Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-06-27
tcopyrieh. BY The cassell Publishing Coz
CHAPTER xv11.-contimed.)

&.
CHAPTER XVIII Contimed.) Y
Inspector 4-ppiepee, however, had
some difficulty in finding Thornton
Stackhouse.
The fact was that at this moment
ne was engaged in an earnest confer
ence with Detective John Lamm at tho
latters Office.
have come to you, Mr.. Lamm,"
Mr.. Stackhouse had said, as soon as
Mr.. Lamm had closed the door of the
inner Office. for the purpose of CIV
ing you a little information with ref.
erence to personal matters, which I
ought, perhaps, to have mentioned to
you before
Stackhouse looked rather perturbed.
and refrained from meeting the steady
gaze OF the man whom he addressed.
trust" said Lamm, that 1t is not
too late now"
No." rejoined stackhouse, nervous
ly;, mo, 1t is not too late for you: for
me it may be"
There was something despondently
apprehensive in the tones Of the man
as he said these words, but overcom-
Ing with apparent effort his tendency
to despair, he went on at once lin q
tone OF forced briskness:
Mr.. Lamm, intrusted you in the
first place with all that occurred tome
to have any special bearing upon the
North case, when engaged YOU"
The detectives raised eyebrows evil
IDENTIFY conveyed his surprise at this
statement, for Stackhouse went on i'm
mediately: Eyes; 1t is not about that.
but about things Immediately growing
out OF 1t that have come to sneak
to you now, Mr.. Lamm; in other words
OF my serious domestic troubles. And
believe me, l could not say to you
what I now do If ] did not know
that am speaking to trustworthy
man In absolute confidence
Mr.. Lamm made an appreciative ,ges-
ture.
The truth is, sir, that am utterly
unable to account for the extraordi-
nary conduct of my wife. Up to the
day OF this murder, sir, since the
time that married her, mr..
Lamm, we have been on the best of
terms-the best Of terms" he repeated,
redectively, as If half losing himself
IN dreamy "reminiscences.
And since?" the detective insinu-
ated..
Mr. Stackhouse's reply involved a
substantially accurate description OF
the scene which had followed his ar
rivaFat home on the afternoon of the
18th OF June, statement which it
may naturally be conceived caused the
Elective far less establishment than
might have in some circumstances.
But John Lamm was delighted to have
an opportunity to discuss this matter
with his client.
'And how do you account for this?".
he queried.
don't account for It," answered
Btackhouse. II cannot account for Il.
1t is q great and frightfuI nightmare:
the puzzle of my whole life Believe
me, sir, you know absolutely as much
about 1t as do"
Still" suggested Mr.. Lamm, you
might have means Of surmising which
do not possess"
"Ah, indeed" returned Stackhouse,
"and II 1t were not for that fact /
should not have come here. Yes. in
deed, do have means of surmising,
Mr.. Lamm. My wife, as an explana-
ton OF her impossible conduct, simply
uttered name which, am sorry to
say, know altogether too we'll
THE name was-?"
Marie Moissot."
"Ah!" said the detective "a curl
GUS name; French?"
Il mo, curse her." returned Stack
house, vindictively. "She was a
Creole, tell you, Lamm, and a ZEAL
! GUS, dangerous woman. l knew her
years age but certainly had almost
forgotten her existence until this day.
fwhen find her name upon my wife's
lips
Plainly" said the detective, as
aStackhouse hesitated, what did you
gknow Of this woman?"
5a Stackhouse averted his eyes and
81irummed moodily upon the desk with
p}ais fingers for considerable space
without replying.
4 "Mr. Lamm," he said at last, "the
Moissot episode in my experience Is
Bone am not fond of calling to mind.
u met the girl when she was about
ZIG years old-where 1t matters not
~ thought was fond Of her-and was
caught in the SHARES OF her pretty
Face. My acquaintance with her did
aot last long. The vindictive temper
md insane jealousy Of the girl, who
vas more of woman than most Of
pur northern females of twice her age,
warned me that I had made q mis-
AXE"
THE parting was not voluntary on
er part?"
Stackhouse ground his teeth; his
FPS were dry and feverish; under the
able his fists, the detective noticed,
fere clenched.