The Tupelo journal., 1910-08-26

|

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ly, but / think we may be certain it
was fright, and that he was hiding
from something. / am sorry IN more
than one way; / have always believed
that Thomas knew something, or sus-
pected something, that he would not
tell. Do you know how much money
there was in that WORKOUT wallet OF
his? Nearly 500! Almost two
months wages-and yet those darkies
seldom have a penny. Well-what
Thomas knew will be buried with
him."
With the death of Thomas. felt
that a climax had come in affairs at
Sunnyside. The night that followed
was quiet enough. Halsey watched
at the foot of the staircase, and a COM
plicated system of bolts on the other
doors seemed to be effectual.
Once in the night | wakened and
thought / heard the tapping again.
But all was quiet, and | had reached
the stage where / refused to be dis
turbed for minor occurrences.
The Armstrong; were notified OF
Thomas death, and I had my first in
| terview with DR.. Walker as a result.
He came up early the next morning,
just as we finished breakfast, in a pro-
fessional looking car with a black
hood.
~ must make a double excuse for
| this early visit, Miss Innes," he said
as he sat down. The chair was lower
than he expected, and his dignity re-
| quired collecting before he went on.
my professional duties are urgent
| and long neglected, and"-a fall to the
everyday Misunderstanding must
| be done about that body"
eyes," l said, sitting on the edge of
my chair. Il merely wished the ad-
dress-of Thomas people. You might
have telephoned, if you were busy"
He smiled.
Il wished to see you about some
thing else," he said. "As for Thomas,
it is Mrs. Armstrong; wish that you
allow her to attend to the expense.
| About his relatives, / have already
| notified his brother, in the village. 1t
| was heart disease, / think. Thomas
| always had a bad heart"
Heart disease and fright" l said,
| still on the edge of my chair. But the
| doctor had no intention of leaving.
81 understand you have a ghost up
here, and that you have the house
| filled with detectives to exercise it."
he said.
For some reason I felt l was being
| pumped" as Halsey says. You
| have been misinformed," l replied.
what, no ghost, no detectives" he
| said, still with his smile. What a dis
| appointment to the village!"
I resented his attempt at playful
ness. 1t had been anything but a joke
to us.
"Dr. Walker" / said tartly, Il fail
| to see any humor in the situation.
Since l came here, one man has been
| shot, and another one has died from
| shock. There have been intruders in
! the house, and strange noises. If that
is funny, there is something wrong
with my sense of humor."
sYou miss the point" he said, still
good naturally. THE thing that is
| funny to me is that you insist on re-
| manning here, under the circums-
| tances. I should think nothing would
keep you"
You are mistaken. Everything that
occurs only confirms my resolution to
| stay until the mystery is cleared"
IT have a message for you, Miss
Innes," he said, rising at last. Mrs.
Armstrong asked me to thank you for
your kindness to Louise, whose whim.
occurring at the time it did, put her
to great inconvenience. Also-and
this is a delicate matter-she asked
me to appeal to your natural SYM
pathy for her, at this time, and to ask
you if you will not reconsider your de-
cision about the house. Sunnyside is
her home; she loves it dearly, and
I just now she wishes to retire here for
quiet and peace"
"She must have had a change OF
heart" l said, ungraciously enough,
Louise told me her mother deslised
/ the DldC6. DcSiuCo, thAo 40 ~ RN
for quiet and peace just now. Any
how, doctor, while I don't care to
force an issue, l shall certainly re
main here, for a time at least"
For how long," he asked.
"My lease is for six months. / shall
stay until some explanation is found
for certain things. My own family ls
implicated now, and I shall do every
thing to clear the mystery OF Arnold
Armtsrong's murder."
The doctor stood looking down, slap.
ping his gloves thoughtfully against
the palm of a well-looked-after hand
You say there have been intrudera
in the house?" he asked. s"You arr
sure Of that, Miss Innes?"
cTo BE CoNTINUED.)
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