Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-05-19


who-who inserted this--this noticer
She fumbled in her gold-mesh hand
bag with rerveicss fingers producing
mucb-creascd fragment Of newspa
per.
mr.. Atwater" bowed BE seated
Mrs. Marott," he commanded gently
You see l recognize your identity"
"In Gods name. who are you? What
do you want with ne? But-but-'
She sank into the seat. shaking with
terror. Valentine was too merciful &c
prolong her agony; as much in pity
as from a sense of duty he held be
fore her gaze the head of the fatefu
fligree hatpin. saying gravely:
do you recognize this bsuble. Mrs
Marott?"
The woman gave one afrightened
glance, then shrank back whispering
in horror-stricken tones: Where did
you find It? / searched" Then. sud
denly realizing that out Of her own
mouth she had perhaps condemned
herself, she clapped a gloved hand tc
her lips and almost collapsed In her
chair, a sickly pallor whitening her
still beautiful cheeks.
Valentine considerably waited be
fore pressing home the inevitable and
fateful query:
why did you do TT Tell mel
must have the truth, Mrs. Marott, be-
fore you or / leave this room"
She started to her feet. her eyes
cleaning with almost insane passion
her gloved hands clenching and un.
cienching until the delicate kid threat.
ened to burst.
why did / do it?" she almost
screamed. Because that monster
made my life a hell Because he
threatened to ruin me socially! Be
cause he had me in hrs power! He
was a fiend incarnate, and the world
is well rid of such carrioni" A min
ute's pause and the sorely-racked vic
tim of mans cupidity went on more
calmly: Like a fool. wanted more
money than my husband could give
me. l owed for losses at bridge, to
my dressmakers, and for foolish ex
travagances. A woman friend told me
that Caleb Winnett lent freely to so
ciety women, so / went to him. AT
first he asked no security-simply my
promise to pay-notes, he called them
Instead of winning at cards, ! lost
more-then borrowed again. Whep'
ever / received my monthly allowance
1t all went to satisfy that-that Shy
lock! In all. paid back the original
loans twice over. yet never could
get out of his clutches. Finally be
became ugly, demanded security, so
gave him my jewels. But he was In
satiable, the wretcnl literally
stripped myself Of valuables. / was
forced to lie to my husband in the at
tempt to explain matters until my life
became living tormentl Stili he de
manded payment. and declared ned
wait no longer. but would apply tc
Mr.. Marott. That-that night ! weni
| to make a last appeal. Then the fiend
incarnate insulted me, and in frenzy
of anger-I didn't really realize whai
/ was doing-I snatched a long pir
from my hat and-struck the mon
ster! When l realized what I hat
done, when saw him huddled linn
and lifeless In his chair, ran from
the house. Now you have the truth
the whole truth. so help me Godl d
what you viii with mel"
AS Inspector Finney Valentine list
ened to this bald and tragic recita
which his own genius had elected
and which cleared up the mystery o
4 the flligree hatpin, II was borne upol
him that this woman-respected. hon
ored. loved-had been more slime,
against than SHINING. Retribution ha'
overtaken Caleb Winnett, and doubt
less many another unfortunate wa
now liberated from his tolls No jur.
would ever convict her!
The great detective sat In silence
his heart wrung responsibility to tn
racking sobs Of the woman before him
Surely this was a time, he thought
when justice should be tempered witt
mercy. There came to his mind tn
words of another: Hath any man cor
demned thee? Neither do condemn
thee. Go in peace"
Rising slowly to his feet. Inspecto
Valentine broke silence. Mrs. Ms
rott," he said. graveiy. you have a
ready borne enough. What has trans
pired here today Is as though It la
never been. / wish you good aftel
noon and as much happiness as tn
future can bring"
| The woman rose likewise, looked Q
him moment with swimming eye
then bowed her head and went be