The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-04-10

gcnuoGs!" -" @'5"l.-
Suppose we leave the question
of Miss Stuart out of the discus
sion, and continue our first line of
thought. Had Miss Darlington
ever spoken to you of changing
Iher wili2'
As was his frequent experience,
Fleming Stone quick question
caught his witness unaware, and
she stumbled a little in her speech
as She replied: emo. Why
should sheR"
/ 'H0nly, because her frequent
quarrels with Miss Stuart might
have made her wish to leave less
of her fortune to her niece. And
in the conversation you over
heard, Miss Darlington touched
on this subject"
eyes, she did. But except for
that reference, spoken to her I'M
known companion, l have never
heard anything of such an inten-
ton on her part"
YOU'RE fond of pearls, Miss
Fraynef' cI '...M.. o.
"Oh, I know what you're get
ing at now. THAT speech Miss
Lucy made about fondness for
pearls. Of course, / am. Who
isn'tf | often told Miss Caring
ton that | admired her pearls far
more than all her diamonds or
other %glittering stones. But I
wouldn't commit a crime for all
the pearls in the worIdl And, if
[ had why didn't / steal the
pearlsf" ~
Anita's voice rang ont triumph
antly as she put this question, but
Fleming Stone said quietly: 81
haven't accused you of crime,
Miss Frayne, but since you ask
that, let me remind you, that if
the crime were done with ;Ltent
of robbery. the reason that the
robbery was never accomplished
is thu sane that kept the man
BATES from stealing. Few people.
can bring themselves to take val.
uables from a dead body. How
ever, | cannot think the poisoning
was done with any idea of rob-
berry, but for the gain that would
come by the requests oe the
will"
Then your search is limited
by the list Of mheritorsf" .
1T il, Mss Frayne."
"Then, Mr.. Stone, how can you
overlook or undervalue the weight
of evidence against Pauline Stu
artf Remember, she bought that
snake herself. Miss Lucy never
told her to buy it, never in this
world! Pauline feared her aunt
would disinherit her."
How do you know 'hatf" the
Question was shot at her, and
Anita fairly jumped as she heard
it.
"Why-why, you know I heard
reference made to it that night
when"
when you overheard that
conversation yes, go on" Elem
ing Stone had gained his point,
which was to prove that Anita did
know of the proposed change in
the will before that time. and to
his own belief he had proved it.
Yes, l cannot doubt now that
Pauline knew her aunt intended
to change her will, and 80 she
was so desperate at the idea Of
losing her fortune, she-I cannot
bear to put it in words"
"She poisoned the lady," said
Fleming Stone, very gravely.
Yes" Anita's voice choked,
but she enunciated the word.
"Mr. Stone, you must think me
dreadful to hold these suspicious,
but you asked me to be frank"
And / wish you to be so. l
am here, Miss Frayne, to discover
the p~oisoner Of Miss Darlington.
II is my duty to get all possible
light on the matter from anyone l
can. Itis the duty of those whom
l question to tell all they know,
truthfully and straightforwardly.
If these truths implicate or seem
to implicate a member of the
household, none the less must the
investigation be carried on and
the ease be pushed to its newt
able conclusion. The great dan
ger lies in MISLEADING opinions or
imaginations for facts. Now you
are telling facts as to the words
you overheard, but you are giving
only opinions as to whom these
words were addressed"
THAT is so," and Anita's gaze
was a wondering one. TBut, Mr..
iStone, since the fact OF that person
in the room is understandable. one