The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1871-11-30
1t was the doctors wife. She was lean

ing on her elbow, wide awake.
Mrs. Parmalee!' cried the girl, with 9
start.
3" How came you heres"
Don't look , angry, Mrs. Parmalee
If you knew what l know! Oh, you
thought his wife was in that dreadful box
down stairs. It's miserable deception
! knew he never acted like an innocent
man. have noticed this sliding panel;
saw this rope-ladder in the shed where he
keeps his seeds. l knew / saw q human
face at the cobwebed window at the end OF
the room above this. l found thai the
roofs were easy to climb, though diin',
dare come back that way. Mrs. Parmalse,
dragged this rope-ladder after me;
something told me what he used it for.
Mrs. Parmelee, that man wife is up there
Oh, God help her!'' The girl shook from
head to foot.
The doctors wife gazed from her face
to mine. Her very lips were white.
q | never dreamed that of Shultas,'' she
said, shivering.
at is true that poor soul up there.
oh, Mrs. Parmalee, l can't trust myself to
tell you; can't indeed"
! "And be was going to bury--what-to-
morrow %
q think in my soul he had not dared to
90 on with that farce" said the girl "Now
what shall do with the ladder? She has
not strength to unhook it."
Let it stay said the doctors wife.
Now how will you return 2"
"By the balcony; can get down easily
on the cabbage-tree."
"Then go, for intend to have this mat
ter investigated. And Shultas would have
married you y
That is all over--the wretch!' she
muttered between her teeth
The doctors wife dressed herself, and
so did l. Then she walked her husband,
and there was q consultation.
Cousin Dyas volunteered to ascend the
ladder; he was agile and used to climbing.
He came back in cold horror, and took
the doctor by himself to tell what he had
seen.
We did not lie down again. 1t seemed
as if morning would never come. In that
strange hush that in tropical countries
precedes the dawn, We strained our ears to
listen, but could not hear a sound overhead
Our fancies were not pleasant.
AS DR.. Parmalee had predicted, Shultas
was too unwell to rise at the usual hour
that morning. We locked our room, and
took the key. Then we strolled round to
the back of the house, and peered down
into the cellar. Through the grating we
saw the metallic case. He was killing her
by inches; he was waiting for her to die
Before this, no doubt, he had hoped to
marry the octoroon.
1t was evident that Pitkin was not in the
hideous secret lie talked over the matter
of the coming ceremony he played, and
he really played surprisingly well.
"Pepperpot, tell the niggers to get that
hole dug he said significantly to the giant,
after breakfast.
At II Shultas came down. carefully
dressed, but shaking. l need not say
with what loathing we met him.
81 hope you slept comfortably ?" he
said. You must avail yourselves Of every
pleasure possible to this oor place. have
put twenty five men on the lawn and gar
den; it will be quite trim here by to-mor-
row. These fellows NOW we'll"
lie stood looking out Of the window.
"Pepperpot will take you to the coffee
field; it is all in scarlet now. Then there's
the pineapple plantation; that curiosity
to strangers. / don't know"-he shook
harder as he turned from the window
" but / shall take your advice, doctor. /
believe have fully made up my mind to
marry. It's-it's rather . peculiar case
you know. suppose shall be over
looked and neglected; but, as I said, I've
fully made up my mind to that. One
should secure ones happiness, you know"
! felt myself growing whlto. Cousin
Dyas left the room abruptly; Mrs. Parma
lee clutched my dress. Cousin Dyas came
back again.
"Shultus, what did your wife die off,"
asked the doctor, suddenly. 81 have never
heard, think
This cussed atmosphere. I fancy. Beg
your pardon, ladies'" said Pitkin, gravely.
"She died of-wsll, l suppose, apople1y.
There was no doctor; nobody but nisgers
in the hosse-and-decay set in 30 soon
(you know all about that, dector) that, q.
| could get no female help, placed her in
box myself. That's the way We poor
devils have to do here. got . metal cof-
| lin as soon Is could. She never wanted
to be buried in this heathenish place; 60
keep her, hoping every month to be able
to carry her back. Why, if you believe me,
at the funcral-for We had the show Of
one-I could only snd . nigs-r preacher to
HE word. and he stood there, his lips
black with lies.
"Shultas,' said the doctor, rising, "can
| see you up stairs' p
The doctors voice was SO changed that
| started, and Pitkin, IN the midst of .
delicate pianissimo passage, held his bow
suspended.
| Shultus never answered. He turned ,
| livid gray, and his teeth ratified harder.
The doctor had reached the door. Shuitss
crept after him, utterly ignoring our pres
cnce, his great cavernous eyes fastened
upon Dr.. Parmalee. And so together
they passed out of our sight.
We three listened, professedly, for an
hour to the rapt and delighted Pitkin, but