Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-06-03

ing word. Il never knew them to go
to the city alone that way before.
And, oh, Thornton, they didn't come
them with the creeps all over me the
whole evening. And such strange ac-.
tions when they did come! Stella
went up to her room crying, Marion
wouldn't say word to sexplain, and
went upstairs looking-oh! so white!"
well, well,". returned Stackhouse,
impatiently. "It's of no particular
consequence We have other things
to occupy our time now"
Eyes, indeed, Thornton" said Aunt
Comfort, with sob. She was port
ly woman, but exceedingly nervous
and fidgety in spite of her size, and
she made half hundred purposeless
movements in moment when excited.
ooh, the body! Where is it? You
must go straight back to Boston and
get 1t. Those body-snatchers are ter
ribly sly creatures. Thornton, did you
read in yesterdays paper"
Mr.. Stackhouse could endure no
more.
Nonsense, woman!" he interrupted,
sternly Leave this matter to me. and
attend to your household duties. But
tell me-" he added, Immediately, in a
voice which he vainly endeavored to
render indifferent what sent the girls
off to the city yesterday afternoon!
Did you observe nothing? What did
they say?"
ooh, Thornton! Hush! They are
coming"
True enough, there was sound of
a door closing, the rustic Of skirts and
the echo of voices simultaneously
floating down the staircase from the
region above.
Stackhouse took step forward, but
started back Immediately, looking up
ward in a puzzled, apprehensive way.
"Oh, don't! don't! don't! l beg OF
you, Marion. On my knees I beg of
you!"
A woman's voice raised in that keen,
penetrating fashion that reveals a eli
max, an outburst of repressed emotion,
uttering such words as these, could not
be a common sound in such house as
this. Stackhouse. whose face was in
direct line of the detectives vision,
looked as If a bombshell had burst at
his feet. He was speechless with won
der and dismay.
Stella" returned an inflexible voice,
u command you to let me go. know
what my duty is, and shall do it,"
The other woman might have been
silenced by fear or overawed by the
sternness of her to whom she had ap-
pealed, for she made no further out
cry. The footsteps were already on
the stairs; a white skirt futtered by
the railing. Again Stac'1house took a
step forward and again he stopped.
1t may have been gesture on his
wife's part or something that he saw
in her face. Certain it is that he be-
came shade whittier, and that in his
effort to speak his tongue seemed to
cleave to the roof of his mouth. He
stammered two words:
why, Marion!"
Don't speak to me! Don't touch me!
Never call me by that name again!"
| The tone was certainly not loud
one. 1t could not be said that there
was theatrical ring about the man
ner of enunciation. The words were
low, distinct, and uttered with such
calm, terrible intensity that, blase as
he was, Detective Lamm experienced a
genuine thrill. He felt himself in the
! presence of remarkable woman, and
the same sort of keen and breathless in
terest with which he had followed
great acting on the stage took posses.
sion of him.
ooh, Marion!" 1t was the sister
who spoke, and the tone was quite
! heartbroken and hopeless.
Stackhouse seemed to recover from
his temporary paralysis.
"You had better go to your room
Stella" he said, in voice but barely
audible. II must talk with Marion
alone"
do not stir step!" commanded the
other woman, as Stella went towards
the door. 81 wish you to hear wha1
little have to say to this man. You
| too, Aunt Comfort. Don't stand in the
| doorway there, looking so frightened
| Come back. The more witnesses the
better"
! There was brief interval, marked
only by Stellas sobbing and the elder
woman's wheezy CALCULATIONS, uttered
like signal guns almost every second.
Marion Stackhouse, have you taker
| leave of your senses?" faltered the
business associate of the late Pau
North.
mo, have just found them. d.
not dare to associate your name will
mine. This is the last time I viii
ever speak to you. Witness, Stella
and you, too, Aunt Comfort. From
this hour we live apart"
But Marion" interrupted the WON
an, remember your promise at thu
altar! You are not feeling we'll, ant
don't know what you are saying. CT
this day, too, of all others, when you
poor father"