Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1912-08-21


at once" he said, "and tell him to
bring with him the garments worn by
the woman who killed herself"
If had sent Mahlon Williams such
an order l am positive he would have
paid no attention to it, but Davis was
obeyed. So quickly that it almost
seemed as if Williams had been listen
ing outside the door the landlord ap-
peared carrying the black coat and
skirt the woman had worn. Perhaps
it was something in Davis authorize.
tive manner, perhaps it was due to re-
spect for his position, but at any rate
Williams brought the clothes at once.
There's no use in your looking
these over" 1 said. "Tkay were care
fully examined today, I'D there is not
mark on them. The only clue is the
letter So on two black-bordered hand
kerchiefs and a return ticket to
Bridgeport. She signed her name as
Mary Jane Teller, but there is none
Of the Bridgeport Teilers who an
swers her description, nor are any Of
them missing. I found out all that
long ago."
Davis was paying little attention to
my conversation. l doubted if he
was even aware that | had spoken.
With small pocket tape measure he
was taking the various dimensions Of
the coat and skirt. He turned up the
hem of the latter and inspected it as
carefully as if he expected to find a
name written there. He did the same
thing first with one sleeve and then
with the other.
"YOu say that she registered as
Teller and that her handkerchiefs
were marked with an 'S?" he sudden
ly asked me, showing that he had
heard all l said.
Both the landlord and I answered
him affirmatively.
Where is the telephone ?" he asked,
II want to call long distance"
There was a note of excitement
in his voice that indicated to me that
he believed himself on the verge Of
some discovery, though what it was
could not imagine. If there were any
clues that had been revealed in those
rusty garments his methods were too
much for me.
He dashed away to the telephone,
the landlord following. I ate my sup
per alone and waited. Just as was
finishing he came back into the
room, and, seating himself, began to
eat, apparently Indifferent to the fact
that everything had grown cold in
the half-hour he was absent.
WELL" I said inquiringly, "did you
learn anythfng?"
He nodded and calmly finished
drinking his cold coffee, seemingly
with q relish.
Expectantly sat there, waiting for
him to go on He seemed not to no
tice my impotence, though it must
have been apparent, and waited until
he had pushed back his chair and
lighted a cigarette. He always rolled
his own, and never before had l real
lied what an irritating operation roll
ing cigarette can be made. It
seemed to me that he was taking en-
tirely unnecessary pains to have the
ends twisted just so. Finally l could
brook no further delay, and burst out
with: We'll, what have you discov-
cred, Mr.. Inspector?"
l supposed that he might have OBJ
tanned a clue to where the womans
garments had been manufactured,
some tiny thread by which he hoped
to run her identity to earth. Little
was | prepared for the startling dis
coveries he volleyed at me, so tersely,
so concretely put that could not
doubt the accuracy of his informal
The woman was Sarah Sackett,
spinster. She lived on a little farm
just outside Bridgeport with her broth
er Robert, who is somewhat older than
she. They inherited the farm from
their parents and have lived there all