Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-02-08


acy, for even though IT does not get
him into any particular trouble it
may compel him to go through an or
deal that may be unpleasant for Us
all. I know LeDuc well enough to be
lieve that he will get at the bottom
Of this affair il he possibly can, no
matter whom he uncovers as he digs"
She breathed a little sigh. of
course appreciate all that and I have
tried to reason with him, but he would
not listen TO ne any more than he did
TO you. He almost swore when
begged him to ignore me and tell
you men all about himself. While
would stake my life upon his inno-
cence Of all completely in this matter,
can explain it to myself in only one
way, and I cannot force myself TO be-
lieve even that" Our eyes met
squareIy.
81 am certain there is no other
woman in the case; Bruce is not that
kind l stated positively.
She Redeemed and her hands be-
! came tight little fists no, I viii not
believe such thing of him. she
| cried with a slight quivering Of the
| lips. Quickly she arose and passed
into my uncles apartments with
head on high. 1t seemed too bad that
I had been obliged to mention such a
distasteful thing, but 1 knew well
enough that despite herself it was
lowering in her mind. and I wanted
TO add my convictions Of his moral
honesty to her own. 1t distressed me
to see her unhappy, but deeming it
best to let her have a little time in
which to compose herself I did not
follow her, leaving the house almost
Immediately thereafter, and in fact
avoiding any further contact with my
uncle that day. A little later I had
gotten Mrs Dace on the telephone
and told her that I would like to see
her as I was the possessor of rather
startling news. She asked me to
| come to her at once.
She did not seem to be as surprised
or interested at my recital as I thought
the tale warranted. To be sure her
! eyes quickly arose to mine when I
told her of the crime, and she gave
me her undivided attention until I
had finished; then seemed to be turn
| ing the affair over in her own mind,
! for she allowed several minutes to
| elapse without comment
Whom do you suspect mean you
/ personality" she then asked me. I
requested that she pledge herself to
secrecy, which she did with little
| laugh that told me that she consid-
cred such a formula superfiuous.
4 suspect absolutely no one. Yet
I am puzzled and worried by Bruce's
conduct. I 10 not attach much i'm
| pOrtance to his denial of having the
key and our failure to find it, although
cannot account for the denial part
of it. Neither do I give great weight
! to his words about his going to get
| hold Of a large sum of money. I take
| it for granted that when he said he
was going to raise it somehow or 9TH
er it was with the mental reservation
that 1t was to be done honestly, Of
| course. Also when it comes to his
! absolute refusal to tell us where he
was last night 7 can imagine a sOlu-
| ton of that, for when man is under
| the influence of liquor he will some
! times do things that he would not
| think of were he in his right mind.
| 1t is also on record that sleep walk
ers sometimes commit burglaries
when they are in a trance and are
utterly irresponsible for their actions.
Take that recent case that everybody
was talking about. The person in
yolved attended a dance and became
! very tired, fell asleep on the way
! home, skilfUlly broke into his own
| house and robbed himself of money
! that he had hidden away, and the next
day remembered nothing about the
matter. It was long afterwards that
! he happened to stumble across the
money where he had secreted it in his
| semicOnscious state"
! She did not appear to be particular
| iy impressed by my statement. 4
am inclined to believe that whoever
| robbed your uncle at least thought he
knew what he was about" she an
swered with what I imagined was a
! faint suggestion of sarcasm. How
! ever, Bruce. being somewhat indis-
posed and in an excited state, might
| have unconsciously let fall remark
| in some public place, which, in con
nection with his perhaps exhibiting
the key, led to its being stolen from
him and the preparation of the crime
! by some one else" I acquiesced.
Il have thought of that as a pos
! % II Nv
| he will not reveal his whereabouts,
and I am certain it will not escape Le-
Due. Perhaps Bruce is conscious of
| having been indiscreet in his speech
or actions and is ashamed to talk
about it. But this much is fairly GER
| tain. It is too great a stretch of the
imagination to conceive that the at
tack upon the safe at this particular
time was made at hap-hazard The
one who did It knew to a certainty
that the money was in the house And
so far as we now know but four per-
sons in the world had that knowl-
edge, namely, Uncle AbneT, Bruce,
myself and" I paused, clearing my
| throat and giving her an opportunity
/ to interrupt me if she chose. She did
so promptly.
You told me-" she said sweetly.
Therefore 1t seems to lie between
Bruce and myself" The opening
that I had been feinting for was now
before me and l thrust at It,
Is it not barely possible that Janet,
the maid, might hap> overheard me
mention the fact of uncle having
large sum in the safe and thought
lessIy repeated it to some acquaint-
ance of hers?" Although not a muscle
of her face moved, in some mysteri-
Gus way I knew that my companion
was smiling inwardly.
no. Janet hears nothing that is
not spoken to her, and I do not per-
| nit her to have lovers. Besides, you