The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-06-17

lie spoke OF his wife with great anec.
ton and regret. but still he could speak
OF her and not nnsieadily. Al dinner
he also spoke of one or two other sub
jects, Of politics and of his duties As =
magistrate, and OF course he made the
requisite fuss about his gratitude TO me
for coming down TO Ellerdon at that
time. After dinner we sat in the H.
Drary, a rooa well and extensively fur
nished, but without the least attempt at
taste. There were a few oil paintings
on the walls--a presentation portrait
OF himself, and a landscape or two-all
more or less bad as far as ] remember.
He had eaten next 10 nothing at din
ner, but he had drunk a good deal; the
wine, however, did not seem TO have the
least effect upon him. | had got the
conversation definitely off the subject
| of his wife when / made a blunder. l
noticed an Erichsen's extension stand
ing on his writing table. said:
Il didn't know that telephones had
penetrated into the villages yet"
Yes" he said, Il believe they are
common enough now. | had that one
fitted up during my wife's illness 10
communicate with her bedroom on the
floor above us on the other side CT the
house."
At that moment the bell of the tele-
phone rang sharply.
We both looked at each other. Isaid,
with the stupid affectation Of calmness
one always puts on when one Is a little
bit frightened:
probably a servant in that room
wishes to speak TO you"
lie got up, walked over to the ma
chine, and swung the green cord
I towards me; the end of it was loose.
81 had it disconnected this morning
he said; .'also, the door of that room j,
locked. and no one can possibly be in it,
lie had turned the color Of gray blot
ting paper; so probably had /.
The bell rang again-a prolonged
rafting ring.
"Are you going to answer II i" said
Il am mott he answered, firmly.
"Then," | said. II shall answer it my
self. Il is some stupid trick, a joke no
in the best Of taste, for which you vii
probably nave to sack one or other O.
your domestics."
"My servants" he answered. "woult
not nave lone that. Besides. don't yol
see it is impossible? The instrument j
disconnected"
THE bell rang all the same; l shall
try IT,"
picked up the receiver.
Are YOU therein called.
The voice which answered me was IN
! mistakably the rather high staccat
voice of Mrs. Pyrwhit.
II want ycu." it said. "to tell my hus
, band that he will be with me TO mol
row."
:. / still listened. Nothing more wa
said.
/. repeated Are you there?" and sti
there was no answer.
turned TO Pyrwhit.
There is no one there" said. "Po,
sibly there is thunder in the air affec'
: ing the bell in some mysterious wa,
There must be some simple explanation
and I'll find il all out Tomorrow"
He went to bed early that night. A
the following day ! was with him. "
rode together and / expected an acc
dent every minute, but one happene
All the evening / expected him to tut
suddenly faint and i'll. but that also d.
not happen. When, at about ten o'cloc
! he excused himself and said good nigl
/ felt distinctly relieved. He went !
!, TO his room and rung for Williams.
The rest is, of course, well know
The mans reason had broken dow
possibly the immediate cause being II
= death of Mrs. Pyrwhit. On entering h
masters room, without the least he.
tation. he raised loaded revolver whi'
= he carried in his hand. and shot Pyrwh
- through the heart. l believe the case
=, mentioned in some OF the text books
= homicidal mania.-Black and White.