Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-11-30

ened he loked when he spoke OF lt!"
Eyes" said DENIM, and that leads
me to believe we are on the point OF
making some important discovery
cannot imagine what-but which Will
bring that villain, and perhaps the
landlord himself into trouble.
Having delivered himself of this
sage conclusion, DENIM washed him
self and after | had done likewise we
went below to see about supper, exert
ing ourselves to the utmost to appear
as unconcerned as possible
Ike was not visible, and the land
lord, who was waiting on some new
customers. directed us to the dining
room slyly handing me, as he did SO,
something wrapped in paper, which
like Il key
On sitting down to supper | opened
the paper, and, sure enough, ! found 1t
contained a door key, while on the pa
per were scrawled several lines, which
I made out to read as follows:
This Key fits the Dore between the
rooms--don't kun to the Bar agin IL
mite, and lux out for people in Room
on t'other side of Partition-you will
find Bags in Closet of Room"
'sAha!" said DENIM. when he had de-
ciphered the scrawl in his turn, the
mystery deepens What on earth are
the bags for? Really, joe I'm beginning
to think Wen get our fingers burnt il
we attempt to handle this thing. Let's
get out of this internal hole before it
is too late
What, you are not going to back
outW I said. my curiosity being so
fully reused by the strange note, so l
was determined to fathom the mys-
terry.
mot, if you are determined to stick
to it, my old chum."
After supper we went directly to our
room, taking with us large lamp
which had been lighted for our use.
1T was then eleven O'Clock.
Through the partition on the right,
opposite the door opening into the 9th
er room. we heard voices. and listened.
It Vras some miners, judging from their
:alk, discussing business matters.
These We're doubtless the people
against whom the note had warned US.
They did not separate till midnight,
and / can assure the reader it was a
long wait for us-for DENIM and me.
Soon after we heard them GO out;
the house became as still as death.
Then, with strange feeling creeping
over me, / babe DENIM take up the
camp, and, going on tiptoe to the side
door, l unlocked it, very carefully, so
as not to make the slightest noise, and
slowly opened it,
A damp, chilly air struck our faces,
and the light Jared UP. TIE windows
of the room We're raised, but the shut
tiers We're closed tight.
We entered. There was no carpet on
the floor and no furniture save Il long
deal table in the middle of the room.
To the right in the farther corner, was
a cot, with 4 blanket thrown over il;
to the left a closet.
well" I was on the point Of say
ing, Il see no mystery in this Wien
DENIM, who was between me and the
farther corner, holding the lamp, s1ari-
ed back, suddenly and clltched my
arm.
''Heavens. Joel" lie said, in q hoacse
whisper, there's something covered up
on the cot"
The hand with which he held the
lamp shook SO thar fearing he would
drop it, / took it FROM him. and, in
breathless uSp~n;sn, we wen- on tptoe
to the cot.
Yes; there WAS certainly something
under the blanket. Something that
looked like the top of ii human head
peeped out
I pulled down the blanket a little,
and CHASTITY face, framed by long,
brown hair, stared up at us with CLASSY
eyes.
Mortified, I recoiled and set the lamp
upon the table, while DENIM staggered
back against the wall, murmuring:
For Gods sake, Joe, what does this
mean?"
st MEANS ! replied, mastering my
emotion, 1T means that we stand face
to face with the victim of crime
a murdered woman. Clicked to DEATH
"Choked"' gasped DENIM. How do
you know that:"
1T is very evident, I made answer,
approaching the cot again. See for
yourself and I showed DENIM, at
the throat, several dark marks, like the
gravely, 'are the irrefutable proofs.
witnesses
Cover 1t up again, joe The sight is
too hosTlblev' moaned DENIM. I'VE
lluSG ,SDl ulSluID lG--ll IllSI NC I'LL stS
we found it, and Selling the blanket
with shudder he pulled it over the
staring face.
''And now what's to be done?" he
continued. "Our first step is undoubt-
edly to go and lodge a complaint
against this Ike and Pete Burroughs,
the landlords We must do so at
once"
mot so fast, my boy. Do you mag
inc we would be allowed to leave this
house by stealth at this hour? No,
indeed, we are supposed to be-
.'What?'' asked DENIM, impatiently,
as l paused.
Cutting the body up. Of course, so
that they can conveniently dispose OF
it--bury the pieces separately, no doubt
Isn't the matter clear to you now? The
rascals, having foully murdered this
poor woman here, have not dared to
carry the body away rs it is, and have
not had the courage to cut it up. Some
oneone, for 4 round sum of money,
las agreed to furnish them Il yillainous
doctor and an assistant, who would
do the Job for them. Don't you remem-
Der that Ike said to me. when le eau
tened me i'll the other room, We look
ed for you two days ago, doctor. And
what he meant by You've got what
you need in them things, pointing to
our valises, were the surgical instGu-
mcnts necessary for the operation"
/, opening valise, took out two load
ed revolvers, and going up to DENIM,
said in q whisper:
''Take this revolver and keep your
wits about you. Certain it is that
other Ike or the landlord will be here