The Ocala evening star., 1911-06-14


own weaving. So far / will lie frank
with YOU. 4 common question may
trip me up. Others find me free and
reg dy with my defense. You have
chanced upon one Of the former /
was in turmoil OF mind from the
moment Of my entrance into that IA
tai house. but I can give no reason
for it,
You say you cannot be open with
me. That means you have certain
memories connected with that night
which you cannot divulge."
Right. Charles. but not memories
Of guiit-of active guilt. l mean.
am perfectly innocent so far as Ade-
ladies death is concerned. You may
proceed on that basis without fear
that is. if you continue TO take an in
terest in my case"
Il have accepted the case, and !
it he assured me. with a dogged
rather than genial persistence. But
/ should like TO know what / am to
work upon if it cannot be shown that
her call for help came before you en-
tered the building"
That would be the best defense
possible. Of course" I replied. but
neither from your standpoint nor mine
is it a feasible one. ] have no proof
Of my assertion. All l know and can
swear to about the length Of time
was in that building prior to the ar
rival Of the police is that it could not
have been very long, since she was
not only dead and buried under those
accumulated cushions, but in a room
some little distance from the tele-
phone"
That will do for me-" said he, "but
scarcely for those who are prejudiced
against you. Everything points so
indisputably to your guilt. The note
which you say you wrote to Carmel to
meet you at the station looks very
much more like one TO Miss Cumber,
land to meet you at the clubhouse"
II was thus | first learned which
part of this letter had been burned Of.
1t was the top portion. leaving the rest
to read:
Come. come my darling. my life, She
will forgive when all is done Hesitation
will only undo US. Tonight at 10:30
shall never marry any but you.
/ 1t was also evident that had fail
ed to add those expressions of affec-
ton linked to Carmers name which
had been in my mind and awakened
my keenest apprehension.
"Otherwise," pursued Clifton. what
could have taken her there? These
to-. -I,o So
reasons which may be clear to you
who were acquainted with her weak
as Well as strong points. Went how
No one knows. By chance or by in.
tention on her part or yours. every
servant was out Of the house by 6
o'clock. and her brother too. Only the
sister remained, the sister whom you
profess to have urged to leave the
town with you that very evening, and
she can tell us nOthing-may die with
out ever being able to do so. Some
shock to her feelings-yOu may know
its character and you may not-drovt
her from q state OF apparent health
into the widest delirium in q few
hours. 1t was not your letter-if your
story is true about that letter-or she
would have shown its effect immedi
ately upon receiving it-that is, in thu
early evening. And she did not. Hell
en-, one of the maids, declares that sh,
saw her some time after you left tn,
house and that she wore anything bu
q troubled look; that, in fact, her coun
tenance was beaming and beautiful"
Carmel. beaming and beautiful at al
hour | had supposed her suffering ant
full of struggle! | could not reconcil,
it with the letter she had written me.
The lawyer proceeded with his pres
entation of my case as it looked t
unprecedented eyes.
Miss Cumberland comes to the clut
house; so do you. You have not tn
keys and so go searching about th
building till you ind an unlocked win
dow. by which you both enter. Their
are those who say you purposely le1
this window unfastened when yo
went about the house the day before
that you dropped the keys in her hOus
where they would be sure 70 be foun
aud drove down to the station an
stood about there for q good half hou
III order to divert suspicion from your
self afterward and create an alibi
case it should be wanted. / do nc
believe any of this myself. but ther
are those who do. Your passion fC
Carmel. while not generally known, hs
not passed unsupported by your {
her intimates. and this in Itself
enough to give color to these susp
cionS even if you had not gone so fs
as to admit its power over you an
the extremes to which you were will
ing to go to secure the wife you wisl
ed SO much for the situation as
appears 10 outsiders. OF the circun
stantial evidence which links you pc
sonally to this crime we have alread
spoken 1t is very strong and appa
emily unassailable"
"Charles." | asked. chow do the
account for the cordial that was drum
the two emptied glasses and tt
flask which were found in the adjacel
. closet"
It's one OF the affairs conceded /
0neruities. Miss Cumberland was
1ell known temperance woman. HI
he flask and glasses not come fro
her house You would get no one to
love that she had had anything TO {
with them Have you any hint
give on this point: It would be a We
! come addition TO our case"
"Corouer Perry speaks Of thiI
/ and unused glass which was four
/ l. -, II