The Ordway new era., 1910-08-26
.TfIT CIRCULAR STAIRCASE
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l wish merely to ask q

An-A kIAQuYNI - |I1t,k XI{23
your patient. wish merely to ask
question
Won't you sit DOWN."
1T will not be necessary. Doctor.
has any one come to you. either early
this morning or to-day. to have you
treat bullet wound?'
Nothing SO startling has happened
to me- he said. "A bullet wound!
Things must be lively at Sunnyside.
Il didn't say 1t was at Sunnyside.
But as 1t happens. It was. II any such
case comes to you. will 1t be too much
trouble for you to let me know"
81 shall be only too happy" he said.
II understand you have had fire up
there. too. 4 fire and shooting In one
night is rather lively for quiet place
like that"
1T is as quiet as a boiler. shop"
replied. as turned to go.
And you are still going to stay"
Until | am burned out" respond.
ed. And then. on my way down the
steps. turned around suddenly.
Doctor" asked at . venture.
"hav" you ever heard Of . child
named Lucien Wallace?"
Clever as he was. his face changed
and stifYened. He was ION his guard
again in q moment.
"Lucien Wallace?" he repeated.
"No. | think not There are plenty Of.
Wallaces around. but don't know any
Lucien"
was as certain as possible that
he did. People do not lie readily to
me. and this man lied beyond doubt.
But there was nothing to be gained
now: his defenses were up. and l left,
half irritatsd and wholly batned.
Our reception was entirely different
at DR.. Stewards. Taken into the
bosom OF the family at once. F1lnders
tied outside and nibbling the grass at
the roadside. Gertrude and drank
some homemade elderberry wine and
told briefly Of the fire. OF the more
serious part OF the nights experience.
Of course we said nothing. But when
at last we had left the family on the
porch and the good doctor was UNITY
ing our steed. asked him the same
question had put to-Dr. Walker.
shot" he said. Bless my soul.
no. Why. what have you been doing
up at the big house. Miss Innesr
"Some one tried to enter the hos0e
during the fire. and was shot and
slightly Injured" said hast2y.
please don't mention It; We wish b
make as little Of 1t as possible"
There was one other possibility. and
.
saw the station master. and asked him
II any trains left Casanova between
one o'clock and daylight. There was
none until q. m. The next question
required moro diplomacy.
Did you notice on the six O'Clock
train any person-any man-who
limped a little?" I asked. please
try to remember: we are trying to
trace a man who was seen lettering
around Sunnyside last night before
the fire.
He was all attention In a moment
II was up there myself at the fire.
he said volubly. I'm a member Of
the volunteer company. First big fire
we've had since the summer house
burned over to the club golf links.
My wife was sayin' the other day.
Dave, you might as we'll "a saved the
money in that there helmet and shirt.
And here last night they came in
handy. Rang that bell SO hard
hadn't time scarcely to get em on"
"And-did you see man who
limped?" Gertrude put in. as he
stopped for breath.
Not at the train. man," he said.
NO such person got on here to-day.
But I'll tell you where I did see q
man that limped. didn't wait till the
company left; there's a fast freight
goes through at 4:45, and I had to
get down to the station. I seen there
wasn't much more to do anyhow at
the fire-we'd got the flames under con-
trol'-Gertrude looked at me and
smiled-"so l started down the hill.
There was folk here and there goin'
home, and along by the path to the
Country club l seen two men. One
WAS a short fellow. He was sitting on
big rock. his back to me, and he
had something white in his hand. as If
he was tying up his foot. After I'd
gone on a piece looked back. and he
WAS hobbling on and-excuse me, miss
lie was swearing something sicken-
ing"
(TO BE CONTINUED)