The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-07-20

v.llainy. to hold that such a marringe u
binding. I say that these monstrous
laws Of yours viii bring cIrse upon
the land. God will not let such wicked
ness endure" For an instant she sat
up her cheeks flushed and her eyes
blazlng from undSr the terrible mark
upon her brow Then the strong,
soothing hand Of the custere maid
drew her head down on 10 the cushion,
and the wild anger died away into
passionate soSbing At last she con-
tinued
Il win tell you about last night You
ere aware. perhaps. that IN this house
all the servants sleep in the modern
wing This central block is made up
Of the dwelling rooms. with the kitchen
behind and our bedroom above. Ny
maid. Theresa. sleeps above my room.
There IS no one else and no sound coulS
alarm those who are in the farther
wing. This must have been we'll known
TO the robbers or they would not have
acted as they did
Sir Eustace retired about half past
| 10 The servants had already gone to
tseir quarters Only my maid was up,
and she had remained in her room at
TIE top OF the house until needed her
services. ! sat until after II in this
i room. absorbed In n book then ] walk
ed round 10 see that all was right be
fore / went upstairs. It was my Gus
tom TO do this myself, for, as ] have
explained. Sir Eustace was not always
20 be trusted. | went into the kitchen,
the buffers pantry, the gun room, the
! billiard room, the 1cawing room and
finally the dining room. As | ap-
preached the window. which is covered
with thick curtains, ! suddenly felt the
wind blow upon my face and realized
that ii was open. ! flung the curtain
aside and found myself face to face
with a broad shouldered, elderly man.
who had Just stepped into the ROOM
The window Is a long French one,
which really forms a door leading to
the lawn. l held my bedroom cand
liz in my hand, and by its light behind
the first man l saw two others, who
were in the act of entering. | stepped
back, but the fellow was on me in an
instant lie caught me arst by the
wrist and then by the throat ] opened
my mouth te scream, but he struck me
a savage blow with his fist over the
eye and felled me to the ground.
must have been unconscious for a few
minutes, for when ! came TO myself
] found that they had torn down the
bell rope and had secured me tightly
TO the oaken chair which stands ar the
! hau1 % ~.
firmly bound that / could not move. and
a handkerchief round my mortn pre-
vented me from uttering sound. 1t
was az this instant that my unfortu-
nate husband entered the room. He
had evidently heard some suspicious
sounds, and he came prepared for such
scere as he found He was dressed
In his shirt md trousers, with his IA
vorite biackthorn cudgel in his hand.
He rushed at the burglars, but an
other-it was an elderly man--stooped.
picked the poker out Of the crate and
struck him a horrible blow as he
passed. He fell. with a groan. and
never moved again.
81 tainted once more, but again II
could only have been for very few
minutes during which / was insensi.
bic. When l opened my eyes | found
that they had collected tho silver from
the sideboard. and they had drawn a
bottle Of wine which stood there. Each
Of them had glass n his hand. /
have already told you, have not, that
one was elderly, with beard, and the
others young. hairless lads? They
might have been father with his two
sons. They talked together in whis-
pers. Then they came over and made
sure that / was securely bound III
nally they withdrew, closing the win
dow after them. II was quite quar-
ter Of an hour before / got my mouth
free. When did so my screams
brought the maid TO my assistance
The other servants We're soon alarmed
and we sent for the local police who
instantly communicated with London
That is really all that can tell you
gentlemen, and l trust that Il viii not
be necessary for me to 90 over so pain
full a story again"
"Any questions. Mr. Holmes 2" asked
Hopkins.
Il viii not impose any further tar
upon Lady Brackenstall's patience and
time" said Holmes. Before l go into
the dining room / should like to hear
your experience" He looked at the
maid
IL saw the men before ever they
came into the house." said she. "Ai
/ sat by my bedroom window / saw
three men in the moonlight down boy
the lodge gate yonder, but / though
nothing OF it at the time. II was more
than an hour after that / heard py
mistress s?ream, and down / ran 4
find her, poor lamb, just as she says
and him on the floor, with his blooC
and brains over the room. II wat
enough 10 drive a woman out OF he
wits, tied there and her very dress spot
ted with him; but she never wanted
: courage, did Kiss Mary Fraser Of AIDE
+ laide, aud Lady Brackenstall of Able!
4 Gr.nge hasn't learned new ways
. You've questioned her long enough
you gentemen, and now she Is cominl
, 10 her own room just with her ole
Theresa to get the rest that she badl!
needs"
With a motherly teaderness th'
: gaunt woman put her arm round be
: mistress and led her from the room.
1 "she has been with her all her life,
! said Hopkins. "Nursed her as a bab!
and Cas4e with her to England whei