Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-08
Continued from Fourth Pase.)


: death to any other agency than his own
disgust with life.
And then 1t was that his sympathies.
although greatly reused in her favor,
began to wane. She met the question
with cold stare. followed by few
ambiguous words. out Of which he
could make nothing. Had she said
wretch? She did not remember. They
must not be Influenced by anything she
She was well nigh insane at the TIME.
But Of one thing they might be sure
her husband had not shot himself: he
was too much afraid of death for such
Whatever folks might say. he was too
fond Of his family to wish to leave 1t.
Nor did the coroner or any other offi-
eial succeed in eliciting anything fur
Their from her. Even when she was
asked, with cruel insistence. how she
explained the fact that the baby was
found lying on the floor instead of in
its crib. her only answer was: His
father was trying to soothe 1t. The
child was crying dreadfully, as you
have heard from those who were kept
awake by him that night. and my hus-
band was carrying him about when the
shot came which caused George to fall
and overlay the baby IN his struggles"
Carrying q baby about with loaded
pistol in his hand?" came back in stern
retort.
mitted. when Informed that the bullet
extracted from her husbands body had
been found to correspond exactly with
those remaining in the Ave chambers
of the pistol taken from his hand.
that he was not only the owner of
this pistol, but in the habit of sleep
ing with 1t under his pillow: but,
: beyond that. nothing: and his reticence,
as well rs his manner. which was cold
and repellent. told against her.
A verdict of suicide was rendered by
the coroner's jury. and the life in
surance company. in which Mr. Ham
mond had but lately insured himself
for a large sum. taking advantage OF
the suicide clause embodied In the poll
scy. announced its determination of not
paving the same.
Such was the situation. as known to
Violet Strange and the general public
on the day she was asked to see Mrs
Hammond and learn what might alter
her opinion as to the justice of this
verdict and the stand taken by the
Shuier Life Insurance Company.
The clock on the mantel in Miss
struck 3, and Violet was gazing in
some Impotence at the door. when
there came a gentle knock upon it.
and the maid Gone of the elderly, not
youthful. kind ushered In her expect
ed visitor
iSN orc IidUlfllOEC She asked
In natural awe of the too black figure
outlined so sharply against the deer
pink of the sea-shell room.
The answer was a slow lifting of the
veil which Swallowed the features she
knew only from the cuts she had seen
in newspapers
You are-Miss Stranger" stammered
her visitor: 'the young lady who
Il am" chimed in a voice as ringing
as il was sweet. Il am the person
you have come here to see And this
Is my home. But that does not make
HE less interested In the unhappy, oil
= ess DESTROYS of serving them Certain.
y you have met with tho two creates,
losses which can come to a woman
know your story we'll enough to say
that-but what have you to tell me ir
proof that you shall not lose your an
ticipated income as Well? Something
vital. hope. or else cannot help you
something which you should have told
the coroner's jury-and did not
The flush which was the sole answe,
these words called forth did not take
from the refinement Of the young
widows expression. but. rather. addec