The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-07-16
LOST MANS LANE.
BY ANNA KATHERINE GREEN.
PRIZE NOVELTIES, No. ~.
,y ANNA KATHERINE GREEN.

You have an idea and so have I. What
"That the brother has mania. That
the sisters know II and try to shield
him. That his mania is for killing
people, and he sometimes succeeds,
greatly to their horror Then they bury
the victims-n
"TIorriblel Unheard of" i broke in,
aghast.
But he went stoically on:
"The knollys were always queer. The
father was a stern, sad-faced man; and
the mother ran away and left her children
when they were very little. She died in
q foreign land and they all wore mourn
ing, but they never mention her. name
and do not encourage any one else 10.
The children may have Inherited their
bad qualities from her."
ri am going TO see those children" i
remarked. III do not come back, you
will know where TO find me-"
"But shan't," he objected. "It Is
that very feature OF the affair which
battles us. People go into that road but
they don't come out, and they don't leave
any trace behind them. / tell you there
Is some fearful secret in connection with
this matter. The victims are taken un-
awares as am afraid you will be. Had
you not better let me go along with
your
"Never," said, "But IL do not come
back by two O'Clock, you can come after
me-" And secure I'm my nerve and self
reliance, 1 took up my surveyors instru-
ments and bodily set out again for Lost
Mans Lane.
did not go by Mr.. Trohm's house this
gate. made my approaches from the
rear, and carefully and with circumspec-
tion, searched that portion OF the woods
In which Miss Grant had seen the burial
party disappear. What found was very
simple, but TO my mind OF sufficient
importance for me to form a plan Of
action.
Calling to group OF small children
who had persistently followed me ever
since entered the woods, cried outs
"Ten cents for the boy who brings me a
spadei" And when this ten cents was
earned, added within hearing OF them
all: "Now, don't any OF you run and tell
Miss Knollys that / am going to dig up
this crossed stick you see here She
might give you another ten and stop me. +"
"But what are you going to dig 1t up
for2" bawled out one.
because it's keeping down spook. Now
run of and tell Miss Knollys that and
get your ten cents"
With shout they circled into a knot
and vanished. But one little figure slid
away In the direction of the big gray
walls / could family discern In the dis
tance, and judging that my somew hat
took of my coat and inserted my spade
into the moist earth. Then I waited
until heard the sound OF hurrying feet
behind me, when i dug up q large piece
of earth and flung 1t to one side.
A gasp Of irrepressible dismay, uttered
almost IN my eur, warned me to desiet,
and turning round ! saw two young wo-
men standing not five feet away, with
wide staring eyes, and hands clutched
thing more than the effort Of running.
One spoke as looked up.
"What are you doing here7" she cried.
"You have no right to dig in our
woods"
hastened to apologize. "I am q sur
veyor," said I. 81 meant no harm, I as
sure you. / merely want to drive a stake
here"
"But why here2" cried out the other.
is there no other place In ell these woods
that you should plant your spade in
in"
"a grave?' demanded, dropping my
spade and advancing determinedly. "is
that what you meant to say? II so----"
/ had struck the truth. saw 1t In the
instant collapse which took place, not
only in their bodies, but in the spirit
which informed them, and While felt
the natural satisfaction OF the successful
detective, was also conscious OF deep
shrinking from the task imposed upon
me, for these young women were no COM
mon women, and Lucetta especially (or
she whom ! had fixed upon as Lucetta}
was exceedingly lovely, so lovely, indeed,
that i wondered how Miss Grant could
have mentioned her name without saying
how beautiful she was
"Who are you, ; gasped Miss Knollys,
catching hold OF her sisters hand, partly
to gain and partly to give the support
they both so evidently needed. "Because
there Is crossed stick planted here, do
you think our woods cemotery?"
81 think this spot grave" answered,
"and my thought is important, Miss
Knollys, because while am not ready to
say that lied in declaring myself a sur
veyor, do feel II incumbent upon me to
inform you that j am also detective,
sent here to ferret ont the crimes which