Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-04-04

woman's prayer-but He will hear
even me, murderess!"
"Murderess! Louise!"
81 tried to kill him-tried to end
1t! / fired to kill in my despair-it
was tbs wrong man. I saw dimly-
through the blinds-another woman's
room-under the light of match
only-and I killed him-an innocent
mani"
"Louise-in chmond-tarough the
blinds-a year ago."
"Ah, you heard of it7'
81 was the man."
'It cannot bel"
'It was wing-room. She was
kneeling before me, and the bullet
struck here." He drew aside his hair
and rested his finger upon white
spot. "Brodnar-"
Sod is comforting me-" she whis-
pered. The rest viii come" Tears
streamed down her cheeks from her
closed lids. Soners chose the mo-
mcnt to leave her.
Keep her alive until morning" he
said, to the surgeon. 81 will come
then-or not at ALL" And then to
the negro: Now, my boy, s1eo in
gold if you guide me safely into
Richmond aEd back. VIII yon need
horse?" The negro shook his head.
NO horse can cross whar / gointer
SO" He led away briskly into the
Chickahominy swamp, and when
Richard Somers found the stars again
he was within the lines of his enc
my with the Richmond lights in
sight. Not until then did he remem-
Der that he had no knowledge of Ray
mond Holbin's whereabouts. He
stopped, amazed that he had failed in
this vital matter.
''Do you know Mr.. Holbin in Rich
mond,' he asked of the negro, "Mr.
Raymond Holbin?"
Yes, sab, course know him. We
all blongs to es ma
What! Then that house back yon-
der. Whose is that?''
Oats his house, sab, reck n. Don't
nobody come out but him, to see es lit
tie gall
"His girl! Her name-what is her
name?"
Calls 'er Chicky most generally.
Sometimes he called er Nanon." Som
ers stopped then and stood with his
face toward the stars in breathless
reyerie few moments.
MY boy" he said, you saw the
woman who was shot?"
YES, sah."
'She is dying; that is her child and
she does not know it. Here is all the
money l have with me; it is yours if
you will go back with all your might
and tell her about the child. Do this
my boy. and God viii bless YOU"
How you gointer get back, mars.
| ter?'
Thatdoesn't matter!-go go! Here
Us your money-be quick now."
Bring it along wild you. marster.'
in a shadow
'.And now, Louise said the soldier
as he plunged on into the city, God is
comforting you!"
So far as the chance of detection
\ was concerned, Richard Somers was as
| safe on the streets of Richmond that
night as in his own camp; but he re-
allied that perhaps he had difficult
task before him to find Raymond Hol-
/ bin. And if he found him. what then
The city was in a turmoil. Excited
/ men and women crowded the streets
! and wounded soldiers were on every
| side. There was to be little sleep that
to come, for the fate of the city hung
| in the balance during the seven days
| battle. Somers carried off his move
experience boldly, and, passing into
! the Spotswood hotel, he sought a direc
tory. His search for Holbin's name
was at once successful, and. taking 6
! note of the address, he went forth and
4 prepared himself for the final trial
! His safety lay in the character of the
service he was rendering to the woman
to whom Holbin owed much. At lei.st
] he argued so. How little he kne.v The
4 depths of villainy he was about tt
4 probe!
i A policeman directed him to the ad
dress secured, and he found himsel1
before spacious and pretentious man
sion of the older style. There were
lights in front and he hesitated
/ prompted by some intuition. If h,
could get to the rear, he imagined
and question servant, the risk would
be less. There seemed to be garden
and wing, and upon side street b,
found an entrance through an iro1
gate, which stood ajar. Entering ant
passing a horse tied in the shrubbery
he approached the wing-room withou
connecting the place with any impress
sion of memory; but suddenly, as h,
neared the closed door. the FLASHING o
a fountain smote his ear, and the eXpe
rience of a memorable night rose t.
mind. The iron gate, the gravel walk
the shrubbery and the wing-room! Al
were there; and above all the low mu
sic of the fountain. Then, swift as
flash of lightning, rose his promise. h,
was pledged not to enter. But as h
stood, his mind confused and withou
power to measure the significance o
the new facts, the door opened and