The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-05-20

the library and fought it out with myself. And I concluded that my duty was to Madeleine. I confess to frantic desire to go to her and ask her, even at that last minute to free me from my troth, and then I thought what a scandal it would create, and I knew that even if Dorothy and I both suffered, it was Madeleine's s right to leave matters as they were. Having decided, I proceeded to carry out my earlier intention of going over to the Van Norman house with the reliquary. It was so late then that I had no thought of seeing Madeleine, but-and this, Rob, is my confession -on the way there, I still had al lingering thought that I should see Madeleine I would tell her the truth, and leave it to her generosity to set me free. And 1t was with this guilty knowledge-this shameful weakness on my part--that added to my dismay and horror at finding her-as she was, in the library. I read that awful pa perl thought of course, then, she bad taken her own life, and I feared it was because she knew of my false ness and treachery. This made me feel, as if I were really her murder CT, quite as much as if I had struck the actual blow"
 Don't take it like that, Schuyler, that's morbid imagination. You act ed Loyalty to Miss Van Norman to the last, and though the whole situation really to blame. No man can rule his own heart, and, any way, it is not for me to comment on that side of the matter. But since you have spoken thus frankly of Miss Burt, I must ask you how, with your slight acquaintance, you are so sure she is worthy of your regard"
 Our acquaintance isn't so slight. Rob. She has been some time with smother,-more than six months,- and we have been good friends from the first. And know her, perhaps by Love's intuition,-but I know her very soul.-and she is the truest. sweetest nature God ever made" ''But-forgive me-she has inn frank and ingenious as she appears. That's only because you don't know her, and you judge by your own uncertain and mistaken impres sions." "But-when she gave her evidence at the inquest,--she seemed to hesi- te te, and to waver as to what she should say. It did not have the ring of truth, though her manner was charming and even naive."
 "You misjudge her, Rob. I say this because know it. And I can't blame you, for, knowing of my en- gagement to Madeleine, you are quite right to disapprove of my interest in another woman
 IL tSu OlSdppTOVdl 64dcLly. Well, it isn't suspicion, is it? You don't think that Dorothy Burt had any hand in the tragedy, do you?' Carleton spoke savagely, with an abrupt change from his former man. per, and as he heard his friends words, Rob knew that he himself had no more suspicion of Dorothy Burt than he had of Carleton. She had testified in a constrained, uncertain manner, but that was not enough to rouse suspicion of her in any way. "Of course not" Fessenden de clared heartily. Don't be absurd
 But have I your permission to put a few questions to Miss Burt, not in your presence?"
 "Of course you have. I trust you ] to be kind and gentle with her, foI she is sensitive little thing; but ] she to you, will only make you sec
 more clearly what dear girl she is. Fessenden was far from sure o1
 this, but, having gained Carleton's permission to interview Miss Burt, he
 said no more about her just then. For a long time the two men dis. | cussed the situation. But the more 1 they talked the less they seemed able I to form any plausible theory of the crime. At last Fessenden said. "There is one thing certain: If we are to be- lieve Harris statement about the
 locks and bolts, no one could have
 entered from the outside
 l 'eNo," said Carleton; ''and so we're
 forced to turn our attention to some
 enc inside the house. But each one
 in turn seems so utterly impossible
 We cannot even suggest Mrs. Mark
 ham or Miss Morton"
 ''I don't altogether like that Miss
 Morton. She acted queerly from the
 beginning"
 ''Not exactly queerly; she is not z
 woman of good breeding or goot
 taste, but she only arrived that after
 noon, and it's too absurd to picture
 her stabbing her hostess that night
 '1 don't care how absurd it is; she profited by Miss Van Norman's death
 and she was certainly avid to come