Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-10-10
THE remainder Of the passengers .

Il
at the farm, he said, pointing to a hons
at q little distance. AMI without furthe
delay we began to scramble up the stee
embankment and Chamber over the ston
wall of the bridge into the road. M
mind was full of other things, but I re
member still the number Of people rs
sembled on the bridge, and how a ma
was standing up in his donkey cart t
view the scene.
1t was Saturday, and there were quan
titles of village school boys sittin
astride on the low wall, or perched o,
adjacent hurdles, evidently enjoying tn
spectacle. jostling, bawling, eatin,
oranges and throwing the peel at th
engine. Some older people touche,
their hats alphabetically, and one wen
and opened a gate for us into a field
through which many feet seemed to hav,
come and gone, but for the create
number the event was evidently re
garded as an interesting variation in tn,
dull routine of everyday life, and to tn,
school boys it was an undoubted treat
Ralph and Charles walked on in front
following the track across the field. /,
was not particularly heavy walking
after what we had had earlier in. the
day, but Ralph stumbled perpetually
and presently Charles drew his arm
through his own and the two went or
together, the police inspector following
with me.
In few minutes we reached the farm
and entered the farmyard, which was
the nearest way to the house. A little
knot of calves intrenched on q mound Of
straw in the center of the yard lowered
their heads and looked askance at us as
we came in, and party Of ducks re.
treated hastily from our path with a
chorus of EXPLANATIONS, while a thin
colly dog burst out of barrel at the
back door and made series of gym
nastics at the end of chain, barking
hoarsely, as if he had not spared himself
of late.
An elderly woman with red arms met
us at the door, and on whisper from
the police inspector first shook her head.
ana then, in answer to further whis-
per, nodded at another door, and a voice
calling her from within hastily disap-
peared.
The inspector opened the door she had
indicated and went in, with him,
Charles, who had grown very grave.
hung back with Ralph, who seemed too
much dazed to notice anything in heaven
above or the earth beneath, The door
opened into IN clubhouse, roughly paved
with round stones, where barrels. slaves
and divers lumber had been put away.
There was straw in the further end
OF it, out of which a yellow cat raised
Two cleaning eyes, and then flew up a
ladder against the wall and disappeared
among the rafters. In the middle of the
hoor, lying little apart, were three fie.
ures with sheets over them. Instructive
ly we felt that we were in the presence
Of death. ] looked back at Charles and
Ralph, who were still standing outside
in the falling snow. Charles was bare
headed, but Ralph was looking absently
IN front of him, seeming conscious Of
nothing. The inspector made me a sign.
He had raised one of the sheets. and now
withdrew it altogether. Ny heart SEEM
ed to stand still.
1t was Aurelial Aurelia changed in
The last great change of all, but still
Aurelia. The fixed artificial color in the
cheek consorted i'll with the bloodless
'allor of the rest of the face, which was
'et In look of surprise and terror. She
vas altered beyond what should have
been. She looked several years older.
'ut 1T was still Aurelia. Those little |
;loved hands, tightly clinched, were the
anne Which she had held to the library
he dress vas saas= Gle sf s4urssssysas4
,een in too great a hurry to change it
,efore she left, or her thin shoes. Poor
title Aurelial
And then-I don't know how it was,
nut in another moment Ralph was
neeling by her, bending over her,
aking the stiffened hands in his trem-
bling clasp, imploring the deaf ears to
lear him, calling wildly to the pale lips
o speak to him which had done with
human speech. could not bear it, and
turned away and looked out through
he open door at the snow falling. The
came and stood beside me. In
he silence which followed we could
lear Charles speaking gently from time
% time, and when at last both turned
;oward them again Ralph had flung
himself down on an old bench at the
further end Of the clubhouse, with his
back turned toward us, his arms resting
On barrel and his head bowed down
upon them. He neither spoke nor moved.
Charles left him and came toward us,
and he and the inspector spoke apart for
. moment, and then the latter dropped
On his knees beside the dead woman and,
after looking carefully ut dark stain
On one of the wrists, turned back the
sleeve. Crushed deep into the round.
white arm cleaned something bright.
It was an emerald bracelet which we
both knew. Charles cast hasty glance
at Ralph, but he had not moved, and he
drew me beside him SO as to interpose
our two figures between him and the in
spector. The latter quietly turned down
the sleeve and recomposed the arm.
II knew she would have them on her,
if she had them at ALL" he said in a low
voice. 1--WE need look no further at
present. Not one will be missing. They
are all there"
He gazed long and earnestly at the
dead face, and then to my horror he sud
denly unfastened the little hat. Imade
an involuntary movement as if to stop
him, but Charles laid an iron grip upon
me and motioned to me to be still. The
hand quietly pushed back the
fair curls upon the forehead, and in an
other moment they fell still further back,
showing few short locks of dark hair
beneath them, which so completely al
tered the dead face that could hardly
recognize it as belonging to the same
person. The inspector raised his head
and looked significantly at Charles.
Then he quietly drew forward the
yellow hair over the forehead again, re-
placed the hat and rose to his feet.
Charles and glanced apprehensively at
Ralph, but he had not stirred. AS we
looked hurried step came across the
yard, hand raised the latch Of the door
mud soma ono entared ahrunt1v r. VINO