The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-05-09

this room with it in yonr pocket. and l
will not put the law upon you for this
crime. give you my word as an offi-
Ger and a gentleman. Put the deed on
the table,
1.-the money first said Walmsley.
"Westcott had had both his hands
under the table. He withdrew the left
hand and threw down a little bag.
Walmsley, still holding his pistol. man.
aged to open the string that fastened
the mouth OF the bag, and be poured
out the gold coins upon the table. Then
he counted them off with his right
hand, putting each into his pocket.
"It's right he said, and here's the
deed
'He took it from the breast of his
coat and laid it before Westcott. AS
he did so he lowered his pistol, and the
next second it went spinning across
the room. Walmsley gave a cry like
some wild animal. He seemed to lose
his wits. Meanwhile Westcott had ris-
en- to his feet, his right hand being be-
hind him. The document lay between
IQem on the CGDle just IDPre.
And Donald laid his finger upon a
certain spot.
81 cannot understand what insane
impulse moved Walmsley, lrt he
reached forward to snatch the deed.
think he must have meant to get it
anyway, protected by his pistol; to get
the money, display the document and
then treacherously take it again in or
der TO have a hold upon the other,
and his mind was so set upon this act
that he performed it mechanically in
his terror, forgetting the lose Of his
weapon.
'Westcott made a sudden sweep with
his right arm, incredibly rapid. l can
| hear the whistling sound of his sword
in the air. He had been holding a cav
airy saber under the table. Walmsley's
fingers were closed upon the deed and
he was drawing it toward HIM. Those
fingers, dong and yellow, remained
clasped about that bit of paper, even
after the hand fell away from the
arm, severed clean by the strongest
blow l ever saw or dreamed Of"
| There was a pause during which
was aware that every one breathed
rather hard, including myself.
"Walmsley screamed, but not very
loudly" continued Donald. st was the
quick cry of horror and surprise. He
stared at his own hand, lying there
upon the table. In an instant Westcott
caught him and ripped his right Shout
der and arm bare. He had everything
ready, and he worked with great skill.
He put tight bandage around the arm
above the elbow; then he did some
thing to the wrist, tying up the severed
arteries, l suppose. When this was
done and the stump wrapped in cloths,
he picked Walmsley up in his arms,
for the man had tainted, and carried
MIN out through that window"
''TO the doctors, of course" said
Bum.
II have not followed him." responded
Donald. 81 have seen nothing that
happened outside this room. Watt"
he cried suddenly. "WestcOtt is COM
ing back. He takes the hand from the
ble the deed still in it. By the Eter-
nalv'
He sprang toward the wall and pull
Gu away a UONdDle DOOhcdSe tIldl udti
been put in since the kelvinS advent.
How he could have swung it away
from the wall really do not know for
the thing with it's load of books must
have been a great weight
Right there"' he cried, striking with
his left hand upon the wall. He put
it there"'
We all ran forward and examined
the paneled wall, which seemed to be
perfectly solid, but Reedy sounded it
in the place indicated by Donald and
declared that it was suspiciOusly hol-
low. After perhaps ten minutes work.
which showed him to be very expert
in such matters, the detective found a
spring controlling a panel which open
ed outward, revealing a recess contain
ing the dust of many old papers and
some parchments we'll enough preServ-
ed. There was also the right hand of
man long dead and the bony fingers
still clasped that deed of transfer
which Norman Westcott had bought of
Ezra Walmsley. the miser.
CTo be Continued)
H~~~Ev@ n.NE~