Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-08-17
CHAPTER XII.


was gone from the foot, where it had
lain. The night lamp burned dimly,
revealing the emptiness of the place.
l picked It up, but my hand Shook so
that I put it down again, and got
somehow to the door.
There were voices in the hall and
Gertrude came running toward me.
What is it?" she cried. What was
that sound? Where is Louise?"
"she is not in her room" said
stupidity. RI think 1t was she-who
screamed"
Liddy had Joined us now, carrying
a light. We stood huddled together
at the head of the circular staircase,
looking down into it's shadows. There
was nothing to be seen, and 1t was
absolutely quiet down there. Then we
heard Halsey running up the main
staircase. He came quickly down the
hall to where we were standing.
There's no one trying to get in. l
thought heard some one shrek. Who
was it?"
Our stricken faces told him the
truth.
Some one screamed down there"
said. "And-and Louise Is not in her
room"
With a jerk Halsey took the light
from Liddy and ran down the circular
staircase. I followed him, more slow
ly. My nerves seemed to be in
state of paralysis: l could scarcely
stop. At the foot of the stairs Halsey
gave an exclamation and put down
the light
Do he rh a
AT the foot of the staircase, huddled
in a heap, her head on the lower step,
was Louise Armstrong She lay limp
and white, her dressing-gown drag
ging loose from one sleeve of her
night dress, and the heavy braid Of
her dark hair stretching its length
couple of steps above her head, as If
she had slipped down.
She was not dead: Halsey put her
down on the floor, and began to rub
her cold hands, while Gertrude and
Liddy ran for stimulants. AS for me,
sat there at the foot of that ghostly
staircase--sat, because my knees
wouldn't hold me-and wondered
where 1t would all end. Louise was
still unconscious, but she was breath
ing better, and suggested that we
get her back to bed before she came
to. There was something grisly and
horrible to me, seeing her there in al
most the same attitude and in the
same place where we had found her
brothers. body. And to add to the
similarity, just then the hall clock,
far off, struck family three o'clock.
It was four before Louise was able
to talk, and the first rays of dawn
were coming through her windows,
which faced the east, before she
could tell us coherently what had oc-
Cured. give it as she told it. She
lay propped in bed, and Halsey sat
beside her, unrebuffed and held her
hand while she talked.
81 was not sleeping WE'LL she be-
gan, partly, think, because had
slept during the afternoon. Liddy
brought me some hot milk at ten
o'clock and slept until twelve. Then
Weakened and--I got to thinking
about things and worrying, SO could
not go to sleep.
81 was wondering why had not
heard from Arnold since the-since |
saw him that night at the lodge. |
was afraid he was Ill, because he
was to have done something for me,
and he had not come back. It must
have been three when I heard some
one rapping. | sat up and listened, TO
be quite sure, and the rapping kept
UP. 1t was cautious. and I was about
to call Liddy. Then suddenly
thought knew what it was The east
entrance and the circular staircase
were always used by Arnold when he
was out late, and sometimes, when he
forgot his key, he would rap and |
would go down and let him in.
thought he had come back to see me
~ didn't think about the time, for his
hours were always erratic. But was
afraid was too weak to get down
the stairs. The knocking kept UP,
and just as I was about to call Liddy,
she ran through the room out into the
hall. got UP then feeling weak and
dizzy, and put on my dressing gown.
If 1t was Arnold, l knew I must see
him.
'tIt was very dark everywhere but,
of course, I knew my way. felt
along for the stair-rail, and went down
es quickly as could. The knocking
had stopped, and I was afraid l was
too late. / got to the foot Of the stair
case and over to tho door on to the
east veranda. had never thought of
anything but that it was Arnold, until
reached the door, 1t was unlocked
and opened about an inch Every.
thing was black: it was perfectly dark
outside. felt very queer and shaky
Then l thought perhaps Arnold had
used his key; he did - strange things
sometimes, and turned around Just
as I reached the foot Of the staircase
thought I heard some one coming
My nerves were going anyhow, there
In the dark, and l could scarcely stand
I got up as far as the third or fourth
step; then / felt that some one was
coming toward me on the staircase
The next instant hand met mine or
the stair-rail. Some one brushed pass
me, and screamed. Then l must
have tainted"
That was Louise's story. There
could be no doubt of its truth, and tho
thing that made 1t inexpressibly awfu
to me was that the poor girl had crep
down to answer the summons of {
brother who would never peed hel