The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-02-10
that seemed to Iuss like the mirth of iend.

OF HIM IN MS seer, like HamleCS uncle Olu
his troublesome brother, was capital.
There was silence Tor several minutes.
Thea we heard Mrs. Maiden ask grayely,
s*What shall you do with the Lody?"
"Oh, that is just the difficulty. AS the
neiehbors must not have their suspicious
| reused, it must be buried at night and a
report put about that the silly old man has
gone into the country"
,"Oh, dear! there is the property to dis
pose OF, is there not?"
Uncut diamonds tell no tale, " said this
sallow neighbor Of mine, in his deep voice,
laughing loudly. Nothing could have
been luckier than my witnessing that little
scene between my uncle and our lat neigh
Dor over tho garden wall.
In an ordinary moment I should have
felt keenly the insult conveyed in his re-
mark, but my feelings were too highly
wrought FOR it to touch me then.
But Polly pressed my hand and murmur-
ed, ':The hollid villian!" ......
We listed painfully for several minutes
more. We heard MalGen's wife heave a
deep sigh. She was humane, then. had
scarcely thought il.
Il can't bear 70 think-it is too dreadful
she said, her voice trembling for the first
time during the fearful conversation.
Again her husband laughed loudly, and
said, in theatrical tone: '*What, my Lady
Macbeth trembling! Come, we'll to sleep.
We a:e YET but young N Decd
In moment more we heard the door of
the apartment closed. We three sat and
looked at each other-5lanched and speech
less with horror.
Ann was the frs: to recover her presence
of mind. "Shall go an fetch the perlese,
sir?" she said in a tdued voice.
"Oh, don't leave me, Ann" sobbed my
poor wife. yielding to Ter pent-up emotions
and clasping our servant round the waist.
This was the first time in her life that she
had been so undignifed.
'Yeu go Joram," she continued. Then
a sudden fear seized her. ''But we shall
both be murdered while you are gone" The
laugh historically.
felt that everything depended upon my
controlling my nervous system. Polly was
beginning ~ gej silly, and Ann might at any
moment break down, too. I took out my
to study myself and to impress these women
with my self command.
"Tll telegraph to Chittick-that will BIZ
best" said after pacing the room once or
twice.
'You can't telegraph tonight. si,, the or
fee 'ull be shut, said the practical Ann.
/ Mr.. Chittick was an inspector in the de-
tective force at Scotland Yard. After some
internal debating decided it would be bet
ter to wait till the morning and then; tele-
graph than to 60 Of to the local police sta
tion that night. have often since won
dered at my courage and calmness. The
wife and servant seemed to catch some
thing of my spirit. We were unanimous that
to go 70 b?G was impossible, so Mrs. Frogg
lay on the sofa, Ann in sofa chair which
we wheeled oct O.: the next room, and sat
up in my good armchair prepared to watch
the night through.
Happily, nothing TRANSFERRED during that
tedious night, TO create further alarm. In
the morning when the postman called got
him to take a telegraphic message, which
simply urged my friend, the inspector, to
come as early in the day as he possibly
could, as wanted to see him Oh business
of very pressing and extraordinary char
after.
About noon he came. Not soul had
stirred from the neighboring house, and
had, therefore, the satisfaction Of feeling
that the delay would not Illustrate the ends
of justice.
When we were alone, told the story of
Mr.. LEAFS eccentric conduct; his disappear
ance after his nephew had seen him show
ing me the diamonds in the garden; and
finally, the strange conversation we had over
heard the night before. At first my friend
was merely politely attentive; but, as Invent
on, he took out his note book and carefully
wrote down the words we had overheard.
He asked for particulars, too, of the ap-
pearance Of Maiden and his wife, and of
the murdered man.
''Do you know anything of the business
or profession of Malden?" he then asked.
Il could only admit that on this point I
was entirely in the dark.
But has not your maid learned anything
on this subject from your neighbours SER
vant?" he inquired; servants are always
gossipins, you know"
1.-The woman next door is foreigner--a
German L think"
Inspector Chittick pursed up his mouth
and tapped his note book with his pencil.
THAT looks like plan," he remarked,
after moments meditation. "That fact is
the strongest point in the case. Itseems as
though it were designed that nothing should
transp1re through the chatter of servants
"Yet surely the real point is the confess
sion of murder which we overheard" I
urged deferentially.
That has to be proved he replied,
meanwhile, I must. compliment you for
your shrewdness in sending for me in
this quiet way. shall at once tele-
graph for one of our men to stay
with you here, and for another to be
posted within convenient distance of the
house." / -
Day after day passed, and nothing trans
pred to clear up the mystery. At length,
after an interval of nearly a fortnight, we
had, for the first time, communication
from Inspector Chittick in the shape of
telegram:
Ihave made an unexpected and startling
discovery in re Maiden. I will call this
afternoon, and hope to do business. NAL
don is at homo: ipto,,1o 1oovipn horno %o