New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1911-08-02

A1As DEAD by the discovery.
I drew myself up and stepped quickly
forward into the room where the two
omcials stood. My hands were clean
OF this murder, and, allowing the sure
~ of this fact to take a foremost
place in my mind, faced these men,
and with real feeling, but as little dis
play Of it us possible observed:
4 ''You have come to my aid In crit
zeal moment. This is my betrothed
Mif-the woman was to marry
and find her lying here dead in this
closed and lonely house. What does
b mean? Iknow no more than-you do ~
The two men eyed me quietly; then
Policeman Hexford, whom knew,
pointed to my shoeless feet and sternly
retorted:
''Permit me to doubt your last as.
sertion. You. seem to be in better pc:
sition than ourselves to explain the
circumstances which puzzle you"
They were right. 1t was for me to
talk, not for them. But here emotion
seized me, and almost broke down.
! was in a position much more dread
ful than any they could imagine or
should be allowed to-.
Their silence led me to examine
their faces. Hexford's mouth had
settled into stiff. straight line, and
the other mans wore cynical smile
1 did not like. At this presage Of the
difficulties awaiting me I felt one
strand Of the rope sustaining me
above this yawning gulf Of shame and
ignominy crack and give way. But
the courage which had served me In
lesser extremities did not fail me now.
and, kneeling down before my dead
Fbetrothed, l kissed her cold white
hand with sincere conjunction before
attempting the garbled and bly,
Totally incoherent story with which
endeavored to explain the inexplain.
able situation.
They lstened-I will do them that
much justice-but it was with such
an air Of incredulity that my words
fell with less and less continuity and
finally lost themselves In a confused
stammer as reached the point where
I pulled the cushions from the couch
and made my CHASTITY discovery.
you see-see for yourselves-what
confronted me. My betrothed =
dainty, delicate woman-dead. alone.
IN this solitary, faraway spot, the
victim Of what7 asked myself then
Il ask myself now. I cannot under.
stand it-or those glasses yonder-or-
or those marks!" They were black by
this Observation-Disclosures to be ig-
nored by them or by me.
1--WE understand those marks, and
you ought to-" came from the second
man, the one did not know.
My head fell forward. NV lips re-
fused to speak the words. The vision
Of the one woman bending over the
other was maddening one. I shook
myself free from It by starting to my
feet. "It's-it's"- gasped.
"She has been strangled," quoth
Hexford doggedly.
IA dogs DEATH" mumbled the
other.
"You had better sit down." Hex.
ford suddenly suggested. pushing
chair my way. Clarke, look up the
telephone and ask for three more men.
I am going into this matter thorough
". Perhaps you will tell US where
the telephone isf' he asked, turning |
my way.
The second man left the room to 60 |
to the telephone. As he did so Hex
ford lit the candle. Idly watching, |
for nothing now could make me look
ut the lounge again, noticed the can
dlestick. It was Of brass and rare In
style and workmanship-a candlestick !
90 be remembered, one of pair, per.
6aps. felt my hair stir. - took In the