River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-07-22

. ON III tItIittA Z III tONhl anu sui n
! an tnger-marks like a black necklace
on her poor ovid wizent throat; but
/ who the villain was that did it no one
I can guess.
And where was Mr. Rob, at all at
an?"
''Oh, he come walkin in quite sur
! prised, while they were a moanin and
erwin and they do say he TUX It cool,
/ and some thinks he
/ The rest of the words were said IN Il
/ very low growl, and the judge felt as If
/ he had had n sudden shower-bath.
| Did suspicion really point to the
/ Young man? 1t was known that the
! two had frequent squabbles, and Miss
/ Sterling was always threatening to cut
him off for some other object. Could
/ it be possible that, knowing the last Will
was in his favor, sick with impotence
and longing to make the beautiful
/ Gwen his own, he had taken matters III
his n&n hands and But suddenly
/ the scene of the last evening came back
/ to the Judges mind At the time the
/ poor old lady was in the death-grip of
/ some villain, Rob was sweetly billing
and cooling under the peach-trees five
miles away The Judge set his teeth
It's he thought of it, and began dressing
himself rapidly.
He is the only person who had any
real interest i'll her DEATH" he said,
musingly. suspicion will point to
| him, and then Gwen-it will make it
/ possible. If had not walked that
way If had not met him Good
God how my mind is travelling; and
the poor fellow scarcely suspected yet !"
The judge was too restless to go to his
| law papers after he had swallowed his
| hastv breakfast Il cannot be hard
! hearted enough to sit quietly down to
work while neighbor has been killed
in cold blood. | must see whether the
mans story was correct.
But in his heart the judge longed to
| hear luore about the case i'll Its relation
to the Young man, and he rode over to
! the pleasant country house where Miss
Sterling had presided in somewhat fe-
ycrish haste 1t was wonderful how
hot the blood still was that leaped
through his veins although the chill of
forty winters had fallen upon IT,
The house stood back from the road
and hidden from it 10y an avenue of
trees, hut before the building was in
view the judge saw the marks and
tokens If an unusual stir and tumult
about the grounds 4 flower-bcd had
been trampled carelessly, roses had
been pluckcd us if by children's hands
and thrown over the path, rabble of
curiou. visitors had apparently already
| been there. \ young man stood now
all alone at the open door. He had ev-
| identity ordered away intruders, and
/ was locking about at his aunt's pet flow
crs with a somewhat melancholy glance.
He did not appear SO happy and debo-
nair rs when the judge had seen him
last, but there was no look of guilt on
the somewhat haggard young face
He nodded I'M friendly way as the
judge approached, saying: The bad
news has reached you, | suppose? ?"
''Yes somewhat indefinitely, but | see
by your face it is true Y
Too true Poor Aunt Janet 1t is
too horrible" and there Il was a gem
une rig of horror in the young mans
voice
"Was the object plumber, do you
Think
1T does not seem so, for the silver is
not touched nor my aunt's jewelry; the
fellow may have taken money. OF
course, can't say how much of that
may have been in the house"
"You were out, | suppOse?'
Yes, there was a slight embarras-
ment II was-oyer in your neighbOr-
| hood
Il suppose you would have no diff
Guilty IN proving that?" asked the
Judge, with a sudden curiosity.
Rob Stirling hesitatcd and his eye
did not meet that of his questioner
Il don't know as that is any ones
concern tut mine" he answered.
"No, ! suppose not, but in affairs of
this sort one must he prepared for
everything.
Would you-would YOU care to look
ut the poor old ladv?" asked the
young man, with some hesitation.
II would, indeed; poor Miss sterling!
| had great respect for her. How
very mysterious it seems that one who
! led SO quiet life should have so shock
ing and violent death y
The Young man led the way to the
door of small sittingroOm.
Excise me from going in, he said. Il
have had much of it, Tam quite knock
ed up"
The Judge looked at him curiously,
but could read nothing in that boyish
face save that it natural jollity was
cloudcd over He turned the knob
softly. n one docs everything in the
house Of death, and went in.
\ stpat lady was in waiting, whom
he recognized us one who did the las
offices for the dead in that neighbor-
| hood. There was one other occupant
of cOuIsc-one who lay upon a cOuce
and made no sign, not SO much as tn
trembling of an eyelid to greet him.
Her face looked strangely calm for one
| whose last moment must have been a
CHASTITY struggle Of horror and amaze.
! Prim. straight and stiff, Miss Sterling
had always bcen-she was scarcely
primer, straighter or stitier at this mo-
ment There was, indeed, something
like peace in her spite of the CHASTITY
marks ut her throat that surprised the
Judge.
II think. sir, rs She died of fright be
fore the wilin had time to choke her,
said the stout lady, busting forward
(which she hasn't none of the signs al
stranglin. poor dear. Her heart just
busted MORN likely at the fust sight OF
the wrctch-eshe'd been havin' palpl-
tations lately, Us | do myself, sir; and
thought | would have died only last
week when Il white cat walked in in
dead a night, which thought was
Galus' ghost. rs was Il man made tC
torment folks. and would do it if allow
ed after death; and don't she look quite
material, poor lamb?'
The judge bowed and hurried away
from the garrulous female, feeling
much more comfortable when he got
out into the air again. Rob was pac-
ing the garden walk gloomily.
You have offered reward, | pre-
sme2' sand the judge,
Rob started.
why, no Incver thought of that. =
That will be the right thing to do at
once answered the other. IF | can
serve you in any way, call ON me.
Thanks! \ fellow is alladrift at such
time"
The Judge shook hands with the
young man and rode away. His feel
ingS were hard to define He thought
he would not decide just then upon
any course of action. but stand aside
ard let events march on.
He rode that way couple of days
afterwards to the funeral of the muir