Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-09-01

1T is very important that you should
not give hasty answer to the question
am going to ask you-very important,
for failure in your recollection may
get us all into trouble"
81 hope, Mr.. Marcy, there is nothing
serious in the matter"
"Your hopes are vain then. There is
something very serious the matter. Did
you see anybody about the hall after my
departure?'
mo, SIR"
"You are sure?''
am, because, you see, I was going
down cellar at the time to look after
the furnaces, and / staid below there
for an hour. No, sir. am sorry can't
help you, but haven't seen anybody.
That's the fact Of it, sir. I'd have re-
membered it if had. I don't forget
easy, even little trifies like that. Now,
there was q. friend Of yours here this
morning asking after you, and could re-
peat the whole circumstances
Repeat them, please" said Maxey
quickly.
The man came here to the foot of the
stairs. It's too much trouble to 20 up, >
he said, but have you seen my friend
Mr.. Maxey today:' I have, said. How
is he looking?' was his next question.
Looking fine, sir, says l. And that in
valid Of his, that girl they found ON the
rocks, how is she coming on?'"
At this point the janitor's face be-
came troubled, and he looked little
confused.
well, said Maxey, that very i'm
portant. What was your answer. Tell
us exactly
Maybe l told him more than had
any right to tell, but the fact is, sir, l
was in hurry and wanted to be rid of
him. Says I, oh, she's all right. All
right?' he says. What do you mean?' 4
mean they re doctOring her up, says,
and they'll soon have her out of it.
thought he looked somewhat astonished,
and said to him, If you want to know
any particulars, you'd better go right up
and see the gentleman himself, sir, l
said. Some other time, he remarked
and turned square around and walked
OUT
Maxey and Lamar looked at each
other. There was an interrogation in
both glances.
did you ever see this lazy friend of
mine before:" questioned Maxey.
Only once, sir. That's how knew
when saw him he was friend Of yours.
He came day before yesterday and asked
me the same questions.
"And wouldn't go up:''
HE was averse to climbing, SIR
Can you describe him.
well, he was a man, l should say,
about 40, with small eyes, near together,
bushy eyebrows, smooth face and a hook
nose. He wore handsome pin in his
shirt front. ! don't know as l can say
much more definite
( This means something" cried Max
ey, with a touch of his former excite
ment as they remounted the stairs
And to think that our hands are tied
Ii only l might ask Ellen two little
questions
| Lamar made no reply to this, but as
soon rs he reached the room he went TO
the bedside, felt the patients pulse and
Exchanged few words with the nurse.
Ellen lay with her face swollen. her
throat well bandaged, breathing with
great pain and difficulty. The physician
turned from an earnest scrutiny Of her
face to the artist. The emergency seemed
SO grave to him that he resolved to per
NIT matter which ordinarily he would
have been too cautious to countenance
"You may ask her Just one question. y
Maxey threw himself on knee beside
the bed and put back the hair from hi:
sisters forehead with a tremulous hand
ELLEN! Ellenv' he murmured.
A slight motion of the head indicated
that she heard him.
Don't try to turn your head, dear
Don't exert yourself to answer me, but
tell me, if you can, who did it?''
The head nodded slightly in the mega
tive, and the lips made an unsuccessful
attempt to frame an answer.
"Think, Ellen! Did you turn the Ike,
in the door?''
Again the negative motion of tn,
head. Again the lips moved. Maxey pu
his ear close down and caught the pain
fully whispered words:
II don't know|I was-asleep-
| AASeAAN AAAAASeVN ~ y-tlAu tACAk-4 AC4V
myself-grow faint
There, there!" cried Maxey, startin,
up. lyon have told me enough, dear
Don't try to talk any more. Lamar,
tell you there is something wrong here
This must be placed in the hands Of tn
police. Unless my instinct deceives IN
this dastardly attack on my poor siste
is intimately connected with the matte
that kept us waiting that cold night Of
the sea road.
Maxey had passed from the bedside an
drew Lamar into a corner near the win
dow, a window that looked out over tn
dark, lonesome river The black It'd
flowed ON silently beneath the thicker
ing ice. A chill gust of wind from tn
sea passed the house with a rush. TIL
windows ratified ominously in the sash
The artist started.
"How searching the wind is tonight
All, here is the mischief! The sash is nc
shut tightly at the bottom"
Abstractedly he closed and locked til
. | window and came away.