The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-07
THE MURDERER.


Come far, slr? 2"
Mrs. Mace, the 1andlady, asked the
question of the nice looking young be-
cyclist who rode up to her inn
WELL not particularly. I'm beginning
q tour. I suppose you couldn't put me
up here for a day or two?
In an hour the stranger, refreShed py
his bath and a change OF clothes, came
back to the bench in the courtyard he
had still an hour or more 70 wait Ior
dinner. He began to smoke a cigarette,
let it go out stared at the ground In
tently, and suddenly started up ana
looked down the road in the direction
from which he had come. There was
no one on the road He gave sign OF
relief, relit a. cigarette and sat down
again.
girls came out from the inn into the
courtyard. They were the landlord
children, clad in blue serge, brown ana
the Strangers dinner. The chase was
brief, and the huntress marched on Win
would you like to see the chicken
He shivered mo, nol' he said. Then
he thanked her warmly. He was fond OF
children. It was queer. but he did not
like to see things killed
After dinner he crossed the courtyard
and again looked eagerly down the long
white road. There was no one in slght
The light was waning rapidly. He came
back to the sitting room TT boosted an
old cottage piano. On it were a copy
of Moody and Sankey's hymns and some
sheets of easy music, given away as an
advertisement by the proprietors OF
patent medicine. He went to the other
end of the room and sat by the open
window, listening intently. He looked
now like man worried almost to the
point of madness. He started when the
door opened and Mrs. Mace brought an
the lighted lamp. He wanted to ask her
to send her husband to smoke a pipe
with him, but he could not find the right
nh 10 cot oil Or a
and then went up to bed He was care
full to leave his candle still burning
when he went to sleep He woke with
the daylight, put out the candle ana
looked from his window down the empty
road. Then he cRept back to bed and
slept again.
| fast, next morning. He went out for a
| out bright and hot, the air was still and
| on every side was heard the chirping Of
ed, nat on his back, with one arm over
| his eyes In. this scene of quiet ana
| to believe that the fact of yesterday was
| really a fact, that the thing was done
%heR eeua mot us 6s neafab ahq follow
| When he got back to the inn he heard
| ms: played Iaboriously and inefficiently.
TIE music was hymn, tune and abomi,
| he saw that the performer was the chief
huntress of the afternoon before. The
other children listened open eyed They
would have run away when he came IN
| Don't co. he said. "Ill play you some
thing if you like" He sat down to the
/ it was a poor instrument, but fairly in
| tune. He played the piano very much
| better than he rode the bicycle. Mrs.
| Mace came in. and her husband and the
4 clumsy boy. The hired girl stood outside
| in the passage and said that it was
| heaven. stHave some more. said the
| chief huntress when he stopped He
laughed.
After the midday meal he blew up the
| tires of his bicycle and went up stairs to
! pack his wallet Looking out from his
| window he saw that it was all over. The
| mounted policeman clattered into the
court yard and Mrs. Mace came out to
| speak to him.
Yes. that's the man; I must go up and
| take him. Tell your husband to get his
cart out. We shall want it.
| He swung himself from the horse.
| whats he done?" asked Mrs. Mace
breathIess and aghast.
ssKiIIed his girl outside Birnly yester-
day morning.
| rang out the sound Of a revolver shot
| clear and fatal. Blue smoke stole
| through the open window Without an
| other word the officer dashed into the
inn and up the stairs The children ran
I o-6 ~