The Washington times., 1913-04-10

" HOSE were the last intelligent
words we got out of her. Rich
ards pressed her with questions
for a while. trying to get some
details as to how the crime she con-
fessed to had been committed, and
where and why. but wholly without re-
suit. The woman was half hysterical
but she had self-control enough left to
keep her jaw locked and her lips tight
together, and the only answer she ever
made was a desperate. frantic wagging
of her head, which might have meant
anything.
So at last We called a taxi in prefer
ence TO patrol wagon for Richards
and the policeman TO take her to the
station in. While we were waiting for
II he arranged to send a plain clothes
man up to the house TO keep an eye on
the husband. The precaution seemed
rather unnecessary, both because he
was too badly wounded to make any
serious attempt TO escape, and because
his wife's confession seemed to do away
with the motive for It,
While we were waiting for the taxi to
arrive Richards explained his theory of
the crime to US. 1t was the typical po-
lice view, but IL seemed to me to hold
water. though j had feeling that JEFF
frey din't look at II like that. Evident
ly Richards shared this impression, for
he tried hard 10 convince Jeffrey that
he vas right about IL.
1T is all explained now, isn't it?' he
said This Irene comes to the house.
settles down there and gets friend hus-
band buffaloed. She was a good enough
locker to do il, that's sure. He gets
loony about her, and the two Of them
run off Wife left behind. She gets on
the warpath; follows them up: finds
them together somewhere and takes a
shot at the home-destroyer. Maybe she
leaves her husband to get out Of the fix
as best he can-maybe she helps him.
He can't denounce her, so he comes
back to her, or with her, l don't know
stand by each other. When she sees
Irene's face in the mirror she goes off
her head and tries to kill herself. There
you are!"
face was still thoughtful and who had
given no sight OF assent.
What's the matter with that?" Rich
ards. concluded. Doesn't that explain
everything"
DO YOU think it does?" asked JEFF
frey.
Richards threw up his hands with a
gesture Of evaporation. Now, look
here" he said, II suppose you've got
some dinky little silver-mounted theory
that you're on the trail of; and that
you'll try to show up the police with II
again. All right, go ahead. I've got
confession, and I've got a motive, and
I've got a story that holds together.
And that's good enough for me. If you
think you can get anything better be-
fore this woman's case comes to
trial"
TT will never come TO trial." said
Jeffrey.
"All right" said Richards. you
wait and see. You go your way and
I'll go mine. I'll leave you alone and
you leave me alone. Does that go?"
Jeffrey laughed and patted him on
the back. We were standing in the
hall watching for the taxi. and as
Jeffrey spoke its lights flashed round
the corner.
Two to one, Drew" he said, that
the lieutenant pays us a call within
week"
Richards WAS too Indignant to make
an articulate answer. But il was a
grunt that spoke volumes. The po-
liceman led the woman down the hall
just then, and the three of them went
out together.
"AU the came" said Jeffrey, as he
closed the door behind them. II wish
there was a chance that the lieuten-
ant was right about il. But there
isn't. Not chance I'm the world"
After the lieutenant had gone. he
favored me with another phophecy
and q bit Of advice.