The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-01-23
over, + know this is Estelle 8.
Don't you, Anitaf"
eft NAV bcso

A[OAA tou, <AsutoI
1T may be-"
1T is. And its presence there,
on the tray, proves that she let
the tray fall in her surprise at
seeing Aunt Lucy, and in her
trembling excitement loosened
and dropped this hairpin. Doubt
less she flung her hand up to
her head--a not unusual gesture
of hers-and so dislodged it.
Brunt looked closely at the
speaker. you've got it all fixed
up, haven't yon, Miss Stuarti"
Pauline flushed slightly. /
didn't fix it up, as you call it,
but | did gather, from what r
saw, that the truth must be as II
have stated; and, in my anxiety,
to learn anything possible as to|
the mystery of this crime, I SCI
cured what may or may not be a
bit OF Evidence. As Mr.; Haviland
has said, if EstelIe is entirely IN
nocent of any completely In the
matter, these things can't hurt
her. But it would scarcely be pos
sible for her to have been so care
less as to drop a hairpin on the
tray without noticing it, il she
were not startled and Hurried by
something that took her mind and
eyes entirely away from her d1-'
ties"
II think you are purposely
making a great deal out Of moth
ing, remarked Anita; cit seems
unfair, to say the least, to con-
denim the poor girl on such trif-
ling evidence"
The talk was interrupted by the
entrance of the coroner and the
two doctors.
1T is found" said Coroner
Scofield, "that the cause of Miss
Carrington's death was not the
blow on the head"
The inspector looked his amaze
ment, and the others sat with re-
-ceptively blank countenances
waiting further disclosures.
No." went on Scofield, 1--WE
find in the stomach unmistakable
traces Of poison"
"Poisonl' 1t was Anita,s
frightened whisper; "who would
poison her9''
What kind of poisong" asked
Brunt.
"Aconitine deadly and sure.
1t leaves little trace, but certain
tests reveal it beyond all doubt.
That is why we have been SO long.
The tests r difficult of perform
ance. But it is over and we report
that Miss Lucy Darlington was
poisoned by aconitine, admins
tered either by her own hand or
another"
sob, she never would poison
h~erselfl" cried Anita; "who did
it9"
And the blow on the head2"
said Inspector Brunt looking
deeply perplexed.
Her death, from poison, oc-
CURED at or near 2 o'clock" as
serted the coroner; 1.-THE blow on
the head was given after life had
departed"
Incredible |" said Brunt.
ut is, indeed, inspector. But
those are the facts. The heavy
blow fractured the skull, but left
no bruise or mark, nor was there
any blood from the cut scalp. In
addition we have the poison found
in the system, and the death symp-
toms Of quiet, placid dissolution
which r consequent always on
that particular poison"
Gould it have been self adj
ministeredf" asked Brunt.
fNot by Miss Carrington,' . said
DR.. Stanton decidedly. "The lady
had been my patient for years,
and she had an absolute abhorl
renee of all sorts Of drugs or medi-
cines. She made more fuss over
taking a simple powder than a.
spoiled child. / have often pre-
scribed for her knowing full we'll
she would not take my prescrip-
tions because of her detestation Of
taking medicine. When remedies
have been really necessary I have
had to administer them while with
her, and a difficult task it was.
Moreover, my patient was not Of
the temperament or disposition to
seek death for herself, nor had she
any reason to do SO. No; the case
is murder; the poison was admin
istered by some one who wished
for her death and deliberately set
out to accomplish it-and sue
ceeded."
els the action Of this poison In
stantaneous9" asked Brunt.
''sNo; death ensues about a half
hour to an hour after the dose is