Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-08-03

|of sheet, not typed, but written in
a cramped hand.
by altering the plans for
rooms, may be possible. The best
way, in my opinion, would be To-
the plan for--in one of the-
rooms chimney"
That was all.
"Well?" | said, looking up There
is nothing in chat, is there? A man
ought to be able to change the plan
of his house without becoming an OBJ
ject of suspicion"
There is little in the paper itself"
he admitted; 'but why should Arnold
Armstrong carry that around, unless
| it meant something? He never built
a house. you may BE sure of that. II
| it is this house, ii may mean any
thing, from secret room
| ITO an extra bathroom / said
scornfully. Haven't you a thumb,
! print, too?"
Il have" he said with a smile, land
! the print of a foot in a tulip bed, and
a number Of other things. The odd,
est part is, Miss Innes, that the thumb.
mark is probably your and the foot.
print certainly"
| His audacity was the only thing
that saved me: his amused smile put
me on my mettle, and l ripped out a
perfectly good scallop before l an
swered.
why did l step into the tulip bed?'
l asked with interest.
You picked up something" he said
good humoredly (which you are goina
| to tell me about later"
Am l. indeed?" | was politely cur
ious. With this remarkable insight
of yours, l wish you would tell me
where l shall find my four-thousant
dollar motor-car."
81 was just coming to that" he
said. "You will find it about thirty
miles away. at Andrews Station, in
blacksmith shop, where it is being re
paired
| / laid down my knitting then ant
looked at him.
And Halsey?" | managed to say.
! I'VE are going to exchange informa
| tion," he said. 81 am going to tel
| you that, when you tell me what yo'
picked up in the tulip bed"
i We looked steadily at each other
i it was not an unfriendly stare; w
were only measuring weapons. Thel
4 he smiled a little and got up.
with your permission he said, :.
am going to examine the card-roon
and the staircase again. You Nigh
think over my offer In the meantime.
He went on through the DRAWN
room. and | listened to his footstep
growing gradually fainter. I droppe
my pretense at knitting and, leanin
back. I thought over the last forty
eight hours. Here was l, Rachel II
mes, spinster, granddaughter of oil
; John lines of Revolutionary days,
D. A. R.. Colonel Dame mixed u
with a vulgar and revolving crime
and even attempting to hoodwink tn
law! Certainly / had left the straigh
and narrow way.
: l was reused by hearing Mr.. Jam
eson coming rapidly back through tn
drawing room. He stopped at tn
door.
miss Innes.' he said quickly, wi
you come with me and light the cas-
! corridor? I have fastened somebod
I in the small room It the head of tn
: card-room stairs"
:. | jumped up at once.
. You mean-the murderer"
. gasped.
Possibly" he said quietly, as W
r hurried together UP the stairs. SON
> one was lurking on the staircase whe
0 went back. l spoke; instead of a
!. answer, whoever it was turned an
g ran up. | followed-it was dark-bl
o as | turned the corner at the top
Y figure darted through this door al
closed it. The bolt was on my sid
t and I pushed it forward 1t is clio
! ct, / think We were in the uppt
hall now ST you will show me tt
= electric switch, Miss lines, you wou
e better wait in your own room
|, Trembling as was, was deterrni
( ed to see that door opened. hard
, knew what feared, but SO many te
Irible and inexplicable things had ha
pened that suspense was worse tha
lcertainty.
Il am perfectly COOL | said, car