Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1913-02-26
CHAPTER vI-tcontlnued, .

way TO investigate mad becomes suspi-
Si0us or Henry Cook woman
CHAPTER Vl.-(contInued).
was thoroughly disguised with the
dwelling way in which the proceed
ings were being carried on. could
see little hope Of any discovery that
would establish connection with the
similar events In New York. turned
from listening to the witness to study.
ing the face Of the man Cook Could
It be possible he was Hugh Crandall?
saw that he was watching the testi.
mony with eager interest. Against
my will had to confess that his face
was one that attracted rather than
repealed me. While there was
shrewdness about the eyes, the chin
was square and firm and the skull
well-balanCed. | tried to read In the
shape Of the mouth or the curve OF
the ears some sign OF the criminal,
such as / expected to find written on
the countenance Of CranCall, but 1t
was not there.
She was sitting there crying"
A sentence Of the maids testimony
suddenly thrust itself forward from
my subconsciousness as II demand
ing my attention and | listened In
tently to what she was saying.
THAT was the way It happened that
didn't make up the room the day be-
fore. When I went in to do it she was
sitting there crying and tearing a
letter to bits"
A letter. 1t came on me in a flash
that here was the clue, that this was
the connecting link with the other two
cases
pushed my way forward into the
room, determined to learn all there
was about this new phase Of the case.
The proceedings stopped abruptly at
the hustle ny movement made, and
everybody, coroner. jurors and spec
tAtors, gaped at me.
Il am lawyer" | said MAY |
ask the witness one or two questionsf"
Still the coroner gaped and | wait
cd no longer for his permission.
Was 1t yellow letter." asked.
Now that you speak OF It kind of
remember that 1t was"
Has the letter been found?"
"She was tearing 1t in pieces"
Where are the pieces"
The eyes of everybody present be,
gan rowing about the room, as If in
answer to my question. The con.
stable instituted a hasty search, in
which | myself, the coroner and the
Jurors joined. felt that II we could
only find those pieces, the mystery
might be solved. While the room was
being ransacked kept my eye on
Cook. AS | asked the question about
the letters color l noticed that he
looked startled. | was amazed now
20 see him edging toward the door.
was tempted to demand that he be re
strained and searched. l felt almost
sure that If the pieces Of the yellow
letter we're to be found anywhere II
would be In his pocket. Yet seconC
thought advised against such rash &C
ton. l had no positive proof thai
Cook was Crandall. Until had, sure
1y 1t would be unwise to accuse him
! remembered that there was no trair
by which he could leave the town un
til late In the afternoon, so there wa!
little prospect that he could escape
me.
How did you know It was a yellow
letter." the coroner asked me sus
piciously, pauslng suddenly in hi
search.
It was an awkward question.
realized that my impetuosity haC
placed me in a predlcament. wal
by no means ready to tell him tn,
whole story, and yet the fact that
knew or suspected the color of tn,
letter that she was tearing up certain
iy indicated that knew somethinl
about the woman.
II didn't know It."
We'll, whatd you ask the question
about It fort" he repeated, his sus
picion of me rapidly increasing.
was thinking quickly what coulC
say that would divert his thoughts.
noticed with annoyance that the eye
Of every one In the room were on m,
and that they were curiously await
ing an answer. / assumed an air o.
mystery and drew the coroner to one
side.
Il am perfectly willing to tell yol
everything" | said. Il am out her,
on another matter that is something
OF q mystery in which yellow lette
figures. The letter has disappeared.
never saw or heard of this old woman
before, but when the witness men
doned that she was tearing up let
ter a sudden notion came to me tina
It might be the one Of which was II
search. A detective who Is working
on the case will be out here this eve
ming and then can tell you NOR
about It."
/ spoke the last sentence in whis
per so low that II reached only tn,
coronars ear. He pondered over m,
statement and then abruptly an
nounced that the inquest was sd
iourned until nine o'clock the mex
day. would have escaped him II
could. but saw that he was deter