The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-09-28

of her nightgown was stained with
blood. Pulling her wits together, for
she felt that she needed them every
one, she examined the head and neck
To her horror she found round the
throat strong thin copper wire, which
disappeared through a hole IN the floor.
Apparently this had been pulled so
tightly as to keep the head down and
to choke the old man. and so cruelty
as to cut deeply into the flesh With a
moan Of horror Deborah dropped the
head and ran to the trapdoor in the
corner. II anywhere, those who had
murdered Aaron Norman We're lurking
in the cellar. But the trapdoor would
not open, and then she remembered
that it was closed by bolt underneath.
She could not reach the midnight as
sassin that way.
1.-THE front door" she gasped, and
ran to unbolt it. The bolts were easily
removed, but the door was also locked,
and Aaron usually had the key depos-
tied nightly in the cellar by Bart. Re
pugnant as it was for her to approach
lIlC OGd0 DO09g OCDOl4A ZlAL W Cl4A
forward and felt in the pockets and
loose clothing The man was COM
pletely dressed, even to an overcoat
which he wore. But she could not find
the key and wondered what she was
to do. Probably the key had been
hung up in the cellar as usual. Neces-
sity being the mother OF invention, she
hot er4a
was fragile and ran up in the hope Of
breaking through But the stout shut
ters were up, SO Deborah found that
she was sealed in the house.
Almost in a state of distraction, for
by this time her nerve had given way,
she unlocked the door to the stairs and
ran up, three steps at a time, to the
sitting room. Here she opened the win
dow and scrambled out on to the ledge
among Sylvia's flower pots. Just as
she was wondering how she could get
down the measured tread of police
man was heard, and by craning her
neck Deborah saw him coming leisure
/ ly along the street, swinging his dark
lantern on the windows and doors. 1t
was q moonlight night and the street
was extraordinarily we'll lighted, as the
moon shone straightly between the
houses. Gathering her strength for a
last effort, Deborah yelled as only she
| could yell and saw the startled officer
| spinning round, looking up and down
and sideways to see where the shrieks
/ came from. 'Up-up-oh, look up, you
/ o.
OH murderl Burst in the door! Call
the police, drat you! Help! Helpv
By this time she was the center of a
circle Of bright light, for the police
man had located her and his lantern
was flashing on her white nightgown
as she chung to the window sill.
What are you making that noise
for?" called up the officer gruffly.
Murder, you fool!' screamed Debo-
rah. Masters murdered. No. 45-the
doors locked-break it open. Police
Policer
Before she finished the sentence the
officer blew his whistle shrilly and ran
to the door of the shop, against which
he placed his shoulder Deborah climb
/ C0 III dSQln Dg Tue luuON anu AdI
down again, but even then, in her ex
element and horror, she did not forget
to lock the door leading to the stairs
so that Sylvia might not be disturbed
AS she descended she flung a thick
shawl over her shoulders, which she
had caught up when leaving her room
though for the rest she had nothing or
/ hrIE r1iC pY1f tho a 2
was too terrified to be troubled by any
scruples at the moment and reached
the shop to hear heavy blows on the
door. Between the thuds Deborah
could hear footsteps running inward
from every quarter. Il amt got thu
keyw she shrieked through the keyhole
Break IN the door, drat you'll Murder
MURDER
From the noise she made those with
out concluded that some terrible Grim,
was taking place within and re
doubled their efforts. Deborah haC
just time to leap back after a fna
scream when the door fell fiat OF
the floor, and three policemen spran,
into the room with drawn batons ant
their lights flashing like stars. Tn
lamp was still on the floor sheddin:
its heavy yellow light on the corpse
MASTER gasped Deborah, pointin
a shaking finger. 'Dead-the-the eel
lar-the"- and here she made as t
drop. A policeman caught her in hi
arms, but the woman shook hersel
free. 4 sha'n't faint-no-I sha n
faint" she gasped, 1.-The cellar-look-
look She ran forward and raise
The head of the dead man. When tn
officers saw the dangling slack wiz
disappearing through a hole in tn
floor they grasped the situation. eth
: passage outsider cried Deborah. d
: recting operations; 1.-THE trapdoor,
: she ran to it. fast bolted below, an
! them numbering people are there"
] How many are there" asked a pc
+ iicemen. while several officers "a
5 round the back through the side pas