Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-09-28
Her Secret
Much Depended on II. and She
Was Wise In Keeping It.
By LOUISE B. CUMMINGS.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A ring at the telephone
arose from my desk. I was at my
office opening my morning mail. TAX
Ing up the instrument, asked who
called.
Are you Mr.. Constable3" asked
woman's voice.
II am"
I'm Sarnh, Miss Van Dorn's maid
Miss Van Dorm has told me to call you
up to say that We found Mr.. Davidson
lead in his bed this morning"
"Mr. Davidson!"
"Yes, SIR"
Mr.. Davidson was an elderly gentle
man possessed Of considerable wealth
who had no children of his own. Clara
Van Dorm was his sisters daughter,
an orphan whom he had taken to live
with him. She was q lovely girl,
though l may be considered prejudiced
In her favor In saying so, because she
was my betrothed.
I stood for few moments with the
receiver at my ear, too surprised and
shocked at the announcement to know
what to think or say. The first
thought that took shape IN my brain
was that Clara had no one except the
servants to sustain her I'm her trouble.
My next was that her uncle must have
suffered violence Of some sort, for he
had been In excellent health. My brain
whirled on, one thought after another
coursing through 1t. What did this
sudden death mean? Why did not
Clara announce 1t herself?
"Is 1t known what caused Mr.. Da-
Wilson's deathw l asked.
well, sir, it looks as If he had been
murdered"
"Murdered!'
Yes, SIR"
There was another pause in the dia-
Iogue which was broken by me:
'Tell Miss Van Dorm that l will be
with her soon.'
On arriving ut the house l was ad-
mitted by the maid and found Clara
In the library whiting for me. The
shades were drawn so that l did not
see her in bright light. l regretted
this, because very naturally l was In
terested to see In her features how she
bore the shock. She was calmer than
had expected to find her. She looked
rather troubled than shocked or griev-
ed. l put my arms about her and
asked her to tell me what naturally
was impatient to know, but was
obliged to draw 1t from ler by Ques-
lions.
There Is evidence that he was mur-
ieredY' l began.
"Yes, he was murdered"
by whom"
I'VE don't know. l will be suspect
ed" She clung to me, shivering.
T Your
"Yes."
why So"
Uncle long ago made will leaving
all his property to me. Recently he
has been paying attention to that Sim
mons girl. If he married her naturally
his fortune would go to her"
II see."
was now as troubled Us Clara, re-
alizing that there was a motive In this
for murder and that 1t would surely
draw attention to her In very un-
pleasant way.
Don't worry" added. I'VE will
doubtless be able to show that you
were altogether too fond Of your un-
Gle to desire his death"
Evidence to that effect would avail
nothing"
l was surprised ut the tone In which
she said this. 1t gave evidence that
she had already realized the dang er
in which she stood.
Have you," I asked. mo clew to
the murderer"
II have u suspicion"
"What Is IT."
Some years ago uncle was instru-
mental In convicting a man who broke
Into the house and took away the silver.
The burglar was sent to prison for ten
years. That was about eight years
ago. Good behavior, suppose, would
take about two years of the term for
which he was sentenced
"Did the man threaten revengeT
mot that | know Of, but ! was in
court when he was sentenced and saw
him look as much ut uncle"
would you know the burglar again
IL you should see him"
Certainly. And there Is q physical
defect by which he could be ident-
led"
What Is thatT
"The forefinger of his right hand is
minus the first two joints"
Clara was falling into q steadiness
worthy Of detective. l was surpris-
ed and proud Of her. I drew her closer
to me.
whatever Is the result" she said,
relapsing into her troubled condition,
you won't believe I did 1t, Will your
Certainly not, sweetheart" drawing
her cheek up against mine.
took charge Of everything, making
ARRANGEMENTS for the funeral and af-
fording the civil authorities opportuni'
ty to investigate. One Of them-a de-
tective, I fnncied-went into the room
where the body lay. Noticing an emp
ty beer bottle on table, he asked why
It was there and was told that Mr..
Davidson often drank beer ut night to
induce sleep. When Sarah told him
she had taken a bottle Of beer to the
room the night before Mr.. Davidson's
death the detective asked where was
the glass from which the beer had been
drunk. Sarah said that Mr.. Davidson
either drank his beer from stone mug
or silver cup. On the evening before
lis death he had drunk from the cup.
When tie detective asked where was
the cup Sarah said she had not seen
1t since she had placed 1t on the table
the evening before.
l saw by tie detectives expression
that he considered the disappearance
Of the cup an important point. He
next asked who was the first person