The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-05-17
THE FARMER: MAY IT, 1910

T to investigate Tom Willard's state ments, and he turned back and en tered the small hotel.
 He thought it wise to be frank il the matter than to attempt to obtair underhand information. Asking tt speak with the proprietor alone, ht said plainly:
 I'm a detective from New Yorl City, and my name is Fessenden I'm interested in Investigating tht death of Miss Van Norman. I have no suspicious of any one in particu lar. but I'm trying to collect a few bsolute facts by way of making 6 beginning. I wish you, therefore, to consider this conversation confdeut ial."
 MT. Taylor, the landlord of the inn was hattered at being a party to 2 confidential conversation with a req detective, and willingly promiset secrecy in the matter.
 Then" went on Fessenden, "wil you tell me all you know of tht movement of MT. Willard last even ing?"
 MT. Taylor looked a bit disap' pointed at this request, for he fore saw that his story be but brief. How ever, he elaborated the recital and spung it out as long as he possibly could. But after all his circumlocu. ton, Fessenden found that the facts were given precisely as Willard had stated them himself.
 The bellboy who had carried ur the suitcase was called in, and his story also agreed.
 "Yes sir," said the boy; T took ur his bag. and he gimme a quarter quarter, just like any nice gent would Men I come downstairs, and after while the gents bell rang, and I went up, and he wanted ice water. He was in his shirt sleeves then, jest gittin' ready for bed. So took UT the water, and he said, Thank you. real pleasant-like, and gimme a dime He's a awful nice man, he is. He had his shoes off that time, most ready for bed. And that's ali know about it.''
 All this was nothing more nor less
 
 than Fessenden had expected. He had asked the questions merely fol the satisfaction of having verbal cor. roboration of Toms own story.
 With thanks to MT. Taylor, and g more material token of appreciation to the boy, he went away.
 On reaching the coroner's office, he was told that MT. Benson was not in Fessenden was sorry, for he wanted to discuss the Morton episode with him. He thought of going to Law. yer Peabody's. and would know al about Miss Van Norman's will, but as he sauntered through one of the few streets the village possessed, he was rather pleased than otherwise tt see Kitty French walking toward him.
 She greeted him with apparent satisfaction, and said chummily Let's walk along together and talk it over."
 Immediately coroner and lawyer faded from Rob's mind, he willingly fell into step beside her, and they walked along the street which soor merged itself into pleasant coun. try road.
 Fessenden told Kitty of his con. versation at the inn. but she agreed that it was unimportant.
 "Of course" she said, 1T suppose it was good thing to have some one else say the same as Tom said, but as Tom wasn't even in the house. ] don't see as he is in the mystery al all. But there's no use of looking further for the criminal. It wa. Schuyler Carleton. just as sure as ] stand here.''
 Kitty very surely stood there. The, had paused beneath an old willow tree by the side of the road, an< Kitty. leaning against rail fence looked like a very sweet and winsomt Fortia, determined to mete out jus tice.
 Though he was himself convinced that he was an unprejudiced seeker after truth, at that moment Rober Fessendcn found himself very muci swayed by the opinions of the pretty impetuous girl who addressed him.
 'I believe I'm going to work al wrong," he declared. q can't hell feeling sure that Carleton didn't dt it, and so I'm trying to discover who did"
 well, why is that wrong?" de manded Kitty wonderingly.
 ''Why, think a better way to dt would be to assume, if only for sake of argument, as they say, or rethe; for sake of starting -point--to as sume that you are right and tha Carleton is the evildoer, though swear I don't believe it.'' Kitty laughed outright. You're nice detective!'' she said. '.Are yo, assuming that Schuyler is the william merely to be polite to me?"