Tombstone epitaph., 1916-05-07


cried Rosalie. anticipating his thought.
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 a little melodrama you are
staging. Mrs. lie Grange! Am ] the
hero or the villain"
Il expected you to be suspicious an
try to bluT this through" said Rosalie
in her most matter-of-fact tone. that's
why l stole this note an brought II
here" She had been keeping her
hands in her mun. She drew them out.
now. and handed him the vital paper:
Il am telling 10 the police all know
OF my part and my brothers part in
! the death OF Capt John H 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 Ii she!
She is your sister. You are Juan
Perez-not EstrilIa You are from
Port OF Spain. You came here TO fol-
low Captain Hanska-"
Where did you hear this?" inquired
Estrilla. with pititul attempt TO put
sarcasm into his voice.
Il have listened to her confession.
replied Rosalie 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 mel know
II now" he said.
Il suspected this trouble was com
in" replied Rosalie lie Grange. Il
sent MISS Lane to deliver you here al
five o'clock-because it's an out-of-the
way place an quiet. Sit down"
Estrilla shook as he resumed his
seat.
Does she know" he asked.
Not yet" said Rosalie.
Il didn't give her my real reason.
was glad" she pursued, TO hear yor
bust out In that sincere way when
said you killed Hanska. put that II
for q test: an you stood It Now si
there and listen TO what else your sis
ter said, an see II any of that coulC
have been worked out by detectives
She says you didn't kill Hanska. tha
he died OF apoplexy an fell on thu
knife you was ho!din' against him"
Estrilla turned his great eyes ant
moistened his lips as though to speak
but he held to his nerve tnd made N
sound
She says that you carried out tha
, box OF Jewels with the cover open. an
, that diamond buckle dropped out a
An when sze came back In you
c,ctbes after you telephoned to hel
ene picked It up. The jewels are II
Caracas. You dropped the box in tn
river Could anybody patch that to
gether? Could anybody guess that"
Then II he died OF apoplexy-if
didn't kill him-why should they al
rest met" asked Estrilla
Young man." said Rosalie. 'ho,
could you prove it,"
Innocently and directly. Estrill
came out with what amounted to hi
confession.
He was always In danger OF apt
plexy-my sister knew that. And VI
doubtedly 1t was a mortal seizure. Fo
bis hands were going toward his heat
not toward the knife. Even when h
fell and died, his hands were still z,
ing up, not down. have seen doctor,
have read about apoplexy In ever
m edical book in the public library. An
when ! saw him last-there was bloc
l In his nostrils."
| Rosalle nodded.
Il saw that. too. Ny. but coroner
physicians are dense," she sal,
Now I've got to talk hard an
= straight You we're in the act of bur
=" larry. Il don't make no difference tn;
5 you had right to burgle-no juI
q would recognize that. The coroner
b physician never thought OF anythin
but that stab wound-never thought
II look for apoplexy-case seemed &c
r pliin. You en- ] are the only peop
g who thought about that bloody nos
u The boys cromated. an II II WASH
q well. We won't go into that WI
IT Jran P:rez. they'd laush at you. I
y. ycI sec: Don't you ge. your fix?"
s He was trembling, and now he mao
a pitiful movement with bis han,
y as though to steady his head.
so you must get away"
e. But my sister"
s. Nov hold on to yourself I've z
=; to talk awful to make you see th
"a -hinH She didn't kill hin,