Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-06-28
CHAPTER V.
THE BURNED PAPER.

''They were alone.
The physician was speechless. Maxey
thought him Mortified. On the contrary,
he was amazed. When he found his
voice again, thare was but single word
in his vocabulary equal to the situation,
and he uttered it:
"Impossiblep'
Maxey did not heed him, but went on
in hopeless tone:
''It was my fault, of course, entirely
my fault. / allowed myself to be led by
her girlish whim when l ought to have
looked the matter squarely in the face
and asserted my own will. l ought to
have taken your advice, Lamar. You
know it-you foretold it all. You
warned"-
DR.. Lamar interrupted him.
"Not Of any such occurrence as this,
Maxey. Never Do you mean to tell me
that you think the patient tightened that
handkerchief around your sisters
throat?'
81 tell you," said Maxey, 81 left
them alone-absolutely alone When
came back the door was locked"
''On the inside?'
"On the inside"
Lamar swept q bewildered glance
about the apartment, stared at the pale
face on the bed in the alcove room, at
the swollen features behind the torn
drapery, at the professionally anxious
visage of the nurse, who was moving
about between the two He looked at
the doors, at the windows, at the Chin
ney place. He stepped from the corner
where he had been talking with Maxey
to the center table and began very care
fully to put his surgical instruments
back into the case from which he had
lately removed them. When he had COM
pleted this task, he closed the box with
sudden snap, and turning to the artist
with the positive energy of man who
has thoroughly made up his mind said:
"Maxey, you are crazy"
His Snphatic manner reused tht
young nun from his stupor. From the
moment when he heard the key fall from
its place on the inside of the door as ht
tried to open It everything had seemed
to him like the illogical, haphazard hap
penings Of dream. II he had acted
with promptness and vigor i'll the emer
gency, he had done so mechanically, in
sort of instructive fashion, without re-
fiection After assistance had arrived
and the immediate excitement was oyel
he went about in a daze. The physicians
sharp tone made him start. He lifted hi
eyes from the floor, unclasped his hands
which had been folded behind his back
and passed his palm over his throbbin9
forehead.
II believe you are more than hal
right" he murmured. '"The blow was 81
sudden and unexpected that it crushed
me. Lamar, you have always been the
best of friends. We were boys together
know you wouldn't deceive me about ;
matter of this kind. Tell me the trutl
at once. You have grave fears for Ell
len?'
"No, / haven't" returned Lama
quickly. II have no fears at all. Sh
will be herself again with proper care il
three days. Don't imagine from tina
there has been no danger. 1t was ter
ribly narrow escape, terribly marrow
escape. :"
Escape from what, from whom? Yol
said just now that I was crazy, Lamar
because gave utterance to what seemed
to me the only possible suspicion NAL
could entertain. l come home, find then
alone, and l infer that the poor, ire
sponsible creature had indeed fulfilled
your prediction and brought terribl
trouble upon us. And now you say
impossible, the physician inter
posed positively.
"Annette did not do it?"
"Annette could not have done it. -"
Maxey seemed electrified. He glance
around the room with All air of suspicio
and excitement. Then with characters
tic impulsiveness he seized his hat all
coat.
Lamar, who had been watching hir
with look of grave concern i'll his hand
some features, laid his hand gently O
his shoulder.
"What are you going to do?"
"Do? am going to the police. I ar
going to have this matter investigate
| at once. p
He stopped short, amazed by the eS
preston which he saw i'll the physician
face.
"No, Julian Maxey, not if ! can pre-
vent it"
The serious, earnest gravity, the utte
solemnity of DR.. Lamar's speech an
manner, frightened the artist.
"What is it, Lamar? For heaven
sake, what are you thinking about?'
81 cannot tell you here. Let me- Sc
you in private. D."
A nervous trembling took Maxey a
at once. He did not know why. He lie
the way to the fronttof the house. Ther
was dim light i'll the parlor. Make
did not turn it up. He sat down clos
beside the physician on sofa. Lama
did not seem to see his way clearly
what he wanted to say, and after n,t
ment's silence Maxey spoke up excitedly
There's something on your MINI
Lamar; l know it. There is somethin
which you know and / don't know, 6
serious that you hesitate to tell me of 1t.
"No," said Lamar gravely. 81 kno
nothing which you do not know-muc
less, in fact, than you ought to know.
only desire that you shall stop to thin
before you act You have not told II
everything"
"Good heavens, how am I to tell yc
everything? We must question Ellen.
II had rather not question Ellen. "
Maxey was silent from astonishmen
my dear boy, said the physician
, low and not wholly steady voice, "a
you sure your sister has been entire
happy of later"
II am quite sure she has notp erie
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