The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1919-03-20

To begin with the most imper-
tant, Miss Stuart. It was possible
that she poisoned her aunt, but
so improbable as to make it ex-
c~eedingly unlikely. True, she was
heir to half the fortune, but we'll
bred, well nurtured young women
do not commit crime to inherit
their money sooner Except for
that conversation reported by
Anita Frayne, there vas not a
shred Of evidence against Miss
Stuart. And Stone did not place
implicit confidence in that story
of the talk behind closed doors.
He had discovered that the two
girls were not friendly and he
knew Anita capable of making up
or coloring a tale to suit herself.
Pauline had told him that she was
in the hall window seat at Il
o'clock that morning and had
seen Anita coming from Miss Car
rington's room. Or, to put it more
carefully: She had seen her with
her hand on the door knob, in the
act of closing the door after her.
This Pauline had told to Stone
with an air of such verify and
truthfulness that he was fain to
believe her. However, in all hon
esty, he had to admit to himself
that Miss Stuart could have given
the poison in some secret way, had
she so desired. The same was true,
though, of Miss Frayne, of Havi-
land and of the various house
servants. But where could any Of
them get it?
Again there were the Count and
Mrs. rockingham to be consid-
cred. In fact, there were too many
suspects to decide among without
further evidence.
"Any luck?" Stone asked of
Hardy, who came in to report.
"No, Mr.. Stone. I've raked the
drug shops thoroughly, and there
is no trace Of a sale of aconitine.
It's practically impossible to buy
such a substance. / mean, for the
ordinary customer"
Yet somebody did"
Il suppose IS. But doesn't it
limit the field of search to realize
that it couldn't have been a serv-
ant or either Of the young la
dies?"
Why. neither of the young
ladies7"
"But how could they get it?"
why not as well as any one
else? And somebody did"
"Then somebody stole it. No
body bought it. I'm positive of
that, now I've learned how i'm
possible it is to make such a pur-
chase. And how could those girls
steal it?"
81 don't know, Hardy, but my
point is: Why couldn't they steal
it if anybody could2 You re deny
ing their ability to steal the poi
son because you don't want to
suspect them. And neither do I,
but we must look this thing
squarely in the face. Somebody
managed to get that aconitine and
administer it to Miss Darlington
secretary, and it is for us to find
out who did it-who could do it
in the face Of almost insuperable
obstacles. But it is futile to say
this one or that one could or
couldn't do it. Now, since you've
found no trace Of the poison sale,
let's start from some. other point.
Surely, this case, with it's unique
circumstances, offers many ways
to look for evidence. What strikes
me most forcibly is the costume
of the lady. Not so much the
gown believe she was fond Of
elaborate boudoir robes-but the
array Of jewelry, the glittering
scarf and the snake. Most of all,
the snake. That, Of itself, ought
to point directly to the true solu-
ton, and | believe it does, only
we're too blind to see it. I'm go
ing to work on that snake clue,
and, to help, I wish you'd go at
once to all the possible shops
where it might have been bought.
1t may not be traceable and then,
again, it may. And, the strange
fact of her sitting idly before the
mirror when she diedl Whoever
gave her the poison was there on
the spot, must have been, for it's
sure enough that she didn't take
it herself, according to the doc
tors statements. Well, if the muir