Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-12-05

I'd tioarer arorn By you at the dance acas
toundnear Batsy's slirts.n
from the direct path to the labels, /
hurried down High street just in time
to see the man enter Mrs. Webb's front
gateway
ut was late hour for visiting; but,
er and upper stories, l should by good
rights have taken it for granted that he
was an expected guest and gone my
own way to the labels. But did not.
The softness with which this person
stepped and the skulling way in which
he hesitated at the front gate aroused
my worst fears, and after he had OPEN
ed that gate and slid in was SO pur-
sued by the idea that he was there for
no good that stepped inside the gate
myself and took my stand in the deep
shadow casr by the old pear tree on
the right hand side of the walk. Did
any one speak?"
There was a unanimous denial from
the five gentlemen before her, yet she
did not look satisfied.
II thought heard some one make n
remark" she said and paused again
for half minute, during which her
smile was a study. 1t was so cold and
in such startling contrast to the vivid
glances she threw everywhere except
behind her on the landing where Fred
erlck stood listening to her every word.
I'VE are very much Interested" re-
marked Mr.. Courtney. "Pray go on"
Drawing her left hand from the bal.
ustrade where it had rested, she looked
at one of her fingers with an odd back
ward gesture.
81 WILL" she said, and her tone was
,, hard and threatening. give minutes,
| no longer, passed when was startled
by loud and terrible cry from the
house, and, looking up at the second
story window. from which the sound
proceeded, saw a woman's figure
hanging out In q seemingly pulseless
| condition. Too terrified to move,
chung, trembling, to the tree, hearing
and not hearing the shouts and laugh
ter of a dozen or more men who at that
minute passed by the corner on their
way to the wharfs. was dazed, l
was choking, and only came to myself
when sooner or later, do not know
how soon or how late, fresh horror
happened. The woman whom 1, had
just seen fall almost from the window
was serving woman, but when
| heard another scream knew that the
mistress of the house was being at
tackled, and, riveting my eyes on those
windows, beheld the shade Of one of
them thrown back and hand appear,
flinging out something which fell in
the grass on the opposite side Of the
lawn. Then the shade fell again, and,
hearing nothing further, ran to where
the object flung out had fallen and,
feeling for 1t, found and picked up an
old fashioned dagger, dripping with
blood. Mortified beyond all expression,
dropped the weapon and drew back,
trembling, into my former place Of con-
cealment.
"But ! was not satisfied to remain
there. A curiosity, determination
even. to see the man who had commit
ted this dastardly deed attacked me
with such force that was induced to
leave my hiding place and even to en-
ter the house where in all probability
he was counting the gains he had just
obtained at the price Of such precious
blood, The door, which he had not
perfectly closed behind him, seemed
to invite me in, and before l had real.
lied my own temerlty was standing
in the hall of this Ill fated house."
,sal, 40 tr, nj
had been breathless now expressed it
self in hurried calculations and broken
i words, and Mr.. Sutherland, who had
listened like one in a dream, exclaimed
eagerly and in a tone which proved
that he for the moment at least be
lieved this more than improbable tale
I EaA nm qan ~ % = RAilsnes