Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-05-12

mystery. Sam Statham was mystery
in himself, and of his house many
wierd things were alleged.
Twice the pair passed and repassed
At the corner of Deanery street
stood a constable, and while he re-
NAMED there it was injudlcious to-
attempt an entry with latch key. So
they strolled back in the direction of
the fountain. conversing in under
tones.
Max glanced at his watch and found
chat 1t wanted a quarter to eleven At
last they crossed the road and passed
the door. All seemed quiet At that
moment the only object in sight was
a recedfng notorious showing Its red
tail light. Not soul was on the pave
ment.
"All clear!" cried Charlie, scarce
above a whisper, as he slipped up two
or three steps, followed by his com
panion.
| The moment was an exciting one.
Next second, however, the key was in
the latch, and without a sound the
wards of the lock were lifted.
| In another moment the pair stood
within the brightly-lit hall, and the
door was closed noiselessly behind
| them
Standing there within few yards
of the door OF the library, where from
the smell Of tobacco smoke it. WIS cv
dent that old Sam was taking his ease
! they were in imminent danger of dis
covery. Besides, Levi had habit of
moving without sound in his old felt
| slippers, and might at any moment
tapepar up the stairs fr0l, the lower
regions.
Instinctively Charlie glanced up
stairs towards the locked door. But
next second he mentioned his com
panion to follow, and stole on tiptoe
over the thick Turkey carpets past
the millionaire's door and on into
kind of small conservatory which lay
behind the hall and was in darkness.
Though leading from the room be-
hind the library. it was fairly good
spot as a place of hiding, yet so Wig
liant was old Levi that the chances
were he would come in there poking
about ere he retired to rest.
The two men stood together behind
a bank of what had once been green
house plants, but all of them had died
by neglect and want of water long
ago. The range of pots and dried
stalks still remained forming an eff
fectual barrier behind which they
could conceal themselves.
Through the long French window
of the room adjoining the light shone,
and Charlie, slowly creeping forward,
peered within
Then he whispered to his friend.
and both men tent to see what was
| transpiring.
The scene was unusual.
A full view of the library could be
obtained from where they stood in
the darkness. In the room two of the
big armchairs had been pulled up,
with a small coffee table between
them. On one side was old Sam, laz-
lily smoking one of his big cigars,
while on the other. was Levi, lying
back, his legs stretched out, smoking
with perfect equanimity and equally
with his master. Upon the table was
a decanter of whisky and two
glasses, and, Judging from the amused
countenances of both men, Sam had
been relating to Levi something
which struck the other as humorous
1t was curious, to say the least
that Levi, the humble, even cringing
servant, should place himself upon an
| equality with his master. That he was
devoted to his master, Charlie knew
well, but this friendship he never sus-
pected There was hidden reason for
! it all, no doubt.
The two intruders watched with
bated breath, neither daring to make
a sound.
They saw Levi, his cigar stuck in
the side of his mouth, lean back and
thrust his hands deep into his trous-