In her presence his own clearness
of vision was dazzled by her dancing
eyes and certain distracting charm
which he had never before observed
in any woman.
But he told himself somewhat
stcrnly that feminine charm must
not be allowed to interfere with
the present business In hald. and
ho seated himself at n considerable
distance from Kitty French. when IL
was time for the inquest.
\ slight delay was occasioncd by
waiting fr Coroner Bcnson's own
stenographcr, but when he arrived
the inquiry was at once begun.
At the request of Miss Morton. or.
Il might rather be said at her com.
mand. the whole assembly had moved
II the drawngroom, it being a
much larger and more airy apart.
ment. and withall less haunted bv
the picture of the tragedy itself
And yet tn hold a coroner's in.
quiry in room gay with wcddin.
decorations was almost. If not quite.
AZ ghastly.
but Coroner Benson paid no heed
TO emotional considerations and con.
Quoted himself with the same air OF
justice and legality as If he had
been in court-rc ON or the town.
hall
As for the jury he had gathered.
the half-dozen men, though filled
with righteous Indignation at the
crime committed in their village,
wasted no thought on the incongru.
llN pl tn'lT SUlTOunulnpS.
Coroner Benson put his first ques
tiOn to Mp Markham, as he con.
sidered her In a way at least. the
present head of the household. To
be sure. the house now legally be.
longcd to Miss Morton. and that lady
was quickly assuming an added air
of importance which was doubtless
The result II her recent inheritance:
hut Mrs. Markham was still house
association with the place, Mr.. Ben.
son chose to treat her with exceed.
ing courtesy and Difference.
Hut Mrs, Markham. though now
quite composed and willing to an.
swer questions. could give no eyi.
dencc of any Importance. She testi.
fled that she had seen Madeleine
last at about ten o'clock the night
before. This was after the guests
had gone to their rooms. Miss Van
Norman was alone in the library,
and As Mrs. Markham left her she
asked her to send Cicely Dupuy to
the library. Mrs. Markham had then
. nc directly to her own room. which
WAS on the second floor. above the
drawiug-room. 1t was at the front
Ct the house and the room behind
II. also over the long drawing-room
was the one now devoted to the cN.
hibition OF Madeleinc's wedding gifts
Mrs. Markham had retired almost
Immediately and had heard no un.
usual sounds. She explained, how.
ever. that she was somewhat deaf
and had there been any disturbance
downstairs II was by no means prcb-
able that she would have heard IT,
What was the first intimation you
had that anything had happenedc'
asked Mr., Benson.
Kitty French came to my door