Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-04-24
Sergeant
Burr's
Adventure
By Howard Fielding


door. He merely knew that something
was going on. He couldn't have told
how he knew II.
He was looking the other way.
man whom he was interested 10 have
seen. whom he had never seen before,
had Just passed by. and Burr was star
ing after him. IL the sergeant had
clothed his thought in words, il would
have been like this:
THAT man is Warren Prescott His
pictures up on the elevated stations,
and I've seen IL i'm the papers. He
wrote a Pine Tree shilling It's about
the county that came from down in
Maine. They say he's made a fortune
out Of IL. He ought to. It's a ratuing
good. clean story. wonder II il would
make him feel any better To know that
a policeman read his book and liked
itY'
At this point consciousness Of trou-
BILE In his immediate vicinity ohtruded
itself strongly. He turned toward the
pillared portico. Just then the janitor
OF the house who had been leaning
against a railing In front Of il, started
away and looked up as II he expected
something 10 fall on him. \ woman
flung up window ON the third story
and thrust out her head She cried
Murder in a dazed, mechanical tone.
and she did not even glance downward
TO see whether any one heard her.
Having obeyed her blind impulse to
scream, she disappeared from the win
dow.
Burr ran toward the house and en-
tered ahead OF the janitor, who had
had but three steps TO take, yet had
The sergeant assembled the stairs be-
ing greatly impeded 10y some women
near the top who were undecided
whether TO run up or down.
A door upon the right of the hall to-
ward the front of the house was open.
A woman stood in the doorway with
her back toward Burr. She was grip
ping the frame upon each side as IL 10
prevent her curiosity from dragging
her into the room. Burr gently lifted
one OF her arms and. having passed
her. replaced II, after which proceeding
she became n sort of bar TO keep 9th
ers out, as he had meant that she
should. While he was doing this she
called TO some one within, Frank,
come away" And then in a different
tone, lower pitched aud hoarse, is she
deadT
Frank" proved to be a tall, despond-
ent looking man whose visible attire
consisted Of blue and white bathrobe
which traied behind him. He had a
towel wound about his head.
"Who are your demanded Burr.
The man Strengthened up and looked
at the sergeant with relief.
my names Morris" he said. Il live
across the hall. I've been sick" he
added, touching the towel. Grip.
guess. That's how l happened TO be
In the house at this time of day"
"Who did thlst" demanded Burr.
Her husband, | guess" was the re-
ply. "They used TO quarrel some, but
don't know as he ever struck her be
| fore"
| Burr bent over the woman. She was
under thirty, but looked much Older
now that the face no longer cared Il
hide anything Her hair was darh
and very abundant. No doubt she had
4 fnI haI stsI
praised many a time with innocen
/ pleasure when she was girl with Tho
cold vanity of wasted womanhood II
later years.
You go call an ambulance" SAID
| Burr to the janitOr, who had thrus
himself into the room. Know me
don't you?"
/ The janitor nodded and obeyed. Bur
looked again at the victim of this sor
did tragedy. He recognized her. ant
many Of his professional brethren
would have had no difficulty in doin:
so. She had been marked during som,
years as the consort of 4 shrewd an,
notorious thief. 1t was even said tina
she had married him when she wa
very young and without Il knowledg,
Of his wayof life. The man had die,
in prison not so long ago, and the wo
man had disappeared. The detectiyt
was mildly surprised to find her ant
yet not surprised to find her thus.
''Who are these peoplet" asked Burr
Parkinson" said Morris. That's TIL
name on the bell"
Gilbert Parkinson was his name,
added Mrs. Morris from the doorway
Her name was Annie. Is she deadT"
Yes" replied Burr.
He put both hands to his forehead q
he leaned against the mantelpiece. Fl
was thinking of the man who ha
passed him upon the street.
This is pretty tough" he mutteret
Gilbert Parkinson, That's what
called the old fellow in his book, an
Annie was the daughter. Good Lore
What can a man see in a woman lik
that? And he an educated fellow wit
the brains to make himself famous.
call this tougher than the average"
He stepped forward again and pickle
up heavy cane that lay near til
body. 1t had head grotesquely twis
ed of silver plate much furnished.
"One blow of this" he said to bin
self. "And 1t doesn't seem to have le
any scar on her, but it left a scar c
him all right. I'm sorry"
II suppose you didn't know Parki
son well?" he said to Morris. WAS
here muchr
mot lately" was the reply. "E
used to be. They kept to themselve
both Of them. You won't find anybot
In this house that knows any mo