The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-02-27

there in contemplation.
"Was she given to such indi-
cations of vanityf" asked Stone
in a gentle way.
"Not at all. My aunt was not
a beautiful woman, and she had
no illusions about her personal ap!
pearance. / have never known
her to look at herself in a mirror
more than was necessary for her
dressing. Her maid will tell you
this"
go on, please, Miss Stuart"
When | saw my aunt she was
sitting placidly, even smilingly-
and / did not for a moment mag
inc she was not alive. Then | no.
|ticed her large tortoise shell comb
was broken to bits, and 1 noticed,
too, her rigid, staring face. The
next few moments are a confused
memory to me, but | know l
touched her hand and felt it cold,
then | called to Mr.. Haviland and
he came" .-1r
"Tell me of your aunt's garb.
l understand it was most un-
usual" a.. '... H-.
"Only in the accessories. The
gown she had on was a negligee
Of oriental make and fabric, elab-
crate, but one of which she was
fond and which she had worn sew
eral times. Round her shoulders
was a scarf, one of those heavy
Syrian ones, of net patterned with
silver. Then, she had on quaint
ties of jewelry. Not only her
pearls and a few pins which she
had worn during the evening, but
she had added many brooches and
bracelets and rings of great
value.'aA Als "a &a m
"She was wearing, let us say,
100000 worth of jewelryY"
Ear more than that. Her
pearls alone are worth that
amount. Her diamond sunburst is
valued at $4,000 and her emerald
brooch is equally valuable. My
aunt believed in gems as an in
vestment, and, though she usually
kept them in a safe deposit vault,
she had recently taken them from
there, and had them all in the
house."
"a strange proceedingY"
very. / have never known
such a thing to occur before I'M
less for some especial social occa-
SION"
"And the paper snake of which
| have been told"
"That is the strangest part of
ALI Ny aunt was not only afraid
of live snakes, but she had also
a perfect horror of, any picture
or artificial representation Of
them. She could never, in her
right mind, have placed that pa
per snake about her own neck,
nor would she have allowed any
one else to do it without scream
ing out in horror. Yet, the doc
tors declare, it must have been
placed round her neck before
death. Therefore, it is to me en-
tirely unexplainable."
SIS not that a bizarre clue that
should make the case an easy
onef" asked Anita, with an in
curing glance at Stone.
1T may be So" he replied, with
a thoughtful look at her. "Where
could such a snake have come
FRONT"
1T was brought by the bur
glar, Of course" said Pauline,
quickly.
II don't mean that; but where
could it be bought"
ooh, at Vantine's or any jap
anese shop" said Pauline, "or at
some Of the department stores"
Gould you, by inquiry, find
out if Miss Darlington purchased
it herself at any of those places9"
II could inquire; but I am
sure, Mr.. Stone, that Aunt Lucy
never bought such a thing"
1T would simplify matters
somewhat if you would kindly
find out" and Stone nodded at
her, as if to stamp this suggestion
a definite request.
The conversation went on, and
no one noticed that so deftly did
Fleming Stone guide it that only
facts were brought out. No
sooner did any one begin to
formulate an opinion or theory
than he skilfully turned the sub
ject or changed the drift of the
discussion.
He gathered from facial express
sions and manners much that he
wanted to know, he learned the
attitudes of the various members
Of the household toward each
other, and he came to the conclu-
c;op that ac Gray HayiIap1 bod