Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-09-04
CHApTpR xxxI-Continued.

. nTm DeilGL LQdL lil6 SlOTe peoplS Seul
short measures unless she watched the
scales, and that, since the failure OF
the Traders bank, we must watch the
corners; and | knew that what want
ed to do must be done before she came
back. | had no tools. but after rum
maglng around / found a pair of gar
den scissors and Ratchet, and thus
armed, set to work. The plasted
came out easily; the lathing was more
obstinate. 1t gave under the blows,
only to spring back into place again,
and the necessity for caution made it
doul,Iy hard.
I had blister on my palm when at
last the Ratchet went through and fell
with what sounded like the report of
a gun to my overstrained nerves. l
sat on trunk, waiting to hear Liddy
az mp the stairs, with the household
hesrind her, like the tail OF comet.
But nothing happened, and with a
growing feeling of uncanniness | set
to work enlarging the opening.
The result was absolutely nil. When
4 could hold a lighted candle in the
opening. I saw precisely what I had
seem ON the other side of the chimney
---a space between the true wall and
the faTse one. possibly seven feet long
and about three feet wide. 1t was in
no sense OF the word a secret cham
her, and " was evident 1t had not been
disturbed since the house was built. 1t
was supreme disappointment.
It had been Mr.. Jamiesons idea that
me hidden room, if there was one,
would be found somewhere near the
.f,.. .k.sex Gr Pac nj I'm Ju HI
he had once investigated the entire
length Of the clothes chute, hanging
10 a rope, with this in view. was re-
hfctant1y about to concede that he had
been right, when my eyes fell on the
naantei and fireplace. The latter had
evidently never been used; 1t was
closed with metal fire front, and only
when the front refused to move. and
investigation showed that it was not
Intended to be moved, did my spirit
revive.
hurried into the next room. Yes,
sure enough. there was similar man
tel and fireplace there. similarly
closed. In both rooms the chimney
fue extended well out from the wall.
measured with the tapeline. my
hands trembling so that could scarce
w. hold it. They extended two feet and
half into each room, which, with the
three feet of space between the two
partitions, made eight feet to be ac-
counted for. Eight feet in one direc-
ton and almost seven in the other
what a chimney it was!
But had only located the hidden
room. was not in it. and no amount
of pAessing on the carving of the wood
en- mantels, no search Of the floors for
loose board, none OF the customary
methods awaited at all. That there
was means Of entrance, and prob
ably a simple one, could be certain
But what? What would | find If
did get In? Was the detective right
and were the bonds and money from
the Traders bank there? Or was oul
whole theory wrong. Would not Pau
Armstrong have taken his booty with
him? II he had not, and if Doctor
walker was in the secret, he would
naye known how to enter the chimney
room. Then-who had dug the othel
hole. insthe false partition?
CHAPTER XXXII.
Idtdy discovered the fresh break ii
ifha trunk ROOM wall while we were
lat luncheon, and ran shrieking doWr
the stairs. She maintained that, as
she entered. unseen hands had beer
digging at the plaster; that they hat
stoned when she went In. and she had
felt q gust of cold damp air. In sup
mort Of her story she carried in my
wet and muddy boots, that had un
luckily forgotten to hide, and hele
them out to the detective and myself
ssWhat did tell you?" she sale
dramatically. ''I.ook at 'em. They r.
voura. MISS Rachel--and covered will
mud and soaked to the tops tel
Won. yos, can scoff all yol like; some
firing has been wearing your shoes
AZ syre as you sit there, there's the
smell of the graveyard on them. How
do we know they weren't trampins
through the Casanova churchyard las
night, and sitting on the graves!"
Mr.. Jameson almost choke t
death. eT wouldn't be at all surprised
IL they were doing that very thing
Lidy," he said, when he got his breath
..They certainly look like it,
think the detective had a plan, OF
which. he was working and which Wal
meant to be coup But things wen
so fast there was 10 time TO carry !
into effect. The first thing that oc
Cured was q message from the Chair
ty hospital that Mrs Watson was dy
ing. and had asked for me. | did no
care much about going. There is
sort of melancholy pleasure to be ha'
out OF funeral, with ii pomp and cere
mony. but | shrank from a death bed
However, Liddy got out the blacl
things and the Grape veil | keep TO
such occasions. and I went. | left MI
Jameson and the day detective goin:
over every inch of the circular stai1
case, pounding. probing and measuE
ing. # was inwardly elated to thinl
of the surprise | was going to Civ
them that night; as it turned out,
did surprise them-almost int
spasms.
drove from the train to the CHAR
ty hospital. and was at once taken t
ward. There, in a gray-walled room
in high iron bed, lay Mrs Watson
She was very weak, and she onl
opened her eyes and looked at m
when sat down beside her. | wa
conscience stricken. We had been S
engrossea that | had left this poo
4..AaY.xa "a, d;r without eVan a Wnr