Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-05-18
" What is thdt?"

- hGt Is thUtI'
paper which was very anxious to keep,
and which Ellen was quite as particular
about I left it here on the table What
do you make of it, Lamar? What would
you do?"
81 confess 1 am in the dark. But
am very certain you want to save that
scrap of paper and to keep the event in
mind If not now, the day may come
when it will supply q most important
evidence. AS for now, I would suggest
that you question the people in the
house..
Maxey proceeded at once to act upon
the suggestion. The physician, after
stopping a moment to examine his pa
tient, put ON his hat and followed him.
Tho occupants Of the floor below had
heard nothing and seen nothing, but
Maxey persisted with the determination
of despair. He found the janitor at the
foot of the stairs.
''My good man. he said to him, edo
you recall seeing me go out with my
friend, the doctor, here, just after dark"
81 do, sir, very well, sir. -
1T is very important that you should
not give a hasty answer to the question
L am going to ask you-very important,
for failure in your recollection may
get us all into trouble -
81 hope, Mr.. Maxey, 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 arc sure?'
81 am, because you see, was going
down cellar at the time to look after
the furnaces, and I staid below there
for an hour. No, sir. I 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 1 had. I don't forget
easy, even little trifles 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.
1.-The man came here to the foot Of the
stairs. It's too much trouble to go up, ,
he said, but have you seen my friend
Mr.. Maxcy today?' I have, said. How
is he looking?' was his next question.
Looking fine, sir, says I. 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
"Wen, said Maxey, "that's very i'm
portant. What was your answer. Tell
US exactly"
Maybe 1 told him more than 1 had
any right to tell, but the fact is, sir,
was in hurry and wanted to be rid Of
him. Says 1, oh, she's all right All
right he says What do you mean?' I
mean they're doctoring her up, I 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,
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 chances.
did you ever see this lazy friend of
mine before?" questioned Maxey.
"Only once, sir. That's how knew
when l saw him he was friend of yours.
He came day before yesterday and asked
me the same questions. -
And wouldn't 80 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 hook
nose. He wore a handsome pin in his
shirt front. | don't know as l can say
much more definite. -
''This means something" cried Max
ey, with touch of his former excite
ment as they remounted the stairs.
"And to think that our hands are tiedl
If only I might ask Ellen two little
questions.
Lamar made no reply to this, but as.
soon as 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 we'll 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 oountenance.
You may ask her just ono question.
Maxey threw himself on knee beside
the bed and put back the hair from his
sisters forehead with a tremulous hand.
ELLEN! Ellenr' he Inurmured.
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, yho did it?'
The head nodded slightly in the mega
tive, and the lips made an unsuccessful
attempt to frame an answer.
t"Think. Ellen! Did you turn the key
in the door?'
Again the negative motion OF the
head. Again the lips moved. Maxey put
his ear close down and caught the pain
fully whispered words:
II don't know-1 was-asleep-1
heard Annette cry-and them felt
mysef-grow faint
"There, there'' cried Maxey, starting
up. "You have told me enough, dear.
Don't try to talk any more. Lamar, I
tell you there is something wrong here.
This must be placed in the hands Of the
police. Unless my instinct deceives me
this dastardly attack on my poor sister
is intimately connected with the matter
that kept US waiting that cold night on
the sea road.
Maxey had passed from the bedside and