Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-06-22
unsympathetic hands? Can you recall
ever in my life a single expression of in

unsympathetic hands? Can you recall
ever in my life single expression of in
gratitude"
'Bosh!" Interrupted the detective
THAT is all very well for Stella, but for
me it is necessary to be told how she be.
came possessed of that pistol which was
supposed to be locked in Paul North's
desk in Marlboro street."
Unfortunately" returned Thomas,
uneasily, "she neither explained nor
apologized for her conduct. You know
what women are. Stellas heart, which
| is not located far from the surface, was
touched. She began to cry and to plead
for forgiveness. And then Marion for
gave her; but just as soon as Stella be-
gan to beg for an explanation the wom-
an said to her very ccldly: GO to your
aunt dear. What you want is somebody
to dry your tears and soothe you. am
no comforter in time like this, and l
cert inly shall not tell you things
which would only add to your worry and
Distress And she did go to her aunt;
not to make confidante of her, but to
beg for consolation and sympathy"
"And this scene between the girls end
ed in nothing, them"
st ended lust as have told you. But
Stella, though she tried her best, could
not repress hey anxiety. She was unable
to bear the strain of such position.
She constantly saw before her eyes the
spectacle of the officers entering the
house and dragging Marion off to prison.
In view of all these facts, is there any
thing strange in her eventual action?
The funeral was scarcely over, and the
family returned to the house, when she
fastened to Marion's room. took the re-
volver, and aed-a headlong, terror
stricken flight. Her first idea was to
put the evidence Of Marion's guilt out
of sight. She threw it into the water.
little thinking that l was watching her.
She says that she had no clear idea what
she was doing, or where she was going;
but she had determined never to go back
to the house. She felt that she could
never face her sister again. In the train
to Boston she bethought herself of some
friends ia Hartford, where she had often
visited and had always been welcome.
For that city she therefore set out, only
to find that the house was closed, and
her friends gone to the beach for the
summer. BY this time she was almost
crazy from fright, lack of sleep and
food, for she had been able neither to
eat nor rest since the news of the MUIR
der. Heaven knows what would have
become of her if accident had not put
!, me upon her trail! Such is the story of
Stella North; and in view of it, John
Lamm, l want to know if you blame mo
!. for what have done?"
, 81 blame you for only one thing,
| Thomas" said Lamm, earnestly; "and
+ that was for being afraid to trust me
) with your secret"
"How did know in what light you
: would view it?" returned the reporter
9 uneasily. "You are always so matter-of.
< fact and business-like. And OF course
I am perfectly aware that my presen,
I position is quite the reverse of business
S ike"
Hang the position!" exclaimed John
Lamm That's your affair. It's the in
" wardness Of the North case that In
looking after, and your story has given
me wonderful push ahead"
The detective took out his note book
disfigured with his peculiar hieroglyph
: les, and began at once making additions
corrections and reflections, quite as ii
! the problem before him had been one in
y mathematics, and could be approved by
applying some of the advanced rules Of
= the higher arithmetic.
= WELL" said Thomas, after he hat
;, watched him in silence for some min
;, utes what is your theory?"
None, Thomas" returned the detec
:, tive quickly What is yours?"
"That Marion is trying to shield some
y body from the results of a capital Of
fense."
u "And that somebody is?"
a EITHER Fetridge or Stackhouse."
n with a leaning toward"
q "Fetridge," said Thomas But
Il should like to know which of the mel
9 went to the house that night, if eithe
e before expressing any deep convic
y ton
y "AR, quits so. And that l propos
;, to ascertain. But go on, Kingman
Your conclusions are always logica,
!. and they interest me for that reason
: There is no crime without a motive
v What was the motive?"
\ (To be continued In next issue.