Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-08-12

3ibly have bothered her with unweI-
come attentions; but 1t seemed to me
that Louise was hardly girl to take
refuge in flight under such cfrcum-
stances. She had always been high
spirited with the well-poised head
and buoyant step of the outdoors girl.
It must have been much more in keep
ing with Louise's character, as knew
1t, to resent vigorously any unwelcome
attentions from Doctor Walker. 1t
was the sutton whom should have ex.
pected to see in headlong flight, not
the lady in the case.
The puzzle was no clearer at the end
OF the half hour. picked up the morn
Ing papers. which were still full of the
loottng of the Traders Bank, the inter-
est at fever height again on account of
Paul Armstrong; death The bank
examiners were working on the books
and said nothing for publication; John
Bailey had been released on bond. The
body of Paul Armstrong would arrive
Sunday and would be buried from the
Armstrong town house. There were
rumors that the dead mans estate had
been comparatively small one. The
last paragraph was the important one.
Walter P. Broadhurst, of the Marine
bank. had produced two hundred
American Traction bords, which had
been placed as security with the Ma
rine bank for a loan of one hundred
and sixty thousand dollars, made to
Paul Armstrong just before his Cali
fornia trip. The bonds were a part
Of the missing traction bonds from the
Traders bank! While this involved
the late president Of the wrecked bank
to my mind it by no means cleared It's
cashier.
The gardener mentioned by Halsey
came out about two o'clock in the af-
ternoon and walked up from the sta
ton. l was favorably impressed by
him. His references were good-he
had been employed by the Brays' I'M
I'll they went to Europe, and he looked
young and vigorous. He asked for
one assistant, and was glad enough
to get off SO easily. He was pleas
ant-faced young fellow with black hair
and blue eyes, and his name was Alex
ander Graham. have been particular
about Alex, because, as l said before,
he played an important part later.
That afternoon l had new insight
into the character of the dead banker.
had my first conversation with Lou
Use. She sent for me, and against my
better judgment I went. There were
so many things she could not be told,
In her weakened condition, that /
dreaded the interview. 1t was much
easier than | expected, however, be-
cause she asked no questions.
Gertrude had gone to bed, having
| been up almost all night, and Halsey
! was absent on one of those mysterious
| absences Of his that grew more and
more frequent as time went on, until
1t eliminated In the event of the night
OF June the tenth. Liddy was in at
| tendance In the sick room. There be-
| ing little or nothing to do, she seemed
to spend her time smoothing the wrin-
kles from the counterpart. Louise
lay under field of virgin white, folded
back at an angle of geometric exact.
ness, and necessirating reimbursement
every time the sick girl turned.
Liddy heard my approach and came
out to meet me. She seemed to be
| In perpetual state of goose-fesh
| oAiu aAu SoOC AL lbS lldDtI VI
past me when she talked, as II she saw
things. 1t had the effect of making me
| look over my shoulder to see what she
was staring at, and was intensely irri-
tating.
She's awake" Liddy said, looking
uneasily down the circular staircase,
| which was beside me. "She was
talkin' in her sleep something awful
about dead men and collins"
"Liddy," I said sternly, did you
| breathe word about everything not
being right here?"
| Liddy's gaze had wandered to the
| door of the chute, now bolted securely.
Not word" she said, beyond ask
| ing her a question or two which there
was no harm in. She says there never
was a ghost known here"
| glared at her, speeches., and clos.
| ing the door into Louise's boudoir, to
Liddy's great disappointment, went
on to the bedroom beyond.
| Whatever Paul Armstrong had been
he had been lavish with his stepIaugh
| ter. Gertrude's rooms at home were
always beautiful apartments, but the
three rooms In the east wing at Sunny
side, set apart for the daughter Of the
house, were much more splendid. From
the walls to the rugs on the floor, from
the furniture to the appointments OF
the bath, with It's pool sunk in the floor
instead Of the customary unlovely tub
everything was luxurious. In the bed
room Louise was watching for me. II
was easy to see that she was much i'm
proved; the flush was going, and the
peculiar gasping breathing of the night
before was now a comfortable and
easy respiration.
She held out her hand and took il
between both of mine.
What can say to you, Miss Innes?,
she said slowly. ITO have come like
! this"