The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-02-28


Sam says, bitterly, that the only
thing 1 neeG to explain Is the one
thing that can ever be explained: how
one girl, by changing her clothes and
by washing hei face, could turn a
houseful of supposedly sensible people
into a packet of blithering, bat-blind
fools for genero'.s period of time.
4 can explain that, | think but | am
going to leave L until later, and go
clear back to the second OF July. the
day that Gabrielle received the code
letter.
IN her talk with John (John says
II was in no sense a confession, that
it was nothing but a taunt for us all,
a hnai, re"retless, high ding of de-
fiance) there in ais room, during the
twenty minutes or so that she talked
TO him, before she shot herself, some
things, which might still not he clear
20 u.s. were made plain. Also. many
of Miss MacDonald's previously
formed opinions were directly or In.
directly verified Miss Macdonald
had said. you remember. that the
murder had been wickedly premedi-
tated.
when | read that letter." Gabrielle
said to John, land found myself pen
niless and painless on Nevada
ranch, | at once made up my mind
70 Kill Danielle, the little fool. and
take her place"
low she persuaded Danny to &C.
cept the idea of the masquerade, and
20 change clothes with her, on the
fourth of July. we do not positively
know. That is the "hole" that Miss
Macdonald mentioned In her puzzle.
To my mind, there is little doubt that
she gained her way very easily, by
using her own unhappiness and dis
appointment as tools with which to
remove Danny's scruples and prod
her pity. | am sure. remembering
Danny's troubled manner at the time,
that she consented unwillingly, that
she thoroughly disliked the idea. and
that she was afraid of ITS conse-
Quences
WhenN the two girls went upstairs
fourth of July, they must have gone
20 effect the transformation Perhaps
then, for brief minute OF two. the
thing did seem amusing 70 Danny
for ! know that | heard the girls
laughing together, as | have men.
toned, when l was on my errand
upstairs.
We do not know, when the disguise
had been completed, by what pretext
Gabrielle lured Danny into the attic
Their trunks were In the attic There
could be a dozen simple reasons why
Danny might consent TO 90 up there
with her. Coming downstairs again.
Gabrielle caught her by the throat
and strangled her, instantly, by means
of the deadly jiI-jitsu hold. which she
had learned from her "Strdngler"
lover. 1t is hold that requires little
strength-though Gabrielle's trained
fingers were strong enough-but much
scientific skill.
She took the earrings from Danny's
ears-or, perhaps, Danny had not yet
put them on-went to her own room,
arranged her makeup, got into the
wrap. which completely covered DAN
nys clothes that she was wearing.
pulled the hat down over her eyes to
conceal the change in hairdressing,
and walked through the living room,
for US all TO see her, at four o'clock.
When Chad went to the porch with
her tthis John found out by insistent
questioning) she told him that Danny
had left the house, earlier, by the
back way. That she and Danny had
arranged joke on the rest of us. to
enliven the dull afternoon, and asked
him to help with 1t by calling, in
Danny's voice to her. when he came
back into the house. Chad did it.
That was Why. since he was standing
down by the front doors, the voice
supposed to come from the upper hall
had a strained and an unnatural
sound. Gabrielle had reckoned that
Chad, in spite of her request, would
be too stupid to discover the facts.
Probably she thought that, at any
rate, she would be able to impose
silence upon him. II was one of her
many mistakes. We think that he
must have known for the remainder
of the afternoon that Gabrielle was
masquerading as Danny. His happy
mood was caused by the fact that
Gabrielle mad given him a confidence
and had allowed him to perform a
small service for her. When he saw
what had happened, and when he
realized that the girl whom he had
wOrShipped was murderer. he killed
himself. Strange. that In spite of
everything, he still loved her enough
TO leave the confessional note to
shield her. The men think that he
left the note to shield the rest of us.
rather than to shield her. | do not
believe it.
She had planned to 60 straight
around the house and re-enter il
through the back door. Martha's be.
ing by the rabbit hutch was something
she had not counted on. II was neces-
sary to distract Martha's attention
and to get her to come at once into
the house. She gave her the monkey
bracelet. AS she did so. probably be-
cause of the act of kindness, Martha
made one of her frequent mistakes
and called Gabrielle Danny" Cab
rielle told John concerning Martha,
John also questioned her tnsistently)
that she then showed Martha the
poison In the charm. and told her that
IL was a love potion that would make
Chad love her, like q lady," If she