The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-05-05
CHAPTER VII.
A Soft Lead Pencil.

young man curiously. Knowing him
to be- stranger i'm the household,
he had not expected information from
him.
Your namo?" hc said quietly.
II am Robert Fessendcn. of New
York city. / am lawer by pro-
fcssion and came to Mapleton yes.
terday for the purpose of acting az
best man at Mr.. Carlcton's wedding.
cane here this morning. not know
ing of what had occurred in the
night. and after conversation with
some members of the household
felt impelled To investigate some
points which seemed TO me mystic
rious. ! trust ! have shown no intru-
siye curiosity but | confess To
natural detective instinct, and no.
ticed some peculiaritios about that
paper you hold In your hand to which
should like TO call your attention"
Fessenden's words caused decid-
cd stir among his hearers. including
the coroner aud the two doctors.
Mr. Benson VAS truly anxious to
learn what the young man had to
say, but at the tame time his pro-
fessional jealousy was aroused by
the implication that there was any.
thing to be learned from the paper
itself. outside of his own informa.
tion concerning it.
II was told" he said quickly. that
this paper is positively written IN
Miss Van Norman's own hand
Robert Fessenden. while not exact
ly handsome man. was of type
that impressed everyone pleasantly.
He was large an blond, and had an
air that was Enthusiastically cultured
and exceedingly well-bred Conven-
tionality sat well upon him. and his
courteous self.assurance had in IL no
trace Of egotism or self-importance
In word, he was what the plain
spoken people OF Mapleton called
citiSeid. anl though they sometimes
resented this combination of person
al traits. in their hearts they ad-
mired and cnvicd il.
This was why Coroner Benson
felt slight irritation at the young
man savior faire, and at the same
time sense of satisfaction that
there was promise OF some worth.
while help.
Il was told so. too" said Foss"~
den, in response To the coroner's re-
mark. and as have never seen
any of Miss Van Norman's writing,
! have. of course. no reason to
doubt this. But this is the point |
want TO inquire aboIr; it is as.
sumed that Miss Van Norman wrote
the words on this paper while sit
ting here at the table last evening,
Immediately or shortly before her
DEATH"
Mr. Benson though moment,
then he said; Without any evi.
dence To the contrary. and indeed
without having given this question
any previous thought, think | may
say that it has been tacitly assumed
that this is n dying confession OF
Miss Van Norman's."
He looked inquiringly at his audi.
encc. and Doctor Hills responded.
Yes" he said; I'VE have taken
for granted that Miss Van Norman
wrote the message while sitting here
last evening, after the rest OF he
household had retired. This We in.
fer from the fact Of Mr.. Carleton 5
finding the paper on the table wnea
he discovered the tragedy.
You thought the same. Mr.. Carrie
tom"
"Of course; coull hot do o,l,r.
wise than to believe Miss Norman
had written tine message ana had
then carried cut her rosolve.
Il think. Nr. Fess2nden," +, sumed
the coron- So, ''ty assudir tIs
to be the case
Then" said Fessenden, Il will
undertake to show that it is improb,
able that this paper was written as
has been supposed. The messag ge
Is, as you see, written in pencil. The
pencil here on the table, which Is
part OF a set of desk-fittings is a
very hard pencil labeled H. 4 few
marks made by 1t upon a bit OF
paper will convince you at once thai
it Is not the pencil which was used
To write that message. The letters
as YOU see are formed of heavy
black marks which We're made with
very soft pencil. such as is desig
mated by 2B or BIB. II you please