Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1913-07-17

had In mind the trunk which !
had seen In the room, and while Will
liams began his rounds of the pawn.
shops, went to the coroner's office.
In the little trunk found clothing.
few post card pictures Of the city.
some addresses of business men, and
the like. but nothing that would aid
me in discovering the girls home
place, or the name Of any relative.
did not see Williams for two days.
and wher l did the information he
gave me took me farther from the
solution Of the mystery than l had
been in the beginning. Shadows had
been placed on Grimes. They report.
ed that he had been to the morgue,
to look at the dead body Of the girl,
and that he seemed rather nervous
and excited at the sight of her More
than that, he had seemed strangely in
terested in endeavoring to find out
Just what action the police had taken
to locate the parents Of the girl, and If
they had any success.
This to me few hours sooner would
have been gratifying information, but
as it was the news that Williams had
brought me was rather depressing.
For he had come to me with the
fact that little Miss Perry had bought
the dulcimer at pawnshop on
Wabash avenue. 1t had been left there
several months before by some trav-
cling musician. and 1t seemed for
hot hn uyht III.
tams had given might be the real one.
But there was this to combat It: to
place germs on the strings Of an in
strument one does not necessarily
need to buy that instrument. True,
1t was that the buying Of the instru-
ment fitted In with Williams argu-
ment, but 1t did not complete the the
ory.
"I am not satisfied yet,' said to
him, and before | get through with
this case | will show you that 1t was
deliberate murder. Keep your eye
on Mr.. Grimes. am not sure but
what we may need to question him at
headquarters. am going to disap-
pear for awhile
When next saw Williams was a
different appearing woman from the
usual Alice Clement. / wore glasses
and carried with me a sample case OF
books. My dress was rather severe in
style, and my hair was presented in
mode OF coiffure several years be-
hind the fashion.
Williams laughed as he looked at
me, and could not help from smiling
back at him.
81 have here I said, all the latest
works on applied charity. We won't
need them this afternoon, 30 think
| will leave them at the station. Our
work Is to be of different sort. Come
on Then l led the way to a good
looking apartment on the North side
and asked for Mrs. Brent. A few mo-
ments later a woman faced me in her
living room.
al have changed my mind about
the books, she said. 1 don't believe |
care for them Then, turning to Will
liams in some surprise, Is the gentle
man accompanying you?'
our business here this afternoon does
not concern books on charity. Mrs.
Brent my voice grew snappy and
cold, we are here this afternoon to
ask you why you murdered your niece,
Eileen Perry?' She whirled. Her face
grew ghastly. She seemed to seek for
some means Of escape. No word
came from her lips. | stepped be-
fore her again. You have confessed
by your actions that you are guilty,
said. Now, before we take you to po-
lice headquarters, tell us why you
committed this murder
"A sob broke from the woman. She
staggered a few steps toward the door
and sank swooning to the floor. VII.
lams raised her in his arms and car.
ried her in to her bed.
when at last she could talk, she
told us the story Of the woman whom
money had driven mad.
Eileen Perry lived In small
town in Pennsylvania, where she had
earned her living by doing housework
after her fathers death.
In other days the Perrys had
been wealthy, but when the father
died 1t was found that his sole pos
sessions consisted OF a small tract Of
comparatively worthless land In Col
orado.
This by the will was left to the
trust of the aunt whom Eileen had
never seen. The years went by and
the child grew to near womanhood.
still in the servile position which she
had always occupied. One day In rum.
maging through some of her fathers
papers she found the information con-
corning the western land and wrote a
letter to her aunt notifying her that
she was now of age, and to sell the
land for whatever she could get for 1t.
THE letter came back to her mark.
ed opened by mistake Eileen be-
lieved her aunt had left the country,
and believing, also, that the land was
worth absolutely nothing. gave up the
quest. She then turned her eyes to.
ward the city. A little later there ap-
peared in the town a woman who
made inquiries concerning the girl.
and on learning that she had gone
to Chicago, left the village.
In the meantime Eileen had found
hard work to secure position. Dis
couraged and disheartened, she one
day answered an advertisement for
servant girl and poured out her story
to the sweet appearing woman whose
apartment she was In"
Mls. claimant pouood q momANt