Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-04-06

were burying?"
''In measure, yes. Having some
skill in these DISCUSSES, especially where
my own infrmities can have full play,
as in case of this strong but half bent
woman, l had no reason to think my
own identity was suspected, much less
discovered Therefore | could trust
what l saw and heard as being what
Mother Jane herself would be allowed
to see or hear under the same circum-
stances, If, therefore, the Knollys and
this old crone had been, as You seem to
think they are, in league for murder,
Lucetta would hardly have greeted me
as she did when she came down to meet
me in the kitchen. -
And how was that? What did she
say?''
"She said: All, Mother Jane, we
have piece of work for you. You are
strong, are you not?' "
"Humph!"
and then she commiserated me a
bit and gave me food which, upon my
word, found hard to eat, though had
saved my appetite for the occasion. Be.
fore she left me she babe me sit in the
ingle nook till she wanted me, adding
as she went out to Hannah, who that
moment came in: There is no use try
ing to explain anything to her. Show
her when the time comes what there is
to do and trust to her short memory to
forget it before she leaves the house
She could not understand my brothers
propensity or our shame in pandering
to it. So attempt nothing, Hannah.
Only keep the money i'll her view
so, and that gave you no idea?'
1T gave me the idea have impaired
20 you, or, rather, added to the IDEA
which had been instilled in me by 9TH
ers."
and this idea was not affected by
what you saw afterward?"
mot in the least-rather strength
ened. OF the few words | overheard one
was uttered in reference to yourself by
Miss KnOllys. She said: L have locked
Miss ButterwOrth again in her room.
Ii she accuses me of having done so, !
shall tell her our whole story. Better
she should know the family's disgrace
than imagine US guilty of crimes Of
which we are utterly incapable. ,"
"Well," l cried, you heard that?"
Eyes, madam, heard that, and do
not think she knew she was dropping
that word into the ear of detective,
but you may differ with me
Il am not ready to say - yet, " re-
piled. "What else did these girls let
fall i'll your hearing?'
mot much. 1t was Hannah who led
me into tho upper hall and Hannah
who by signs and signals rather than
words showed mo what was expected of
me. However, when, after the box was
lowered into the cellar, Hannah was
drawing me away Lucetta stepped up
and whispered i'll her ear: Don't give
her tho biggest coin. Give her the little
one or she may mistake our reasons for
secrecy. l wouldn't like even fool to
do that. even for the moment it would
remain lodged in Mother ,i2ue's mind. 3"
"Well, well, " | cried again, certain
ly puzzled, for these stray expressions
of the sisters were in q measure contra
dictory not only Of the suspicious en-
tertained, but of the facts which had
seemingly come to my attention.
Mr.. Gryce, who was probably watch
ing my face moro closely than the move
ments of the cane with whose move
ments he was apparently engrossed,
stopped to give caressing rub to the
knob Of that same cane before saying:
"One such peep behind the scenes is
worth any amount Of surmising on the
wrong side of the curtain. I let you
share my knowledge because it is your
due. Now if you feel willing to eX-
plain what you mean Ivy knot of Grape
on the shutter l am at your service,
madam.
Then 1 told him, and as I talked ]
saw his face lengthen and doubt take the
place of the quiet assurance with which
he had received my various limitations
up to this time The cane was laid
aside, and from the action of his right
foretinger on the palm of his left hand
l judged that was making no small
impression on hi mind. When l had
finished, he sat for minute silent;
then he said:
"Thanks, Miss Butterworth; you
have more than fulfilled my hopes.
What we buried was undoubtedly hu-
man, and the question now is who it
was and of what death did this person
die. You think it was silly Rufus"
| did not answer. There was weak
point in the position had taken in this
matter, and l knew it.
He did not try to hurry me.
appreciated this and took my time.
Presently l said
Il have a confession to make. Up to
n certain moment [ never had q thought
but that it was silly Rufus they held
imprisoned in William S room and who
died there, nor am I quite sure that l
am yet ready to embrace any other the
Dry but, Mr.. Gryce, in the minute I
took to look about the room from which
the victim had been so lately carried /
saw standing in one corner pair of
shoes that could never have been worn
by any boy tramp l have ever seen or
known of. Neither could they have been
the property of any one l had ever met
in the Knollys house. Loreen and Lu-
cetta both have trim feet, but these were
the shoes of q child of 10, very dainty
and of cut and make worn by women,
or rather, l should say, by girls. Now,
what do You make Of that?"
He did not seem to know what to
make of it. Tap, tap went his finger on
his seasoned palms and as I watched
the slowness with which it fell 1 said
to myself, II have proposed problem
to him now that will tax even Mr.
Gryce's powers of deduction