Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1892-10-13
a whisper; "youu take care of me

. whisper; "rouH take care of me
won't you7'
But the girls great eyes only rivet-
ed themselves in more hopeless, help
less terror upon the apparition. Every
muscle seemed paralyzrd.
He drew a chair to the open crate,
as II the IRE were most welcome.
You See" be said in hrs quiet, soft
voice, 'if they track me here they may
hang me, and they would be wrong
all wrong. / did not intend to Sill
her. but she would not hold still"
At this he laughed a bl~ood-curdling
laugh. and the harrid truth burst upon
the girls daze,l senses. She was alone
with a maniac. All the stories she had
eycr rsad rus.,cd to her memoir, and
the only clear idea that che had WAS
that she must. Il possible, hufEor his
yagaries till help came. Shr was a
petted. spoiled darling. but she lad
greath strength Of will and she now
called it into requisitiOn.
She hurriedly glanced at the clock,
and calculated how long il would be
before her dear ones should arrive.
Alas! it was Just 8. What, oh. what
could she do? OF whom did he sgeakf
Kill her? Kill whom? Then the
mystery Of tie murdered girl darted
into her mind. Katie had been right,
then There was in truth a murdered
girl. Was this her SLAYER?
Suddenly, with confidential gesture,
he babe her sit down near him.
I'll tell you all about it," he said.
'lf she had only kept still! But she
screamed and tried to run away. /
can t stand noise. 1t sets me wild. ]
must have this blOoc-this pure, Young.
hfegiving stream. But she would not
requirce' she asked with pallid lips
and a voice that stroye in vain Il be
steady.
Only a handkerchief and a BASIN
he said, coollv. You are not afraid?
Good girl! Nov for my browning VIC
toryi'
As 3 sleep-walker she produced the
articles and barred her round white
arm. SkIlifully he bound il, aad TEN
DERBY made the incisiOu; but as she
felt the warm crimson tide trickle
down, she gave u feeble gasp and
knew no more.
Get on rs fast as you can, driver
said George Barrett. as he and Mabel
took seats in the village stage. Then
turning to his companion he said in re-
assuring tones: Don't be frightened.
dear. she is all right"
Il know it is foolish" said Mabel.
'but those wretched placards make me
nervous, and Ill that talk about es-
capped murderers and luuatics! / am
almost beside myself. Do hurryr'
As the wide portals of Crestdale APP
peared Mabel cried, in sudden terror:
"Something is wrong. George. See
how dim the lights are! She would Dc
here TO welcome Us, ! know"
With the ~tieetness born of anxiety
Mabel a into the hall and upstairs
TO her sisters apartment George felt
impelled to follow and reached the
door Just "a a shrill scream sounded
from the room. With one stride he
entered.
MY Godl" he exclaimed. and fell on
his knees beside the bed, for there,
bound hand and foot. lay the pale, still
form of Jessie Winthrop aud on the
do1r was a basin of blood.
Mabel chung to her sister. wildly i'm
ploring her To speak tn her. Recover
ing his presence of mind, the young
man hastily unbound the sii&en cords
from the delicate wrists and ankles
and bent over the white face. Eagerly
he noted faint culver of the eyelids,
when a figure bounded from behind
the heavy pnrtiere. which lOosed from
its cords had fallen to the door, and
sprang from the room, intervening
Michael. who was entering the door
with a parcel.
The mau gave a yell of terror, and
instantly the house was in an uproar.
See to her. MabelIT shouted George,
IS he darted in frantic pursuit.
But the man had utterly disappeared
in the din. Katie. who had been nap
ping in the kitchen. now added her
scream to the uproar, and a furious
ringing At the bell sounded long aud
loud. The latter pruceeded from Q
party of men who were in pursuit of a
mar whose face had been seen at the
tower window ut Crestdale. Whether
the escaped lunatic from t { state asv-
lnm. or the escaped murderer for whom
there was a large reward offered, re-
manned to be proved.
The search tpat was instituted soon
unearthed the victim who dashed out
upon the roof. and rather than be cap
iured I rev himself from the tower.
HIS mangled remains were removed,
amid the horror and excitement of the
assembled crowd below.
All night the anxious watchers hung
over the prustrate girl, gathering her
story, bit by bit. IL was supposed that
the maniac had bound her for the final
and fatal operation he had glOried in
when the sound of their ARRIVAL fright
ened him away.
For days Jessie Winthrop was i'll
frum the terrible shock. the wedding
was utterly quiet, but George refused
to have il deferred.
1t was months before the stricken
bride would consent to live ut Crest
dale, aud years must elapse before she
can refer with eomposure to katie's
muTtherin ghost.