The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-10-13

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its secrets have been founded upon
! theory that has brought us nowhere.
| | had another in mind, and l was aEX-
| ious to test it before resting from all
! further attempt to solve this riddle.
, And e has nrt r1'lcd me"
! As | salG this lIld oren on the table
! before me the transcription of which
spJaG. instantly the two men bent
over it, When they looked UP again.
Their courtcnaucc showed not, excite.
! rlcnt only. but appreciation; and In the
! one minu;c of triumph which | then
! enjoyed all that had wounded or dis.
| turbcd me in the past was forgotten.
The major now proposed that we
! should go at once to the old house. "A
| family secret like this does not crop
up every day even in city so full Of
surprises as Washington. We will
hunt for the spring under the closet
drawers and see what happens, ch?
And on our way there"-here he turned
| to mel should like to hear the par.
| ticuars concerning the little clew just
mentioned. BY the way, Mr.. Jeffrey's
interest in this old drawing is now
explained. He knew its diabolical
secret
This was self evident, and my heart
was heavy for Miss Tuttle, who SEEM
ed to be so deep in her brother-in-law's
confidence.
1t grew still heavier when Durbin,
| joining us, added his incredulity to the
air of suspicion .ssumed by the others.
| Our first move was to 20 in a body
to the southwest chamber, take down
the picture, examine 1t with magni-
| flying glass and satisfy ourselves that
the words had picked out of its maZy
lines were really to be found there.
This done and my veracity established,
we next proceeded to the closet where.
according to the instruction embodied
in this picture, the secret spring was
| to be found by which some unknown
and devilsh machinery would be re-
leased in the library below.
To my great satisfaction tho active
| part in this experiment was delegated
to me. Durbin continued TO be mere
locker on. Drawing out the two large
drawers from their place ut the end of
| this closet | set them aside. Then
| hunted for and found the small loop
hoe which we had been told afforded
a glimpse of the library hearthstone,
but seeing nothing through it, called
for u light to be placed in the room be-
| low.
| | heard Durbin 90 down, then the
major and, finally. the district attor-
ney. Nothing could stay their curios-
ity now, not even the possibility of
danger, which as yet was a lurking
and mysterious one. But when light
shot up from below and the irregular
| opening before me became loophole
! through which / could catch a very
wide glimpse of the library beneath,
found that Il was not necessary for me
to warn them TO keep away from the
hearth. as they we're all clustered very
near the door-a precaution not alto
gether uncaled for at so hazardous n
moment.
"Are You ready" I called down.
Ready rose in simultaneous re-
sponse from below.
"Then look out"'
Reaching for the spring cleverly con.
cealed in the wall at my right I vigor-
ously pressed it.
The result was instantaneous silent
~, but with uncrring certainty, some
thing small, round and deadly fell
plumb from the library ceiling to
where the settle had formerly stood
against the hearthstone. Finding moth
ing there but vacancy to eXpend itself
upon, it swung about for moment
on what looked like wire or Il whip
cord, then slowly came to rest within
foot or so from the floor.
A cry from the horrifed officials be-
low was what first brought me to my
self. Withdrawing from my narrow
quarters, hastened down to them and
added one more white face to the three
| found congregated in the doorway.
In the diabollcal ingenuity we hat seen
displayed crime had reached its acme,
and the cup of human depravlty seem
ed full.
When we had regained in some meas.
ure our self possession we all ad
vanced for a closer look at the mur-
derous object dangling before US. We
found 1t to be heavy leaden weight
painted on its lower end to match the
bosses of stuccO work which appeared
at regular intervals in the ornamental,
ton of the ceiling. When drawn up
into place-that is, when occupying the
hole from which it now hung suspend
ed-the portion left to prOtrude would
evidently bear so small proportion
to its real bulk as to justify any eye
in believing it to be the mate, and the
harmless mate of all the others.
1T hangs just where the settle
STOOD" observed Durbin significantly.
"And just at the point where the
cushions invite rest, as the colonel sc
suggestively puts 1t in his strange puz
zle of confession" added the dis
trict attorney.
Replace the old seat" ordered the
major, land let us make sure of this"
Ready hands at once grasped it and
with some effort, own, drew 1t care
fully back into position.
"You seew quoth Durbin.
We did.
"Devilishw came from the majors
lips. Then with a glance at the ball
which, pushed aside by the seat, now
hung over its edge foot or SO from
the floor, he added briskly: "The bal
has fallen to the full length of the
cord. II 1t We're drawn up little
AZ =.