Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1909-08-24


ton. Rumor had 1t that Sunnyside was
burning. and it was amazing how
many people threw something over |
their night clothes and flew to the con-
fagration. take it Casanova has few |
fires, and Sunnyside was furnishing |
the people, in one way and another,
the greatest excitement they had had |
for years.
The stable was off the west wing.
hardly know how came to think OF
the circular staircase and the I'M
guarded door at its foot. Liddy was
putting my clothes into sheets, prepar-
atory to tossing them out the window,
when found her, and could hardly
persuade her to stop.
II want you to come with me, Lid
dy," said. Bring candle and al
couple of blankets"
She Jagged behind considerably
when she saw me making for the east
wing, and at the top of the staircase
she baked.
Il am not going down there" she
said firmly.
There is no one guarding the door
down there" explained who
knows ?-this may be scheme to
draw everybody from this end Of the
house and let some one in here
The instant l said it was con-
Ivinced I had hit on the explanation,
and that perhaps it was already too
late. 1t seemed to me as | listened
that I heard stealthy footsteps on the
east, porch, hut there was so much
shouting outside that it was impossible
to tell. Liddy was on the point of re-
treat
( Every we'll" I said then shall go
down alone. Run back to Mr.. Halsey's
room ard get his revolver. Don't shoot
down the stairs if you hear notse'
Renember-I shall be down there.
And hurry"
/ 7 PIT the candle on the floor at the
/ ton of the staircase and took off my
bedroom slippers. Then ! crept down
the stairs. going very slowlr, and lis
tening with all my ears. was keyed
to such pitch that | felt 10 fear:
like the condemned who sleep and
eat the nieht before execution. | was
/ no loneer able to suffer apprehension.
I was nast that lust at the foot of the
stoirs, stubhed my toe against
Halsev's biz chair and had to
stand on one foot in sound
less asonv until the pain sub
sided to dull ache. And then--I knew
7 was right. Some one had nut key
into the lock and was turning it, For
some reason 1t refused to work, and
the key was withdrawn. There was a
muttering of voices outside: had onlv
asecond. Another trial and the door
would open. The candle above made
a faint CLEAN down the well-like
staircase and at that moment, with a
second. no more, to spare, l thought
of plan.
The heavy oak chair almost filed
the space between the newell post and
i the door. With crash had turned it
on its side, wedging it against the
door, it's legs against the stairs.
could hear faint scream from Liddy
at the crash, and then she came down
the stairs on the run, with the revol-
yer held straight out In front of her.
Thank God,' she said in shaking
voice. "I thought 1t was you"
/ pointed to the door and she under
stood.
Call out of the windows at the
other end of the house." I whispered,
"Run. Tell them not to wait for any.
thing"
She went I'm the stairs at that, two
at 2 time. Evidently she eollided with
the candle. for it went out, and / was
left in darkness.
I was really astonishingly cool.
remember stepping over the chaii
and gluing my ear TO the door. and
shall never forget feeling it give ar
inch or two there in the darkness un
Eder steady pressure from without
But the chair held, although I eould
hear an ominous cracking of one o.
the legs. And then, without the slight
est warning, the card room window
broke with crash. had my finger OF
the trigger of the revolver. and as
) jumped it went off, right through tht
door. Some one outside swore round
ly, and for the first time could hea
what was said.
"Only a scratch. Men a
the other end of the house. y
Have the whole rats nest on u.s." Ant
a lot of profanity which | won't writ
down. The voices were at the broker
window now. and although / was treH
bling violently, was determined tha
I would hold them until help came.
! moved up the stairs until l could Sc
9 into the card room, or rather throug
2 1t, to the window. AS looked
: small man put his leg over the sill an
I stepped into the room. The curtai
I confused him for moment; then h
g turned, not toward me. but toward tn
billiard room door. fired again, an
| something that was glass or chin
crashed to the ground, Then l ran u
the stairs and along the corridor to tn
Z main staircase, Gertrude was stanc
: ing there, trying to locate the shot'
y and / must have been peculiar fiji
ure, with my hair in crimps, my dres
u ing gown flying, no slippers, and r.
Z volver clutched in my hand. l had n
y time to talk There was the sound {
o footsteps in the lower hall, and som
Il one bounded up the stairs.
q had gone Berserk, think. leane
over the stair rail and fired agail
IS Halsey, below. yelled at me,
e what are you doing up there?" b
$. yelled. ''You missed me by an inch,
Q And then / collapsed and fainte
y When | came around Liddy was ru