Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-05-14
CHAPTER /.

ing and rose and began to dress.
What could be the matter7 The lit
tie clock on his dressing case pointed
to ten. What had caused him to over
sleep? Why had Mr.. Strong not wnked
him as usual2 The old nun was always
up with the sun, and had never allowed
him to sleep later than eight.
The young man hurrielly put on his
trousers, thrust his feet into his Slip
pers, and drew. aside the portiere that
hung between his room and his uncIe'E
Strong's bed was in the righthand
corner of the ROOM and WILDLY could
see the back part of his head and one
side of his gray whiskers.
WILDLY called to him softly. but
Strong did not stir. WILDLY .eulled
again, and stamped his foot, but still
the old man remained motionless.
"That's queer" murmured WILDLY,
as he approached the bed. Strong's face
was towards the window; his eyes were
open; CHASTITY smile was on his face.
He was dead. WILDLY saw that BY the
awful pallor Of his face, which made
each hair Of the beard stand out as II
under q magnitying glass. Fora mo-
ment WILDLY stood as IL turned to
stone; then he drew down the sheet,
which had been drawn up closely under
the old mans chin, and saw the long
deep cash in the throat and the dark
clots of the blood which had soaked into
the mattress. ~
WILDLY was strangely calm. In IN
instant he had decided on a course Of
action. He stepped to the telephone
across the room, and looked over the
directory; then he rang, and held the
receiver to his ear
Hello" he said. "that's the central
office. isn't It? Well. all right; one
seventy-six on four eighty-two. please .
''Well. what is it?" presently came
from the telephone.
us that police headquarters?"
EYES,"
II am Alfred WILDLY. 27s Leighton
avenue. A horrible thing has occurred
here during the night. I-have just dis
covered that my uncle, Mr.. Strong
Richard N. Strong. the banker-has
been murdered. Come and attend to
it."
There was a silence, broken by low,
indistinct murmuring us II people were
talking at the other end of the wire;
then the reply came:
"All right; us soon as we can get
there"
Then WILDLY hung up the receiver
<I0 hnli ~ u IT, -
his room, put on his shirt, collar and
necktie, and brushed his hair. His
head still felt heavy and ached little
The electric cars were whirring past the
house, and blind man was playing an
accordion a few doors away. There
was crunching step on the graveled
walk near his window. WILDLY raised
the sash and looked out. 1t was Mat
thews, the gardener.
Seeing WILDLY. he touched his hat
stopped. and asked after Mr.. Str1&g.
WILDLY made no reply, but sat down on
the window-sill and stared Mt the old
man. He was wondering II tho police
would prefer for him to keep the news
from the gardener. 1t was the look OF
slow establishment coming into Mat.
thews' eyes that made him decide what
to say.
Matthew'S he said. something has
happened: can tell you that muchl
but that is all. ! have telcphoncd the
police; you'd better not come in till
they get here. II ! were you I'd go on
with my work: the rose bushes near the
fountain need trimming"
Matthews stirred and started TO speak
hut WILDLY withdrew, sat down on the
side of his bed and tried to collect his
thoughts. Suddenly he was reused by
a sharp ring at the door lell.. Wild,
by's heart sank. and he was NIL in a
culver, but he rose calmly and went to
the door. 1t was boy with the morn.
ing paper. lie held also bill in his
hand. and wanted to collect the money
due to him for delivering the paper for
the month past. but WILDLY sent hin
away, and stood for several minutes in
the doorway watching the crowd pass
ing in the street. Then he closed the
door. and went into his unclc's room
and walked rcstlcssiy to and fro at the
foot Of the bed. Suddenly be stopped
at the telephone and rang the bell.
Zone seventy-five on four eighty-two
please" he said.
"Hello there" was the reply.
"Well?" said WILDLY.
"You are one seventy-six instead d
one seventy-tive, aren't your"
Eyes. Did say one seventy-fve7
meant one seventy-six."
"All right; there you are, Mr.. Wild
by"
"Whidby!" thought the young man.
II wonder how he knew my name. All,
he must have overheard me speaking to
the police"
The bell rang.
"Hello," said WILDLY. II. that police
headquarters?"
Eyes. What Is it?"
Thin Is Alfred WILDLY. 27S Leighton