The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-06-08


and they'll soon have her out of it
thought he looked somewhat astonished,
and l 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 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 man. / 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 I 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 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. ~
Maxey threw himself on knee beside
the bed and put back the hair from his
sisters forehead with tremulous hand
ELLEN! Ellenp' 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 Inc, 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 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-I was-asleep-1
heard Annette cry-and then-I felt
myself-grow faint
"There, therel" cried Maxey, starting
up. "You 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 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
drew Lamar into corner near the win.
dow, a window that looked out over the
dark, lonesome river. The black tide
flowed on silently beneath the thicken.
ing ice. A chill gust of wind from the
sea passed the house with a rush. The
windows ratified ominously in the sash.
The artist started.
"How searching the wind is tonight
All, here is the mischief! The sash is not
shut tightly at the bottom"
Abstractedly he clcesal and locked the
window and came away.
"Yes, yes, he muttered. "It is better
to go to the police at once"
Not to tho police, good Maaey, not tc
the tardy officers Of humaS Justice
not in that direction lies the thing OF
which you are in search, but down there
down there where the lonesome river
flows silently beneath the thickening
ice and all is cold and dark.
ITO BE CONTINUED