Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1911-12-22

should like to read for myself those
wandering utterances."
"You can" was the unexpected and
welcome reply. II took them all dowI
In shorthand as they fell from DR.
Perry's lips. 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 flrst-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. m.
as the services neared their close. q
! violent change took place In her ap
pearance. and she uttered in shrill
tones those astonishing words which
Mortified all below and made us fee
that she had a clairvoyaut knowledge
of the closing of the casket then taking
place.
"'Break 1t open. break 1t open. and
see If her heart is therer"
pause there" l 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
a second exclamation Of the like char.
acter"
YES; here IT is. 1t was while the
ubiquitous Sweetwater was housing
about the room"
Read the very words he heard. ]
have reason. Clifton Humor me
for this once"
| "Certainly-no trouble. She cried
this time: Break it open! Break the
glass and look in. Her heart should
be there-her heart-her heartr Hor.
rible, but you insisted. Ranelagh"
II thought heard that word glass"
! ! muttered. more to myself than to
him. Then, with a choking fear of
! giving away my thought. but unable
to resist the opportunity of settling my
own fears, ! asked, WAS there glass
| In the casket lid?''
! mo: there never is"
| "But she may have thought there
was" l suggested hastily. Then be-
fore he could reply. What do you
think the nurse meant by violent
change in her patient?"
why, she reused up, / suppose
moved or made some wild or feverish
gesture"
''That is what should like to know.
Is the detective Sweetwater, still in
town."
81 believe so; came up for the in
quest, but goes back tonight"
See him, Clifton. Ask him to re-
late this scene. He was present, you
know. Get him TO talk about it. You
can, and without rousing his suspi-
cion. keen as they all say he is. And
when he talks listen and remember
what he says But don't ask questions.
Do this for me, Clifton. Some day I
may be able to explain my request but
not now"
I'm at your service" he replied, but
be looked hurt at being thus set to
work in the dark. and | dared say
nothing to ease the situation. He came
In again toward evening. and this was
what he told me:
81 have seen Sweetwater and was
more fortunate in my interview than
expected. He talked freely and In the
course of the conversation described
the very occurrence in which you are
so interested. Carmel had been lying
quietly previous to this outbreak, but
suddenly started into feverish life and.
raising herself up In her bed. pointed
straight before her and uttered the
words we have repeated. That's all
there was to 1t. and don't see. for my
part, what YOU have gained by repe-
htion of the same or why you lay so
much stress upon her gesture. What
she said was the thing. though even
that is immaterial from legal point of
view, which is the only view of any
Importance to you or to me at this
juncture." -
Soon after this Clifton left me and
| could think out my hideous thought
undisturbed.
Carmel had pointed straight before
her. shouting out. Break in the
glass;"
l knew her room. ] had been taken
in there once by Adelaide, as a Sc
guence to a long conversation about
Carmel. shortly after her first return
from school. Adelaide wished to show
me the cabinet on the wall. the cabinet
at which Carmel undoubtedly pointed,
If her bed stood as it stood then. 1t
was not quite full at that time. 1t did
not contain Adelaides heart among
the other broken toys which Carmel
had destroyed with her own hand and
foot In her moments of frenzied pas
sion. Adelaide had kept them all,
locked behind. glass and In full view
of the child's eyes night and day, that
the shame of those past destructive
moments might guard her from their
repetition and help her to understand
her temper and herself.
| could not doubt her guilt after this.
Whatever peace her torgetfulness had
brought. whatever innocent longing
after Adelaide, the wild cry of those
first few hours, ere yet the impressions
of her awful experience had succumb-
ed to disease. revealed her secret and
showed the workings of her conscience.
1t had not been understood by others;
It had passed as an awesome episode.
CHAPTER XVI.
AT 10 INSTEAD OF II.