Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-10-08
Her Secret
Much Depended on Il, and She
Was Wise In Keeping It.
By LOUISE B. CUMMINGS.

A ring at the telephone.
l arose from my desk. l was at my
Office opening my morning mail. TAX
ing up the instrument, l asked who
called.
Are you Mr.. C%onstable?" asked a
woman's voice.
II am
I'm Sarah, Miss Van Dorn's maid.
Miss Van Dorm has told me to call you
up to say that we found MIR. Davidson
dead in his bed this morning"
"Mr. Davidson!"
"Yes, sir"
MI. 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 p~rejudiced
In her favor in saying so, because she
was my betrothed.
l stood for a 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 in her trouble.
My next was that her uncle must have
suffered violence of some sort, for he
had been In excellent health. Ny brain
whirled on, one thought after another
coursing through it. What did this
sudden death mean? Why did not
Clara announce 1t herself?
SIS it known what caused Mr.. Da-
Wilson's death?" I asked.
"Well, sir, it looks as if he had been
murdered"
'Murderedr'
Eyes, 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 at the house l was ad-
mitted by the maid and found Clara
In the library waiting for me. The
shades were drawn so that l did not
see her In a bright light. l regretted
this, because very naturally I was In
terested to see in her features how she
bore the shock. She was calmer than
1 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 l naturally
was impatient to know, but l was
obliged to draw it from her by ques-
lions.
There is evidence that he was MUIR
dered p l began
Eyes, he was murdered"
by whom?"
we don't know. l will be suspect
ed" She chung to me, s~hivering.
Your"
yes"
"Why so?"
Uncle long ago made a 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."
ST see."
l was now as troubled as Clara, re
alizing that there was a motive in this
for murder and that it would surely
draw attention to her in a very In
pleasant way.
"Don't worry" I added. I'VE will
doubtless be able to show that you
were altogether too fond of your I'M
olo 70 doSiro hic doafh
Evidence to that effect would avail
nothing"
1 was surprised at the tone in which
she said this. 1t gave evidence that
she had already realized the danger
in which she stood.
"Have you," l asked. mo clew to
the murdererY"
81 have a 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, 1 suppose. would
take about two years off the term for
which he was sentenced"
did the man threaten revengeT
Not that | know of, but l was in
court when he was sentenced and saw
him look as much at uncle"
would you know the burglar again
If you should see him?"
Certainly. And there is a physical
defect by which he could be identi-
fed"
"What is thatT'
"The forefinger of his right hand is
minus the first two joints"
Clara was falling into a steadiness
worthy of q detective. l was surpris-
ed and proud of her. 1 drew her closer
to me.
whatever is the result" she said,
relapsing into her troubled condition,
"you won't believe I did it, will your
Certainly not, sweetheart" drawing
her cheek up against mine.