Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-24
mnin 4mrs rpuhla u, Enrsdag 5aap "a 1904

!, 19uE
hearth, as they were all clustered very
near the door-a precautien not alto
gether uncalled for at SO hazardous
moment.
Are you readyT' called down.
"Ready" rose in simultaneous re-
spouse from below.
Then look out"
Reaching for the spring cleverly con-
cealed in the wall ut my right vigor-
ously pressed 1t.
The result was instantaneous. Silent
ly, but with unerring 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 WHIP
cord, then slowly came to rest within
foot or so from the floor.
A cry from the Mortified officials be-
low was what first brought me to my
self. Withdrawing from my narrow
quarters, l FASTENED down to them and
added one more white face to the three
I found congregated in the doorway
In the diabolical ingenuity we had seen
displayed crime had reached Its acme,
and the cup of human depravity SEEM
ed full.
When we had regained in some meas
ure our self possession we all ad-
yanced for a closer look at the muir
derous object dangling before us. We
found it 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 1t 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 1t to be the mate, and the
harmless mate. Of all the others.
"It hangs just where the settle
stood" observed Durbin significantly.
and just at the point where the
cushions invite rest, as the colonel SO
suggestiyely puts it 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 1t and,
with some effort, own, drew it care
fully back into position.
"You seer quoth Durbin.
! We did.
| "Deyilish. came from the majors
lips. Then with 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 ball
| has fallen to the full length Of the
cord. II 1t were drawn up little
| wait" l eagerly interposed- LET
me see what can do with It"
| And dashed back upstairs and Into
the closet of 1.-THE ColoneIs Own"
| With single peep down to see II
they were still on the watch. I seized
the handle, whose position ! had made
sure Of when searching for the spring,
and began to turn, when instantly. SO
quick was the response, the long cord
stiffened, and I saw the ball rise into
sight above the settle top.
Stop called out the major. LET
60 and press the spring again"
fastened to obey, and, though the
| back OF the settle hid the result from
me, / judged from the look and atti
tude OF those below that the old colo.
nels calculations had been made with
great exactness and that the one com
4 Portable seat on the rude and cumber-
some bench had been SO placed that
! this leaden weight in descending would
ut the chosen moment strike the head
Of him who sat there, inficting death
That the weight should be made just
| heavy enough to produce fatal con
cussion without damaging the skull
was proof of. the extreme care with
which this subtle apparatus had been
contrived. An open wound would have
aroused questions, but mere bruise
| The mysterious
instrument Of death