The new era., 1909-07-29
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house, had startled her out Of her
midnight slumber. Occupying the
back parlor, the door of which she had
- It open invitingly for such stray
breaths Of air as might be enticed
that way on the sitting hot night.
she had an unobstructed view of
the hall as, with wide eyes and
pounding pulses, she remained
propped rigidly upon her elbow. The
sound came again-it was a pistol
shot! There could be no doubt this
time. And almost on the instant she
saw shadowy form spring out from
the front parlor, wrench open the hall
door, and slamming 1t violently, dis
appear in the direction of the street.
For a long moment she could not
credit her senses. That such actions
as this sight and sound implied could
occur in her own select boarding
house was unbelievable, and effort on
her part was required to adjust her
bewildered mind to the situation. But
she was a woman Of executive ability
In her way. and with comparatively
little loss Of time she sprang from her
bed, threw on wrapper and ran along
the hall. The door of the front par
lor was open, and, the shades being
raised. she could discern through the
fltful moonlight shape dimly outlined
on the sofa.
Who is there?" she asked in
strained whisper. No answer came.
and she repeated the question. Still
the form neither moved nor spoke.
Cropping until she found a match
she hastily lighted the gas, and then
she recognized the figure as that Of
Mr.. Truro. who, with his wife. occu.
pied the room. Dressed in pajamas
solely, as II he had been preparing for
bed, or had recently risen from 1t, he
,xs huddled against the arm and back
cR.he sofa, head lolling, legs relaxed.
and from some hidden part of his body
q thin stream of blood dripped. No
pistol appeared in sight, but little
wreaths of blue smoke hung over the
table. and there was a pungent tang
in the dead air, speaking witnesses to
the nature of what had occurred
Shivering as II with the ague, yet
managing to repress the exclamation
of horror that rose to her lips. she
looked with dreading eyes in the d.
rection of the bed. There lay the wife
almost hidden by the clothes, which
were piled upon her in twisted heaps,
as II the husband jumping suddenly
up had thrown this share of the cover
ing hastily to that side. Her face was
white, the eyes staring; and Mrs. Phil
pots, no longer able, try as she might
for her houses sake, to restrain her
emotion. uttered scream on scream
and fed to her room. shutting and
locking the door after her. But the
sight of the telephone which was in
stalled there directed her energies in
some degree, and after a moment Of
effort at collecting her faculties she
hastened to it and summoned the po-
lice.
When the officers and the assistant
medical examiner arrived they found
that the man, though wounded serious
ly in the region of the heart, was
alive, but the woman's eyes were al
ready fixed in the stare of death. She
had been shot through the heart. Both
bue3ts, the one which had found the
VIII = and that which had entered the
husSdnd, had been aimed to kill, the
one unerringly, the other a fingers
breadth to the right. missing as by a
miracle a vital spot.
"Who done it-how did it happen?"
the sergeant of police asked. excitedly.
of Mrs. Philpots. who, reassured in a
degree by the presence of living hn-
man beings, had regained sufficient
courage to come back to the room of
tragedy, after admitting the officers.
II heard two shots and saw a man
run out of here into the street." she
answered in an awed voice, "and that
is all l know"
did you ever see the man before
what did he look like?"
ut was dark, and i was lying in
bed. / could not see distinctly at all.
But should say he was small man.
He had on a derby hat, of that l am
sure He had a revolver in his hand.
too. In his excitement he seemed not
to think of throwing it down, but
worked away at the door lock still
holding on to 1t, and it bothered him.
\ i did not think of this at the moment.
( but as look back. that is the way 1t
seems to me-"
II You oughter told us this when you
\ 'phoned U.s." the sergeant grumbled.
Then we could be on the lookout for
+ him on the way here. He's had time
II enough to scoot into the next county
Enow."
4 II was frightened. scarcely knew
EWhat / was doing"
Il The sergeant hastened to the tele-
phone and warned his station of the
escapn1pf the assassin. Then he re-
turned to Mrs. Philpots.
\ Who are these people?" he asked.