Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-09-10

| Grace shook her head dcSpOnding'Y.
Nothing can cheer us till my father is
| out of danger she said, as Edward Col
chester backed out of the room, entangling
| himself with his spurs, and looking at her
adoringly to the last
AS this kind of thing is altogether out
of your line Miss Darnel think it would
be AS well for me to see the detective with
you" said the colonel; that is to say if
you wish to see him at all. ! could spare
You the painful interview altogether, as |
can give the man all the information
necessary. | am not a stranger to this
kind of inquiry
81 wuuld much rather see the person
myself" rtpicd Dora, with an offended
air. 81 sent for him upon my own respon-
sibiity; and particularly desire that he
should know my ideas about this terrible
| event.
"If you take my advice you will tell him
no ideas of your own or any one else's,"
answered the colonel, sharply. "Give him
nothing but the plain facts, and let him
work out the solution of the problem in
his own way The detective police are not
heaven-born geniuocs; but most of them
are hard-hcaded, sensible men, and not
likely to go far astray, except when they
are muddlcd and misdirected by non-pro-
fcssional interference
II do not think you have any reason
to consider me either Il child or an idiot,
Col. Stukely,' retorted Miss Darnel.
| Pray permit me To manage my own af-
fairs You can 90 with me to the library,
if you please"
The colonel did please, and followed the
lady closely, while Grace went upstairs
to her stpp-mother, who sat by the fire,
motOnlcss apathetic. The dainty little
breakfast table beside her was scarcely
disturbed from the neat order in which 1t
had been brought into the room.
"You have eaten positively nothing,
mother" said Grace, scrutinizing the
table.
IL have had some tea, and a little toast;
have done very WELL" answered Clare,
and then in a despairing tone She added,
"Oh, Grace, there is no improvement. |
spoke to one of the nurses; She was 60
ing off to her bedroom with such an or
derby air, as if life or death were all the
same to her There is no diminution of
the fever-the temperature is just as high.
He has not spoken one sensible word since
that night. Mr.. Friedricson is to come
again to-day: but the nurse thinks it
would be madness to attempt to extract
the bullet while he is in this state. | do not
believe these people have any hope Of say
ing him."
"Oh, mother, we must save him. God
will answer our prayers" cried Grace.
"Iet us pray for that dear life together,
side by side, with heart, and strength. and
mind. Surely God must hear and answer
such prayers
In the library Mr.. Penwern. homely
looking, middle-agcd mon, with pepper
and-salt hair and whiskers, and pepper
and salt clothing to match, was listening
and questioning, and making notes, until
he had the story Of Sir Allans wound, so
far as it was known to Miss Darnel and
Col. Stukely, all in black and white be-
fore him. Then he went up to see the
room in which the catastrophe happened
and, moving to and fro, quietly, lest he
should disturb the patient in the adioin-
ing room, he made complete inspection
of the ground. Here was the spot, just in
side the threshold, where Sir Allan was
found lying, There We're stains of blood
upon the Aubusson carpet to mark the
place where he lay while they waited for
tine coming of the doctor. He had ClutChcd
the portiere as he fell, for the first three or
four hooks that sustained it were wrenchcd
from the brass rod. There was Lady Oar
nels writing-desk. She had been sitting
there writing ten minutes before she
heard the pistol from the corridor outside.
mere were the two French windows open
ing on 10 the balcony
w as either OF these windows open on the
h3ht? Yes one was open. The colonel
remembered lht Wlhd blowing III his lace
aS ne came IN at the door
MI Ien"erh stepped out upon the bal
cony and made his survey. 1t was a
pro"u' oi"-lashloheu naIcony' r"oilh@ IN
Colohhade OUTSIDE the Dreaklast-room be-
low me plaSters OF the colohhade were
,, covered win Greehery-a mighty Westerli
spread "HeI ai'hg the lrohWork IKE a
curtall' an oiu hlaghoila was trained over
one slie OF the balcony Easy enough 1oI
ah active man to reach such balcony
40 diIlcully us to access. Inc next ques
: lloil |" ne considered was motive
Any N"I''abltS Kept at thlS chd OF the
: mouse. asked the detective
Lazy parhel mas some !cWeiry IN hcl
urcSsilIE-ropm, answered Dora, but Lady