Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-12-28

But you saw her? Saw her that /
evening and Just before the ACCIDENT"
Sweetwater's papers ratified; it was |
the only sound to be heard in that |
moment of silence. Then
What do you mean by those /
words?" inquired Mr. BrothersSn, with !
studied composure. Il have said that
1 had no interview with Miss Challon-
er Why do you ask me then, if saw
herr"
Because 1 believe that you did.
From a distance possibly, but yet d.
rectly and with no possibility of mis-
take"
do you put that as question:"
q do. Did you see her figure or
face that night?"
81 did"
Nothing-not even the rafting of
Sweetwater's papers-disturbed the
silence which followed this admission.
From where?" Doctor Heath asked
at last.
From a point far enough away to
make any communication between US
impossible. l do not think you will
require me to recall the exact spot"
''If it we're one which made it pos
sible for her to see you as clearly as
you could see her, think it would be
very advisable for you to say So"
1T was-such-a spot"
Then / think l can locate it for
you, or do you prefer to locate it your
self?"
Il will locate it myself 1 had hoped
not to be called upon to mention
what l cannot but consider a most
unfortunate coincidence. ! met Miss
Challoner's eye for one instant from
the top of the little staircase running
up to the mezzanine. l had yielded
thus far to an impulse 1 had frequent
ly combatted, to seek by another in
terview to retrieve the bad effect
which must have been made upon her
: by my angry note. knew that she
frequently wrote letters in the meg
canine at this hour, and got as far as
the top of the staircase in my effort
to join her. But l got no further
When / saw her on her feet, with her
face turned my way, remembered
the scorn with which she had re-
ceived my former heartfelt proposals
and, without taking another step for.
ward. turned away from her and fed
down the steps and so out of the build.
ing by the main entrance. She saw
me, for her hand few up with a
startled gesture, but l cannot think
that my presence on the same floor
/ with her could have caused her to
strike~the blow which terminated her
life. Why should 1? No woman sac
riices her life out of mere regret for
the disdain she has shown a man she
has taken no pains to understand"
You saw Miss Challoner lift her
hand, you say. Which hand, and what
was in it? Anything?"
''She lifted her right hand, but it
would be impossible for me to tell you
whether there was anything in it or
not. ! simply saw the movement be-
fore l turned away. 1t looked like one
of alarm to me. I felt that she had
some reason for this. She could not
know that it was in repentance 1 came
rather than in fulfilment of my
threat"
A sigh from the adjoining room. Mr..
Brotherson rose, as he heard it, and in
doing so met the clear eye of Sweet
water fixed upon his own. Its Ian
guage was, no doubt, peculiar and it
seemed to fascinate him for mo-
ment, for he started as if to approach
the detective, but forsook this inten-
ton almost Immediately, and address
ing the coroner, gravely remarked:
Her death following so quickly up
on this abortive attempt of mine at an
interview startled me by it's coinci-
dence as much as it does you. If in
the weakness OF her womans nature
1t was more than this-if the scorn
she had previously shown me was q
cloak she instinctively assumed to
hide what she was not ready to dis.
close, my remorse will be as great as
any one here could wish. But the
proof of all this will have to be very
convincing befora my present convic.
tons VIII yield to 1t. Some other and