Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-02-25

in the valise he changed for his own.
bit of luck for him."
Then why" put in Hotchkiss doubt
fully, why did he collapse when he
heard of the wreck? And what about
the telephone message the station
agent sent? You remember they tried
to countermand it, and with some ex-
element ~
'We will ask him those questions
when we get him." Mcknight said. We
were on the unrailed front porch by
that time, and Hotchkiss had put away
his notebook. The mother of the
twins followed us to the steps.
Dear me-" she explained volubly,
land to think was forgetting to tell
you! I put the young man to bed
with spice poultice on his ankle;
my mother always was firm believer
in spice poultices. It's wonderful
what they will do in GROUP And then
I took the children and went down to
see the wreck. It was Sunday, and
missed day since he took the pledge
nine years ago. And on the way met
two people, man and woman.
They looked half dead, SO sent them
right here for breakfast and some
soap and water. / always say soap is
better than liquor after shock"
Hotchkiss was listening absently;
Mcknight was whistling under his
breath, staring down across tn field
to where break in the woods showed
half dozen telegraph poles, the line
of the railroad
'It must have been IL o'clock when
we got back; wanted the children to
see everything, because 1t isn't likely
they'll ever see another wreck like
that. Rows Of"
about IL o'clock" broke in, land
what them"
The young man upstairs was
awake" she went on. "hammering at
his door like all possessed. And it
was locked on the outside!" She
paused to enjoy her sensation.
II would like to see that lock-"
Hotchkiss said promptly, but for some
reason the woman demurred. II will
bring the key down." she s"id and dis
appeared. When she returned she
held out an ordinary door key of the
cheapest variety.
1--WE had to break the lock-" she vol
unteered, land the key didn't turn up
for two days. Then one Of the twins
found the turkey gobbler trying to
swallow 1t. It has been washed SINCE"
she fastened to assure Hotchkiss,
who showed an inclination to drop it.
you don't think he locked the door
himself and threw the key out Of the
window?" the little man asked.
"The windows are covered with
mosquito netting, nailed on. The mis-
ter blamed 1t on the children. and it
might have been Obadiah. He's the
quiet kind. Ynd you never know what
he's about"
Hes about to strangle. isn't he,"
Mcknight remarked lazily, cor is that
OBADIAH"
Mrs. Carter picked the boy up and
inverted him, talking amiably all the
time. Hes always doing it." she
said, giving him shake. whenever
we miss anything we look to see II
Obadiah's black In the face" She gave
another shake, and the quarter had
given him shot out as II blown from
gun. Then we prepared to go back
to the station.
From where I stood could look
into the CHEEKY farm kitchen, where
Alison West and / had eaten our al
fresco breakfast. looked at
the table with mixed emotions, and
then, gradually, the meaning of some
thing on it penetrated my mind. Still
in its papers, evidently just opened,
was q hat box, and protruding over,
the edge Of the box was seeamer Of
vivid green ribbon.
On the plea that wished to ask
Mrs. Carter a few more questions, ]
let the others 60 on. 1 watched them
down the nagstone walk; saw Nc.
Knight stop and examine the gate
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