The Ocala evening star., 1911-06-29
The House
of the
Whispering
Pines
By ANNA KATHARINE GREEN
Copyright. 1910, by Anna Katharine
Rotlfs

means, and that of interest solely as
making clear how there came to be
evidences of poison In Adelaides stom-
ach without the quantity being great
enough for more than a temporary dis
turbance.
Maggie. the second girl. had some
thing TO say about this when the vial
which had held the poison was handed
about for inspection. She had handled
that vial many times on the shelf
where it was kept. Once she had
dropped it, and. the cork coming out.
some of the contents had escaped.
Frightened at the mishap. she had
filed the vial up with water and
put IT. thus diluted. back on the shelf.
No one had noticed the difference. and
she had forgotten all about the matter
until now. From ber description.
there must have been very little Of
the dangerous drug left in the vial
and the jury rendered the noncommit
tai verdict:
Death by strangulation at the hands
of some person unknown"
| had expected this. The evidence.
pointing as it did In two opposing
directions. presented problem which
a coroner's jury could hardly be ex-
pected to solve. l was allowed one
was detained to await the action of
the grand jury. and SO was Arthur.
When 1 was informed of this latter
fact 1 made a solemn VOW to myself
1t was this: If it falls To my lot to be
indicted for this murderous offense
will continue to keep my own counsel.
But If escape and true bill should
be found against Arthur then will |.
follow my better instinct and reveal
what / have hitherto kept concealed.
even If the torment of the betrayal
drives me to self destruction afterward.
for | no longer cherished the smallest
doubt that to Carmers sudden rage.
and to that alone. the death of Ade
laide was due.
My reason for this change from
troubled to absolute conviction can be
easily explained. 1t dated from the
inquest and will best appear in the
relation of an interview l held with
my attorney. Charles Clifton. very soon
We had discussed the situation till
there seemed to be nothing left to dis
cuss. understand him. and he
thought he understood me. he De
Iieved Arthur guilty and credited me-
with the same convictions. Thus only
could he explain my inconceivable
reticence on certain points he was very
we'll assured / could make clear If l
would That he was not the only man
who had drawn these same conclusions
from my attitude both before and dur
ing the inquest troubled me greatly
and deeply disturbed my conscience
introduced the topic thus:
"You remember the detached sen.
tences taken down by the nurse dur
ing the period of Carmel's unconscious
ness. They were regarded as sense
less rawlings. and such they doubtless
were, but there was one of them which
attracted my attention and of which
should like an explanation l wish /
had that woman's little book here.
should like to read for myself those
wandering utterances."
You can" was the unexpected and
welcome reply. ~ took them all down
in shorthand as they fell from DR..
Perry's lips. l have not had time since
to transcribe them. but | can read
some of them to you If you will give
me an idea as to which ones you
want"
Read the first-what she said on the
day of the funeral. do not think the
rest matter very much"
Clifton took paper from her pocket
and after only a short delay read out
| these words. among others:
December the 5th.-At $40 p. NJ.
| as the services neared their close. a
violent change took place In her ap-
| pearance, and she uttered In shr1ll
tones those astonishing words which
horrifed all below and made Us feel
| that she had a ciairvoyant knowledge
| of the closing of the casket then taking
| place.
"'Break 1t open. break 1t open. and
see If her heart is there!"
pause there" / said. THAT Is what
/ mean. 1t was not the only time she
uttered that cry. If you will glance
| farther down you will come across
second exclamation Of the like char
| acter."
Yes; here 1t Is. 1t was while the
ubiquitous Sweetwater was mousing
| about the room"
Read the very words he heard
have a reason. Clifton. Humor me
| for this once"
"Certainly-no trouble. She cried
this time: Break ii open. Break the
glass and look in. Her heart should
| be there-her heart-her heartr Hor
rible, but you insisted. Ranelagh"
Il thought | heard that word glass,
| muttered, more to myself than tC
him. Then. with choking fear OF
| giving away my thought. but unable
| to resist the opportunity of settling my
| own fears, | asked. "Was there glas:
I'm the casket lidT'
NO; there never is"
But she may have thought ther'
was" 1 suggested hastily. Then be
fore he could reply. What do yor
think the nurse meant by a violen
change in her patient?"
/ why. she reused up. suppose
moved or made some wild or feverist
gesture"
That is what l should like to know
Is the detective. Sweetwater. still In
| town.
Il believe so: came up for the In
quest, but goes back tonight"
/ See him. Clifton Ask him TO re