The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1919-01-23
over, I know this is Estelle's 3.
Don't you, AaitaY"
g NAV In

1ON wy rHEGs=srra q 80
"It may be-"
cit 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 you, Miss Stuart 2"
Pauline flushed slightly. I
didn't fix it up as you call it,
but | did gather, from what L
saw, that the truth must be as I.
have stated; and, in my anxiety,
to learn anything possible as to-
the mystery of this crime, I Sc;
cured what may or may not be a
bit OF evidence. AS Mr.. Haviland
has said, if Estelle 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, if she
were pot startled and Hurried by
something that took her mind and
eyes entirely away from her du-
ties"
II think you are purposely
making a great deal out Of moth
remarked Anita; sit 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 conferences
waiting further disclosures.
No. went on Scofield, eve
find IN tie stomach unmistakable
traces Of poison
"Poisonl'' 1t was Anita's
whisper; "who would
poison herr"
What kind of poison9" 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 I 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"
"Oh, she never would poison
herself!o cried Anita; who did
it9"
"And the blow on the head?n.
said Inspector Brunt looking
deeply perplexed.
Her death, from poison, oc-.
Cured at or near 2 o'clock, as
serted the coroner; "the blow on
the head was given after life had
departed"
Incredible - said Brunt.
rEE< = u
1t 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 are consequent always on
that particular poison"
Gould it have been self adj
ministeredf" asked Brunt.
mot by Miss Darlington, said
DR.. Stanton decidedly. The lady
had been my patient for years,
and she had an absolute abhors
renee OF all sorts OF drugs or medi-
cines. She made more fuss over
taking q simple powder than a
spoiled child. / have often pre-
scribedsfor her knowing full well
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 q 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