The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-05-10
0ontinued.l

She was breathlessly watching Cice- 4y, but nothing could be learned from the girls inscrutable face, and to an attentive listener her very voice did rot ring true.
 Doctor Leonard and Doctor Hills looked at each other. Both remem- hered that the night before, Cicely had stealthily opened the door of the usrary end put her head in, but see- ing them, had quickly gone back again.
 This information might or might. not be of importance, but after brief whispered conference, the two men concluded that it was not the time then to refer to it.
 MT. Carleton. though still pale and haggard of face, seemed to have talk en on new interest, and listened at- tentively to the conversation, while big, good-natured Tom Willard lean- ed forward and took the paper, and then sat studying it. with perplexed expression.
 But why did you not volunteer the information? You must have known it was of great importance" The coroner spoke almost petulantly, and indeed Miss Dupuy had suppressed important information.
 At his question she became greatly emb, rra sei she b-ushed and look ec down. and th-n. uith an eff. Tt resuming her air of defiance, she snapped out her answer; "I was afraid"
 Afraid Of what?"
 "Afraid that they would think somebody killed Miss Van Norman instead of that she killed herself, as she did"
 How do you know she did?"
 T don't know it, except that I left her here alone when I went to my room, and the house was all locked up, and soon after that she was found dead. So she must have killed her self"
 ''Tehe conclusions" said the coron- CT, pompously. ''are for us to arrive at. not for you to declare. The case,'' he then said, turning toward the doc tors and the young detectives, ''is en- tirely changed by the heading of Miss Dupuy's testimony. The fact that the note was not written by Miss Van Norman, will. I'm sure, remove from the minds of the doctors the possi- bility of suicide"
 '1t certainly will," said Doctor Leonard. "I quite agree with Doctor Hills that except for the note all evil dence is against the theory of sui cide.'
 Then" went on MT. Benson, eff it is not a suicide, Miss Van Norman must have been the victim of foul play, and it is our duty to investi- gate the matter and attempt to dis cover whose hand it was that wielded the fatal dagger"
 MT. Benson was fond of high sounding words and phrases and finding himself in charge of what promised to be a mysterious, if not a celebrated case, he made the most of his authoritative position.
 Robert Fessenden paid little atten- ton to the coroner's speech. His brain was working rapidly, and he was trying to piece together such data as he had already accumulated in the way of evidence. It was but finite clues he allowed himself to speculate little on the probabilities of a murder case, and he was more than willing to do anything he could toward discovering the truth of the matter.
 The known facts were so appalling and any evidence of undiscovered facts was as yet so extremely slight that Fessenden felt there was a greal deal to be done.
 He was trying to collect and sys. temize his own small fund of in. formation when he realized that the audience was being dismissed.
 MT. Benson announced that ht would convene jury and hold an in. quest that same afternoon, and they he would expect all those now present to return as witnesses.
 Without waiting to learn what tn, others did, Fessenden turned to Kilt, French, and asked her to go witt him for a stroll.
 "You need fresh air." he said a they stepped from the veranda; ''but also, need you to talk to. I cal formulate my ideas better if expres them aloud, and you are such a clear headed and sympathetic listener tha it helps a lot"
 Kitty smiled with pleasure at tn compliment, then her pretty face be came grave again as she remembere' what must be the subject of thei conversation.
 Before I talk to the lawyers O. detectives who will doubtless soon in fest the house, I want to .straightel out my own ideas.
 'T don't see how you an hav any" said Kitty, 'T mean, if course any de6rite ideas about U m corn