Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1921-04-16
CHAPTER XII.

The constable looked at me for an
instant as If uncertain whether to re-
gard my manner of getting his narra-
tive as altogether friendly.
you were telling what / wanted to
know" | suggested. 81 came I'm be-
cause was directed to inquire for
you there. did not interrupt you.
but il was without intent of gaining
information that | did not expect to
gain otherwise
ITS all right" said the constable.
you see through me. though. was
just thinking how uncomfortable |
ought to have been with you listening.
and | was pretty near getting sore
The first thing is the identification of
the body. For the time being, it is in
the Station-houNc"
There was no possible doubt. even
before looked at the face from which
the constable drew the sheet which
covered the Iody rs it lay on a bench.
The shabby little lawyers raScally
schemes. timid hut villainouS-neccs-
sary, probably, in his gnarled and I'M
happy life-werc closed by death.
A deputy of the coroner WAS present.
and he took deposition by me which
gave merely the dead mans name.
stated that he had called several
times at Hartley house on business
and that | had no personal knowledge
of the manner in which he came to
his death.
That was all the authorities needed
of me. A maid by the name of Agnes
Mitchell had been given temporary
employment mt Hartley house. II was
undoubtedly she who was the COM
panion of the man who had been
killed.
asked the constable where | might
see the maid and whether she was
too badly injured 10 talk to any one.
He said that she had been taken to
the nearest hospital. which was ten
miles away. He did not know how
serious her injuries were. had my
driver take me To the hospital and
found that as representative of the
family for which she was employed
| might talk to her.
She was in pain and heavily ban
daged. but was conscious and willing
to talk.
Agnes" I said. when the nurse had
left Us. Il am not here to make a great
deal of trouble for you, but if | show
lcnicncy it will be in exchange for your
confidence. We have known that an
unconsciOnahle gang of raSCalS nave
had designs on Hartley house. Evil
IDENTIFY YOU have yielded To some temp
tation they offered you. Deal with me
frankly. and I'll be more than lenient."
She told me that the lawyer had
tried to corrupt the maid, Anna. who
had asked. later, for months leave.
She found that she did NOT have the
courage for the work. The lawyer
evolved the plan of introducing a reso-
Iute and reliable woman into the house
bv the expedient adopted. Her in
Structions were to find and take away
a manuscript she would find concealed
I'm Jed's room. The abduction of Jed
had made is easy for the maid to search
through his belongings. Agnes did not
know what value was attached to the
manuscript. 1t was he' obligation
merely to get it.
The lawyer was TO have an automo-
hira waiting on the road beyond the
oak grove. He was to be by the small
door through which the maid escaped.
She ranSacked Jed's room in the fash
SON of which / saw the result anu
found the box cunningly hidden in his
bedsprings in a manner 50 con.rlNeu
that except TO careful investigation IL