The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-01-10
CHAPTER X-Consinued

Enough, sam SORT or sighed Ii.
81 don't care about details. What
do you say we forget it, let by-gones
be by-go1es?"
NO" said Mrs. Kicker. Martha
did not kill Gaby, as you think she
did. Sam. ! killed her."
Sam dropped his pipe.
There was another one Of those
dead, awful silences.
1.-THE guilt" Mrs Kicker went on,
us entirely mine. All of nv life |
have been cursed with an abnormal
jealousy, and with the violent tenn
per that usually accompanies such
Jealousy. Martha, you all know.
possessed both of these traits-a her
itage from her mother-without the
balancing power of an adult mind
She can't be blamed No one could
dare TO blame her for that. 1t was
L, who planted those seeds of VIC
lence, Jealousy. hatred. and murder.
Gus intent, who killed Gabrielle
Martha was only the helpless instru-
ment"
| was sorry that there was eager
ness, mixed with the pity in Johns
voice, as he asked, Ibid Martha tell
you that she committed the murder?"
mo. Other parental herifages of
hers were a lying tongue. and sly
ness. She persisted in her denials.
to me. But it is all so evident
Gabrielle Joined Martha at the
rabbit hutch. You knew how one sits
down on ones heels TO peer in at the
rabbits in the low hutch. think
Gaby must have been squatting, so,
when Martha jumped at her and
overpowered her. Martha was strong,
you know. Her hands were very
strong. She had hated Gaby ever
since Gaby had come Martha had
said to me, dozens of times. that
some day she thought she would kill
Gaby.
Seized unaware. it would not take
long to strangle person. Martha
must have done 1t in two O; three
minutes. She took the bracelet then,
rolled the body under the clump of
berry bushes. right there, and came
straight into the house.
"She showed 40 feeling of guilt,
because she had nome At that mo-
ment, we should all have suspected
something. We should have known
that girl would not, suddenly, have
given Martha the bracelet. Later, she
told you about it, didn't she Sam?
oft IL 81
hoodwink Hubert, and came up and
hid the body for herY
"By Cd. l did not" Sam said.
''No need to deny it, now SAM"
she said. at was the deed of a good
man. Martha was never responsible
but courts might not have under.
stood. Now we will all shield her
keep her secret. Chad's confession
will satisfy the world. Danny must
know, suppose: but no one else
need ever know"
''But | tell you" Sam shouted.
don't know how. without raising
her voice, she made Ii sound through
his shouting, and silence It, but she
did "Sam-don't. Why can't we be
honest, now, among ourselves? You
see. know that both you and Martha
were on those stairs when the body
was put there"
My thoughts jumped out into
words. "Chad must have known 1t.
too. He must have decided that he'd
rather die than betray either Sam or
Martha"
"He might have thought it." Sam
said, with lack OF emphasis thar
edged stupidity. HE could not have
known it. 1t is not true"
Mrs. Kicker" John questioned,
"what makes you think that dad and
Martha had both been on the stairs?"
Sans pipe ashes were strewn
about. And there was an old tatting
shuttle, with which ! had been try.
ing to teach Martha to tat. that morn
ing. She had 1t in her pocket It
must have dropped out. l think that
Mary tried to clean the pipe ashes
away. They were gone when l saw
the body the second time. l should
have tried to do it, but didn't think
] had no time. ! was frantic with
fear.
"Wait," she answered our looks
and our ordinations of astonish-
ment. 81 will explain. Martha and
i. as you know, were alone here In
the house while the rest of you were
out looking for Gaby. Martha was
sleepy. l was worried about her
sleeping so much. and tried all sorts
of ways to keep her awake until