Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1897-10-19
CHAPTER I.


front veranda and drove on to the next
house in the street. The iceman came
along half an hour later, looked curious
Y at the closed door. as he unfastened
<he hooks from a block of ice, and
raped loudly on the step, but no one
came to answer his call.
An hour later a young man sleeping
in the front room downstairs awoke
suddenly and sat up in bed. He was
astonished to note that the sunlight on
the carpet extended from the window
far into the room, indicating that the
sun had risen above the tall buildings
across the street. He felt a strange
heaviness in his head, and a desire to lie
down again, but he shook off the feel
ing and rose and began to dress.
What could be the matter? The lit
tie clock on his dressing case pointed
TO ten. What had caused him to over
sleep? Why had Mr.. Strong not walked
him as usual? The old man was always
up with the sun, and had never allowed
him to sleep later than eight.
The young man hurriedly put on his
trousers, thrust his feet into his Slip
!,ers, and drew aside the portiere that
hung between his room and his uncle's.
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 called
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 if
''nder magnifying glass. For mo-
zment WILDLY stood as if 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 an
snstant 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 Oh four eighty-two, please"
"Well, what is it?" presently came
from the telephone.
rs that police headquarters?'
Eyes"
Il am Alfred WILDLY, 27s Leighton
avenue. A horrible thing has occurred
here during the night. have just dis
covered that my uncle, Mr.. Strong
Richard n. Strong, the banker-has
been murdered. Come and attend to
at
There was silence, broken by a low,
tndistinct murmuring as if people were
talking at the other end of the wire;
then the reply came:
"All right; as soon as we can get
there"
Then WILDLY hung up the receiver
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 a blind man was playing an
accordion few doors away. There
was a crunching step on the graveled
walk near his window. WILDLY raised
the sash and looked out. It was Mat
thews, the gardener.
Seeing WILDLY, he touched his hat,
stopped, and asked after Mr.. Strong.
WILDLY made no reply, but sat down on
the window-sill and stared at the old
man. He was wondering if the police
would prefer for him to keep the news
from the gardener. It was the look of
slow establishment coming into Mat
thews' eyes that made him decide what
to say.
Matthews" he said, ''something has
1,appened; I can tell you that much,
but that is all. I have telephoned the
police; you'd better not come in till
they get here. If I were you I'd 60 On
with my work; the rose bushes near the
fountain need trimming."
Matthews stared and started to speak,
but WILDLY withdrew, sat down on the
side of his bed and tried to collect his
thoughts. Suddenly he Was reused by
Il sharp ring at the. door bell, Wild
by's heart sank, and he was all in a
CULVER, but he rose calmly and went to,
che door. It was a boy with the morn
ing paper. He 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 him
away, and stood for several minutes in
the doorway watching the crowd pass
5ng in the street. Then he closed the
door, and went into his uncle's room
and walked restlessly to and fro at the
footgaf the bed. Suddenly he stopped
at the elephone and rang the bell u t }ss4
One seyenty-five On four eighty-two,s
please" he said.