Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-09-22

| TOOm III tnat ulOHenJ inc SCENE preseuL-
cd, must have been absurd beyond de-
scriphon. But we were earnest enough,
for what we heard seemed to freeze our
very blood.
"Is he dead yet?" we heard Mrs.
Maiden ask her husband, with low,
musical laugh that seemed to us like the
mirth of tiend.
Thoroughly, responded he in a deep
voice, which betrayed no sign of remorse
or agitation; "your hint, that l should
dispose of him in his sleep, like Hamlet's
uncle did his troublesome brother, was
capital
There was silence for several minutes.
Then we heard Mrs. Maiden ask grave
ly, "What shall you do with the body?"
"Oh, that is just the difficulty, AS
the neighbors must not have their sus-
picion reused, it must be buried ut night
and report put about that the silly old
man has gone into the country"
''Oh, dear! there is the property to
dispose of, is there not?"
Uncut diamonds tell no tale" said
this sallow neighbor of mine, Ill his deep
voice, laughing loudly. Nothing could
have been luckier than my witnessing
that little scene between my uncle and
our fat neighbor over the garden wall. y
In an ordinary moment should have
felt keenly the insult conveyed in his
remark, but my feelings were too highly
wrought for it to touch me then.
But Polly pressed my hand and MUIR
INJURED. 1.-The horrid villain!''
We listened painfully for several min
utes more. We heard Malden's wife
heave a deep sigh. She was human,
then. had scarcely thought it.
~ can't bear to think-it is too dread
full" she said her voice trembling for
the first time during the conversation.
Again her husband laughed loudly,
and said, in theatrical toue, "What,
my Lady Macbeth trembling "Come,
we'll 60 to sleep. We are yet young in
deed.
In moment more we heard the door
of the apartment closed. We three sat
and looked at each other-blanched and
speechless with horror.
Ann was the first to cover her pres
ence of mind. Shall I go and fetch
the perlese, sir?" she said in subdued
voice.
"Oh, don't leave me, Ami" sobbcd
my poor wife, yielding to her pent up
emotions and clasping our servant
around the waist. This was the first
time in her life that she had been SO
undignifed
"You go, Joram," she continued.
Then sudden fear seized her. "But
we shall both be murdered while YOU
are gone" The poor soul wrung her
hands and began TO laugh hysterically
1 felt that everything depended upon
my controlling my nervous system.
Polly was beginning TO get silly, and
Ann might at any moment break down,
too. 1 took out my pipe, and slowly
filled and lit it, in order both to steady
myself and to impress these women with
my self-command.
"I'n telegraph to Chittick-that will
be best, l said, after pacing the room
once or twice.
"You can't telegraph tonight, sir;
the Office 'uIl be shut" said the practi-
cal Ann.
Mr.. Chittick was an inspector in the
detective force at Scotland Yard After
some internal debating I decided it
would be better to wait till the morning
and then telegraph than to go off to the
local police station that night l have
often since wondered at my courage and
calmness. The wife and servant seem
ed to catch something of my spirit. We
were unanimous that to go to bed was
impossible, SO Mrs. Frogg lay on the
sofa, Ann in the sofa chair, which we
wheeled out of the next room, and sat
up in my good arm chair prepared to
watch the night through.
Happily nothing transpired during
that tedious night to create further
alarm. In the morning when the post
MAJ called, 1 got him to take tele-
graphic message, which simply urged
my friend the inspector to come as early
in the day as he possibly could, as /
wanted to see him on business of a very
pressing and extraordinary character.
About noon he came. Not a soul had
stirred from the neighboring house, and
| had therefore the satisfaction of feel
ing that the delay would not frustrate
the ends of Justice.
When we were alone, told the story
of Mr.. Lea's eccentric conduct; his dis
appearance after his nephew had seen
him show me the diamonds in the gar
den; and finally the strange converse
ton we had overheard the night before.
At first my friend was merely politely
attentive; but, as I went on, he took out
his note book and carefully wrote down
the words we had overheard. He asked
for particulars, too, of the appearance
of Maiden and his wife, and of the muir
dered man.
"Do you know anything of the busi-
| q. II