Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1903-12-18
m outdoor read ding. but this was not
nm ordinary woman.

m outdoor read ding. but this was not
m ordinary woman.
Christmas passed at Gravelly Grange
as It usually passes in the country
housessof wealthy persons. There were
the usual service ], at the church. the
usual good cheer on the table and the
usual Christmas, tree in the evening for
the guests. At the latter function
Mrs. Springthorpe was at her best
She greeted every woman and child
/ with condescension so charming as
to rob it Of the implication of supe-
riority She was undoubtedly the most
popular person present. and Spring
thorpe's eyes followed her with an
eagerness and affection that to me
were almost pitiable.
After the Christmas tree festivities
host, hostess and guests danced merri-
~ together, and the celebration was
kept up until late hour. When we
went to our rooms we were very
tired lot of mortals; but, despite my
fatigue, I determined to remain at my
post to await developments. l threw
myself half dressed upon the bed, re-
solved that nothing should tempt me
! to 60 to sleep. But the flesh is weak,
and in a short time was in as deep a
5slumber as though nothing were on
my mind. Suddenly started up, awak-
ened by the shuddering sound Of my
slowly rising window.
There, without the window, outlined
against the sky, appeared dark robed,
hooded figure like that Of a Capuchin
monk. Slowly the sash assembled to it's
full height, and noiselessly the figure
mounted upon the sill and, stepping
upon the window seat, reached the
floor, whence it glided into the shadow
that filed the corner Of the room and
was lost to sight.
After an anxious interval again saw
its dark outline encroaching on the
area Of diffused light that lay between
me and the window, and knew that it
was slowly drawing toward me. As it
approached, the same stealthy football
and deep, suppressed breathing had
heard the night before became audible.
By the side of the bed it halted, with q
deep inspiration, and a hand holding
something which cleaned was lifted
above the head: Dropping my feet to
the floor, l sprang up, selling the up
lifted arm with my left hand and with.
my right arm pinioning the figure
against my breast.
g a ~ 0ln
ing thing fell to the floor, and the fig
ure lay limp in my embrace. I placed
it in chair and hastily lit the gas.
Then 1 saw the insensible form of
Mrs. Springthorpe and on the floor one
of my own surgical knives, which l
had thought secure in the case in my
portmanteau. had solved the mys-
terry. -.
AS Mrs. Springthorpe recovered her
senses we remained gazing at each
other in silence.
"'Well," she said at last, "you have
conquered. You know everything"
unhappy woman," said, II know
that you caused the death Of your for
mer mistress because she stood in the
way Of your ambition and that You
have twice attempted my life"
She slipped to the floor at my feet.
"Mercy, mercyv' she cried. IF you
knew how dreaded this moment! It
was your life against his love. All
night paced my room, crying, You
shall not part usv"
II heard you in my Sleep"
eyes; years ago I discovered the &C.
cret Of these two rooms. the curious
acoustic fact that at certain points in
one low, intense sounds are reproduced
in the other with such vivid distinct
ness as to seem actually present, and SO
I heard you breathing as you slept, and
the thought came to me, as it came to
me when listened to her breathing
and broke upon her slumber with the
false story that killed her. My ambi-
ton has reaped nothing but Dead sea
fruit"
"And you entered my room, and by
the window! But how? Surely not by
the coping, less than foot in width?'
eyes. At one time was gymnast
and acrobat, and even if it had not
been for that my determination would
have carried me through, the deter
mination of dying woman, for whom
death and danger have no further ter
ror. The first night you were saved
BY an accidental discovery. The second
alarmed you by incautiously allowing
you to hear me listening for your sleep.
Tonight, the third, I thought to make
sure. put in your water bottle an
opfate1'
(Which did not touch.''
'tYou would have been found dead
with your own knife in your heart
The general verdict would have been
suicide. But it was not to be-. You
were to be my fate. Go to him. Break
his heart with your revelation. De.
nounce me as a murderess.''
She fell forward. I raised her and.
seeing that she was indeed near the
point of death, administered a restora-
tive from my case.
Mrs. Springthorpe," I said when she
had somewhat recovered, "whatever
your crime, this Is not time for judg-