Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-07-09
Continued.

The professor explained.
We'll" said the doctor. though fully,
the fact remains, if you are ycrain
that you placed Starkweather's bod, in
that chamber" He was looking
sharply at the professor, and stepped
when the elder man flushed and
frcwneQ Indignantly
Il hope do not need to repeat again
what ! have twice told you" he inter
posed eoldly.
NO; and the fact remains, then, that
a dead man vanished into thin air. Ii
won't 40 professor You are au older
man and wiser man than |, and do
not need to be told that that is an I'M
possibility"
you state the impossible PROPOSE
ton said the professor, calmly 4
did not suggest that Starkweather van
ished into thin air"
You have suggested no other hy-
pothesis."
What time have had to think - re-
torted Professor Drummoud, irritably
He clinched his fist ami stared out OF
the window at the treetops just visible
across the river. The doctor was 81
lent. There was 10 evidence Of hal
lucnat!on in the professors replies,
and then, there was Bet5ey's evidence
which the doctor had momentarily for
gotten. She had spoken incohegently
and almost inartiCulately, but both he
and the young ladies had inferred that
somebody al Fairview had dropped
dead.
"Id give good deal to know what
Betsey saw" thought the doctor.
ct comes to this" said the professor
talking as if to himself, 81 must nave
been mistaken in the symptoms OF
death. Starkweather must have left
the room"
Did he have KEY to it," asked the
doctor
Il didn't know that he had, bat an
expert mechanic with odds ana ends
of tools in his pockets might have got
out"
And locked the door after him.
Humphw
Professor DrumCmnd frowned at the
doctor i
"Why shouldn't ne do that" he asked
IF he had reasons for fetgning death?'
DR. Williams felt that he must pro-
coed cautiously. The professor was ex.
planning the situation on the only by
pothesis tenable except the one the doc
tor favored, that the whole episode wa,
more or less a deluson. If it were pos
oil 10 irI ~ 1.
pothesis, it would be infinitely the 1est
thing for the comfort of Louise
Very we'll, professor" he remarked
quietly; the next thing to do, then, is
to search the house
He arose, expecting Professor Drum
mond to adopt the suggestion willingly
but the professor sat still.
Shall we begin on this floor" asked
the doctor.
1t isn't likely that he's in the house,
replied Professor DrummOnd
I'VE must find out" and the doctor
went resolutely oward the door.
well, if you insist upon it" said the
professor, lets be methodical, and be
gin at the top story"
1t is not necessary 10 detail their
search, an operation watched With
growing anxiety by the young Ladies
who remained in the broad hall, but
when it was concluded and they came
UP from the basement DR.. Williams
said
There is one room, professor, that |
think we haven't been into I'm not
familiar enough with the house to be
certain whether or not we have opened
every door but 1t is my impression that
we omitted the one at the very end OF
the corridor on this floor"
My shop, said Professor Drum.
mond
You said he started to go there.
Let's look in He may have recovered
suddenly and gone on with mis- errand, .
NO, doctor" said the professor, TAX
Ing him by the arm we won't go
there
The doctor turned in surprise.
It's the most likely place Of all, he
protested. IF Starkweather had some
kind Of fit it would be the natural
thlng Tor him, upon partial recovery, to
proceed blindly to the place for which
he had started. He may have wan
dered in there in a condition OF ire
sponsibility and he may need our
help"
Or. Williams was speaking in whis-
pers, for fear Of further agitatius the
young ladies', who kept at a distance.
He added with emphasis, Il insist upon
il, professor"
That's sad waste Of energy. re
sponded Professor Drummond. sheer
ingly,
You mean that you will no. ON
ply whispered the doctor. with some
teelng
Precisely"
Why. It's inhuman! What do YOU
mean br such an a5itude?"
The shop is my chamber OF secrets.
doctor, and no man Is permitted 10 en-