The Dermott news., 1914-03-12


I'm not arresting you-can't you un.
derstand that" She hurried him to a
lonely park bench, half hidden in the
shrubbery. When she turned to look
him full In the face again, his color
was normal; he had regained his grip.
And he spoke with touch OF his old
boyish insouciance
This Is little melodrama you are
staging, Mrs. lie Grange? Am | the
hero or the villain"
Il expected you to be suspicious an
try to bluff this through" said Resale
in her most matter-of-fact tone, that's
why | stole this note an brought ii
here" She had been keeping her
hands In her muff She drew them out.
now. and handed him the vital paper
Il am telling to the police all know
of my part and my brothers part in
the death OF Capt John II. Hanska.
have confessed that we followed him
to America to get my jewels. and that
ii was my brother Juan who appeared
to have stabbed him.
"MARGARITA PEREZ"
He read it. As he looked up he was
still master of himself. but Rosalie
could perceive behind his mask kind
OF vibration. an inner agitation of all
his nerves. But his Will still mas
tered his voice
"Margarita Perez-who is she?"
She is your sister. You are Juan
Perez-not Estrilla. You are from
Port OF Spain. You came here to fol
low Captain Hanska-"
Where did you hear this" inquired
Estrilla. with pitiful attempt to put
sarcasm into his voice.
II have listened to her confession.
replied Resale calmly She told the
police-after she signed that paper
how YOU went into Captain Hanska's
room at night to get your family jew
els. how that trick alarm on his strong
box woke him up, an how you killed
him"
But Juan Estrilla had leaped up now
as though his nerves would be denied
no longer
You are here to betray me- know
1t now" he said
Il suspected this trouble was com
In" replied Rosalie lie Grange. Il
sent Miss Lane to deliver You here at
I've O'Clock because it's an outotthe-
way place an quiet Sit down"
Estrilla shook a. he resumed his
seat.
Does she Know" he asked.
Not yet" said Resale
Il didn't give her my real reason.
was glad. she pursued. TO hear you
bust out In that sincere way when !
said you killed Hanska. | put that in
for a test, an you stood It Now sit
there and listen 10 what else your sis
ter said. an see II any OF that could
have been worked out by detectives
She says you didn't kill Hanska. that
he died OF apoplexy an fell on the
knife you was holdn' against him"
Estrilla turned his great eyes and
moistened his lips as though 10 speak:
but he held TO his nerve and made no
sound.
She says that you carried out that
box OF jewels with the cover open. an
that a diamond buckle dropped out as
you were passing through the door
An when she came back In your
clothes after you telephoned to her.
she picked II up. The jewels are in
Caracas. You dropped the box in the
river. Could anybody patch that to-
gether? Could anybody guess that"
Then II he died OF apoplexy-if
In -
rest me- asked Estrilla.
Young man" said Rosalie, how
could you prove it?"
lnnocently and directly. Estrilla
came out with what amounted TO his
confession.
He was always in danger OF apo.
plexy-my sister knew that And un
doubtedly II was mortal seizure For
his hands were going toward his head
not toward the knife. Even when he
fell and died, his hands were still go
ing up. not down have seen doctors
have read about apoplexy in every
medical book in the public library. And
when | saw him last-there was blood
in his nostrils"
Rosalie nodded
Il saw that. too. MY. but coroner's
physicians are dense" she said
Now I've got TO talk hard and
straight, You were in the act OF burg
larry II don't make no difference that
you had right to burgle-no Jury
would recognize that The coroner's
physician never thought OF anything
but that stab wound-never thought to
look for apople1y--case seemed too
plain. You an ! are the only people
who thought about that bloody nose
The body's cremated, an II II wasn't
well, We won't 90 into that. Why
Juan Perez, they'd laugh at you. DO
you see? Don't you get your FIX"
He was trembling. and now he made
pitiful movement with his hands
as though To steady his head.
so you must get away"
but my sister"
Now hold on to yourself. I've got