Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-05-04
CHAPTER XXI.
RELIEF.

hrLlTrs
The plan succeeded. Mr. Gryce's
plans usually do. William went imme-
diately to his room, and in little
while came down and FASTENED into the
cellar.
II want to see what mischief they
have DONE" said he.
When he came back, his face was
beaming.
"All right" he shouted to his sis
tiers, who had come into the hall to
meet him. Your secrets ont, butt
'There there" interposed Lorcen,
'you had better go up stairs and pre-
pare for supper. We must eat, Will
liam, or rather Miss ButterwOrth must
eat, whatever our sorrows or disappoint-
ments.' -
He took the rebuke with grunt and
relieved us of his company. Little did
he think as he went whistling up the
stairs that he had just shown Mr.. Gryce
where to search for whatever might be
lying under the broad sweep of that cell
lar bottom.
That night-it was after supper,
which did not eat for all my natural
stoicism - Hannah came rushing in
where we all sat shut, for the girls
showed no disposition 20 enlarge their
condolences i'll regard to their mother,
and no other topic seemed possible, and,
closing the door behind her, said quick
ly and with evident Chagrin:
"ThOse men are here again. They say
they forgot something. What do You
think it means, Miss Loreen? They have
spades and lanterns and"-
"They are the police, Hannah. If
they forgot something, they have the
right to return. Don't work yourself up
about that. The secret they have already
found out was our worst. There is moth
ing to fear after that. And she dis
missed Hannah, merely bidding her let
us know when the house was quite clear.
Was she right? Was there nothing
worse for them to fear? longed to leave
these trembling sisters, longed to join
the party below and follow with them
the tiny impressions made by the tacks
/ had driven into Williams sOles. If
there was anything hidden under the
cellar bottom, natural anxiety would
have carried him to the spot he had to
fear; so they would only have to dig at
the places where those impressions took
sharp turn.
But was there anything hidden there?
From the sisters words and actions l
judged there was nothing serious, but
would they know? William was quite
capable of deceiving them if he had the
wit. Had he done so? 1t was q question.
1t was solved for us by Mr.. Gryce's
temperance in the room an hour or so
later. From the moment the light fell
upon his kindly features in the doorway
knew that l might breathe again free
ly 1t was not the face he showed in the
house of a criminal, nor did his bow
have any of that false Difference in it
with which he sometimes tries to hide
his secret doubt or contempt.
81 have come to tIouble you for tls
last time, ladies. We have made a dou-
BILE search through this house and
through the stables and feel perfectly
justified in saying that our duty hence
1OIbh WILL us GlSCWu lu6 S5-
crets we have surprised are your own,
and if possible shall remain so. Your
brothers. propensity for vivisection and
the return and death of your mother
bear SO little on the real question which
interests this community that we may
be able to prevent their spread as gossip
through the town. That this may be
60nn rnncoian fin,,c11, r
to know something more of the latter
circumstance. If Miss Butterworth will
then be good enough to grant me few
minutes conference with these ladies,
l may be able to satisfy myself SO far
as to let this matter rest where it is. -
l rose with right good will A noun
tain weight had been lifted from me,
proof positive that ] had really come to
love these girls.
What they told him, whether it was
less or more than they told me, cannot
say, and for the moment did not know.
That it had not shaken his faith in them
was evident, for when he came out to
where was waiting in the hall his as
pect was even more encouraging than
it had been before.
mo guile in those girls" he whis-
pered, as he passed me. 1.-The clew Civ.
EN- by what seemed mysterious in this
house has come to naught. Tomorrow
we take up another. The trinkets found
in Mother James cottage are something
real You may sleep soundly tonight,
Miss Butterworth. Your part has been
well done, but know you are glad that
it has failed"
And ! knew that I was glad, too,
which is the best proof that there is
something in me besides the detective
instinct.
The front door had scarcely closed be-
hind him when William came storming
in. He had been gossiping over the
fence with Mr.. Trohm and had been
beguiled into taking glass of wine in
his house. He showed it.
Those sneaksl' cried he. IT hear
they've been back again, digging and
stirring up our cellar bottom like mad.
That's because you're SO dreadful shy,
you girls. You're afraid of this, you re
afraid of that You don't want folks to
know your mother once Well, well,
there it is nowl If you had been willing