Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-08-25
CHAPTER ".
THE LOCKED DOOR.

ascending the long flights Of stairs which
led 10 his apartments, he came up two
Steps at time. But somehow a mental
depression had so mysterious and init
matc u connection with his powers of 10.
romution that when anything troubled
him very much he was apt to content
himself with the ordinary rate of prog
rys- This afternoon his footsteps Jagged
un every stair. He looked ut his latch.
key ahstractcdly for several minutes be.
fr. hc placed it in the lock, and when
hc did finally perform this operation IL
was with "a savage thrust, as though he
wanted TO stab the door. 1t was not
cutie dark when the key turned and he
vert ill.,
"Ah3' said DE- Lamar from his chair
hy the bedside in the windowless alcove
ruH- looking out between the looped
rur-5ins as the artist entered. lyon are
h.r0 1T last! am glad you have come.
IN Bnutly has just been down from the
hospital. He Is almost rs much interest
I'd In tho case rs your worthy sister. and
daut hc surprised If you sec me carried
away by the same craze. He says he
thinks there's slight change in the pa
tents mental condition.
Does that mean goodg" asked the
artist
Ills sister answered quickly:
"DI cuursc!'
'uh possibly" substituted the can
ti.E. physician. You must not let your
wishes dictate your conclusions SO large
iy. Miss Maxcy. You will make a very
Probable disappointment much more
S.ru by 50 doing. Now, i don't always
say what think, you know, but you are
Or" ricnts, and 1 cannot feel like pro-
i"-sIIud man in this house, and must
TIL you chat this case is developing some
of JIo most remarkable mental phenom-
CuG ! ever met with. Whether they
a.e sywptOms of a curious brain disease
Jr simply "reminiscences of tho normal
mental condition of the patient, l am
unable - Present to decide. Dr.. Bently
is ~ much in the dark as myself, and
when Dr. Dcntly hcsitates i'll q case of
this k.Id il is of little use to inquire
further. We have beon making some i'll
teitstiuS experiments ii your absence.
And that reminds me that Hiss Maxey
said you went out for u specific purpose.
Hav. they learned anything? What about
Oh. la-ter they found on the beach yes
t,raayt"
L,Irned"' echoed Maxey inpatient
y as ht, sister helped him off with his
cuat after which it appeared that both
a.. Llls and his necktie We're in terri
bio state. Learned! What could you
expect OF such al exasperating affair as
Tails. = there anything about it like any
thing else you ever heard of? Does any
body concerned III it do anything that q
rational being would expect him to do?
NOT bit OF it. Mark my word, now, if
the thing ever does come out, it will be
Just what nobody thought it was. But
may b. shot if / believe We are ever 60
ln- 70 know any more about it than we
90 ~ present. Our only hope is that the
Eiri VIII get well enough to tell US, and
sac WON'T. Ilnow very well she won't. !"
But the letter, Julian" urged his
sister Surely the lctter"-
Tho letter.! echoed the cxasperated
AaXny. the letter is .idst Ike every
thing clsc--a mystery .The letter leads
just where the footsteps in the snow did
nov here. s"
But even they gave us hint Of the
direction the fiend went" said the sis
t-r. "Oh, l think they arc acting terri
by stupid Ill this AFFAIR." II l could get
uut now, believe could do some
thing"
i believe you could do wonders, of
COURSE, D" returned Maxey little spite
fully, fur nc was still suffering the keen
ness of his disappointment. But ]
would like to he informed, for instance,
what you woaid do in this case:'
DO: would hunt up that Mrs. Hap
good who wrote that letter if i had to
question every man, woman and child
IN the city to Go So"
of course you would, and so would
anybody. That is just what the police
aid do Only they were sane enough to
.JuA ia the directory instead Of attempt
ing the oatcchising. Why, they had a
-lntlcinan Ia conversation with Mrs.
AapgOod before the letter had been in
thoir hands az hour"
Then there is such person9 cried
''-N N'NbbA anu ASlisS tbSCtIcI.
oh, yes, there IL, but she never
heard of or saw the letter before. and,
What 10 more, she is not acquainted with
any Annette and has not single friend
or foe to her knowledge missing or to
whom such letter could be written or
such an accident possible. And as this
a.rs. hapgood is very worthy and re-
.pcctablc old lady indeed, it is no use
10 say she would lie about such an If
lair. You see, couldn't believe it Sec
1udhand, and / have been to Sc her
myself, and that's the result.
Maxcy flung his gloves modify ON
the ccntcr table and dropped himself
with a disgustetl expression into an easy
chair, which his sister had wheeled in
mont 1T the crate.
How very strange" cried Miss
MNcy.
Well, isn't it in perfect keeping with
all the rest? ! was so exasperated to
think it should turn out in that way
H.