Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-10-07
CHAPTER XXI.

CHAPTER XXI.
Fourteen Elm Street,
10 WIS Monday evening when va
found the body Of poor Thomas. Mon
day night had been uneventful; things
were quiet ct the house and the Do.
culiar circumstances of the old mans
death had been carefully kept from
the servants. Rosie took charge Of
the dining room and pantry, IN the ab,
sence Of butler, and. except for the
warning Of the Casanova doctor, every.
thing breathed Of peace.
Affairs ct the Traders bank were
progressing slowly. The failure had
hit small stockholders very hard, tho
minister Of tho little Methodist chapel
In Casanova amcng them. He had
received as Q Legacy from an uncle q
few shares Of stock IN the Traders
bank, and now his Joy was turned ia
bitterness; he had to sacrifice every
thing he had in the world, and his
feeling against Paul Armstrong, dead
as he was. must have been bitter IN
the extreme. He was asked to Of
ficiate at the simple services when the
dead bankers body was inferred in
Casanova churchyard, but the good
man providentially took cold, and Z
substitute was called in.
"A few days after the services h
called to see me, . kind-faced little
man, in very bad frock-coat and
laundered tie. 1 think he was uncer
tain as to my connection with ths
Armstrong family, and dubious wheth
er considered Mr.. Armstrong's TAX
ing away matter for coincidence OF
congratulation. He was not long il
doubt.
I liked the little man. He had known
Thomas we'll. and had promised to Of
dciate at the services in the rickety
African Zion church. He told me more
of himself than he knew, and before
he left astonished him-and myself
I admit-by promising a new carpet
for his church. He was much affected
and gathered that he had yearned
over his ragged chapel as q mother
over a half-clothed child.
you are laying up treasures. Miss
Innes," he said brokenly, 'swher,
neither moth nor rust corrupt, no,
thieves break through and steal"
sent him home IN the car, with q
bunch OF dollhouse roses for his wife
and he was quite overwhelmed. AZ
for me, had Ia generous glow that
was cheap at the price Of a church
carpet. Ireceived less qualification
and less gratitude-when I presented
the new silver communion set to St
Barnabas.
I had a great many things to thinl
about in those days. I made list OF
questions and possible answers, blu,
I seemed only to be working around
IN circle. always ended where ]
began. The list was something like
this:
Who had entered the house the night
before the murder?
Thomas claimed It was Mr.. Rai,ev
whom he had seen on the foot-path, and
Who owned the pearl cuff-link.
Why did Arnold Armstrong come back
liter he had left the house the night he
vas killed?
No answer. Was 1t on the mission
1ouise had mentioned?
Who admitted him7
Gertrude said she had locked the east
ntry. There was no key on the dead
nan or in the door. He must have been
Omitted from within.
Who had been locked in the clothe.
hute?
Some one unfamiliar with the house.
vidently. Only two people missing from
he household, Rosie and Gertrude. Rosie
ad been at the lodge. Thsrsfore-but
ras 1t Gertrude? Might It not have been
ne mysterious intruder again?
Who had accosted Rosie on the drive 7
Again-psrhaps the nightly visitor. Il
eened more likely some one who sus-
ected secret at the lodge. Was Lou-
ie under surveillance?
VINO had passed Louise on the eirculaR
aircase? Y
Could it have been Thomas? The key
the east entry made this a possible
y. But why was he there, If it were
Who had made the hole in the trunk
'om wall?
1t was not vandalism. It had been done
iietly, and with deliberate purpose. If
h0o only known how to read the pOr-
,se OF that gaping aperture what
light have saved In anxiety and mental
raini
Why had Louise left her people and
me home to hide at the lodge?
There was no answer, as yet, to this,
to the next questions.
Why did both she and DR.. Walker
I'm us away from the house?
Who was Lucien Wallace?
What did Thomas see In the shadows
night ne died?
What was the meaning of the subtle
ange in Gertrude?
Vas Jack Bailey an accomplice or a
.tim in the footing of the Traders
nix?
What all-powerful reason made Louise
termine to marry DR.. Walker?
The examiners were still working
the books Of the Traders bank, and
was probable that several weeks
,uld elapse before everything was
Jared up. The firm Of expert &C
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