Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-04-05


.encircled with a hfdeous purple band.
The muruerers had done their work
deity. -. "
BY this TINE my eyes had cleared of
the mist. ard had courage really to
look my mother in the face. Across
her forehead a great lock of loose hair
had fallen, and as with loving fingers
my uncle pressed it back be gave a
sudden start as though he had been
stung.
"Heavensv he cried. '"They were
not satisfied to kill. They have mutt
lated her as well.'
pressed forward and saw distinctly
a brown circle on her forehead. a red
dish brown circle which looked as
though it had been burned by some
acid. looked again, and the circle
formed itself into an ellipse or oval.
started. What did this remind me Of?
had seen something like this before.
but where?
Reverently my uncle covered up the
poor white face, drew the blinds and
led me from the room.
"Poor Davie. poor Iad.'' he said very
tenderly. 1--WE have been hit very hard.
Why was she not spared to us? Whom
never uttered harsh word or turned
q deaf ear to a tale of sorrow. ~Heav-
ems, but it's hardv' and as he spoke
felt his hand suddenly tighten on my
arm, and I knew that there was sud-
den madness in his heart.
Carefully locking the door, he drop
ped the key in his pocket.
1--WE must go for the police" he said.
I'VE can do nothing more at present"
Janet" suggested.
II forgot" and as if impelled by a
sudden. awful thought he moved swift
~ toward the girls room, which was
Just behind my mothers. Here, too,
we discovered that the door was shut,
and though we knocked no answer
came. Entering the room, we found it
in darkness, but upon the blind being
drawn we 81 the girl 8 outline in the
bed in the :ar corner. Guessing in
stinctively what was the matter. my
uncle rushed across, and there the
same awful sight met our gaze. The
girl was dead, strangled as my mother
had been, and upon her forehead was
the same red brown sign.
My uncle seemed dWnfounded at this
display of fiendlsh malignity. Usually
a man Of resource, he looked inQuiring.
~ my way as though he expected me
to give him an answer to this hideous
riddle. replied with a frightened
stare and wondered vacant1y, conscious
only of the fact that | was trembling
all over and that cold fear had warp
ed my understanding and my courage.
We went down stairs and out at the
back door-why, cannot tell. mechan.
ically no doubt. having entered that
way. AS we came within sight of the
front gate l suddenly cried out, -.
have it, and before my uncle knew
what was doing I had slipped from
him and was dashing down the path
! way.
"Whst?'' he cried.
'"The sign! The signv'
In moment l was through the gate
and closely scrutinizing the post, bu,
the sign of the egg had been obliterat
ed. looked closer: l exar,ined both
posts. but not trace of it could | find
And my brain, overweight, doubted
| It's own knowledge. | stood vacantly
staring at the unspoiled posts. Had
really seen the sign?
1.-The sign, repeated my uncle as he
came up. "What do you mean by
that?'
Then l told him what l had seen up
on the post. and his face grew very Sc
! rious. 1t was evident that he did no,
! believe me tile victim Of an hallucina
! ton.
''This Is terrible work. Davie." b.
said. "Heaven knows what the end OF
| it will be-
| Then we discovered that the horse
and trap had disappeared II will be-
remembered that my uncle had jump
ed out quickly and come to me, for
getting even to take the precaution OF
locking the wheel. AS a consequence
the horse had wandered off.
1t had been his intention to send me-
of to the police station while he kept
watch over the house, but now both OF
US had to set out in different ways
Luckily, however. at the first bend OF
| the road he called to me, and on re-
| turning to his side beheld the horse
and trap in charge of local policeman
coming up the road
Il seed him grazing by the way.
SIDE" explained the official. land I n
once says to myself, alb, knows that
ERE trap. 1t belongs to Mr.. James
Davie, what lives on the other side o
the Maiden'ead road, and l thinks to
myself
But my uncle cut him short, for Bad.
deley was known as the most loqua
cious peeler in the district. On an or
binary occasion the gag would have
been the price Of a pint Of beer; now il
! was the word murder" Baddeley
turned very white. My uncle led him
into the house and showed him what
had taken place, but be merely rolled
his eyes in horror, and crying out
Don't touch nothingr' be hurried