The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-14

more satisfactory. even II you have to
share it with me-"
"And what course will you take" he
asked. pausing with his hand on the
fence. III choose destruction without
you rather than perdition with your
.What course? Why, I shall tell DR..
Talbot just enough of what l know to
prove you to be as desirable n witness
in the impending inquest as myself.
The result l leave TO your judgment
But you will not drive me to this ex-
tremity. You win come back and
woman. l will never come back.
shall have to dare your worst In two
weeks. and ! will begin by daring you
now. r.
But be did not leap the fence. though
be made a move to do so. for at that
moment party of men came hurrying
by on the lower road. one of whom
was heard to say:
IL will bet my head that we will put
our hand on Agatha Webb's murderer
tonight. The man who shoves $50 bills
around SO heedlessly should not wear .
beard so long 1t leads to detection"
1t was the coroner. the constable.
Knapp and Abel en- route to the forest
road on which lived John and James
label
Frederick and Amabel confronted
each other and after a moments si-
lence turned as IL by q common I'M
pulse toward the house.
"What have they got in their heads"
queried she. "Whatever 1t is 1t may
serve to occupy them till the two weeks
OF your probation have passed"
He did not answer. A new difficulty
had entered his already overcrowded
life.
Let us follow the party now winding
up the hillside.
In a deeply wooded spot on q side
road stood little house to which John
and James label had removed when
their business on the docks had termi-
mated. There was no other dwelling
OF greater or lesser pretension on that
road. which may account for the fact
that none of the persons now approach
ing 1t had been In that neighborhood
for years. though 1t was by no means
q long walk from the village In which
they all led such busy lives.
The heavy shadows cast by the
woods through which the road mean
dered were not without their effect
upon the spirits Of the three men pass
ing through them. so that long before
they reached the opening in which the
label cottage stood silence had fallen
upon the whole party. DR.. Talbot es-
pecially looked as II he little relished
this late visit to his old friends and
not till they caught a glimpse of the
long. sloping roof and heavy chimney
hok A nfp
the gloom incident to the nature OF
his errand.
Gentlemen" said he. coming to q
sudden halt. 'let us understand each
other. We are about to make call
on two Of our oldest and most respecta-
BILE townsfolk. II In the course Of that
call I choose to make mention OF the
$50 bill left with Lotion. well and good.
but II not you are to take my reticence
as proof Of my own belief that they
had nothing to do with It"
Two OF the party bowed. Knapp
only made no sign.
There IL no light in the window"
observed Abel. what II we find them
gone to bedY
1--WE will wake Them" said the con-
stable. IL cannot so back without
being myself assured that no more
money like that given to Lotion re-
mains In this house."
"very WE'LL" remarked Knapp, and
going up to the door before him he
struck resounding knock that was
startling In that place OF silence.
But loud AZ the summons was II
brought no answer. Not only the moon
lighted door. but the little windows on
each side Of It remained shut and
there was no evidence that the knock
had been heard.
"Zabel! John Zabelw shouted the
constable. stepping around the side Of
the house. Get up, my good friends.
and let an old crony in. James! john
Late as II IL we have business with
you. Open the door. Don't stop to
Dress"
But this appeal received no more
recognition than the nrst. and after
rapping on the window against which
he had flung the words he came back
and looked up and down the front Of
the house.
1t had a solitary aspect and was
much less comfortable looking than he
had expected. Indeed. there were
signs Of poverty or at least Of neglect
about the place that astonished him.
Not only had the weeds been allowed
to grow over the doorstep. but from
the implanted front itself bits Of board
had rotted away. leaving great gaps
about the window lodges and mt the
base Of the sunken and well nigh top
pling chimney. The moon flooding the
roof showed up all these imperfec-
tons with pitiless insistence, and the
torn edges of the green paper shades
that half concealed the rooms within
were plainly to be seen as well as the
knocker which hung by
one nail to the old cracked door. The
vision OF Knapp. with his ear laid
against this door. added to the forlorn
and sinister aspect OF the scene and
gave to the constable, who remembered
the brothers In their palmy days. when
they were the life and pride of the
town, a by no means agreeable sensa-
ton as he advanced toward the de-
tective and asked him what they
should do now.
Break down the door," was the I'M
compromising reply. "Or waiti The