The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1910-09-23
CHAPTER xvi.-continued.

CHAPTER xvI.-continued.
81 was not sleeping WELL" she be-
gan, partly, ! think, because I had
slept during the afternoon. Liddy
brought me some hot milk at ten
o'clock and slept until IL. Then |
weakened and-I got to thinking about
things, and worrying, 80 / could not
50 to sleep.
was wondering why / had not
heard from Arnold since the-since /
saw him that night at the lodge. 1
afraid he was Ill, be-
cause-he was to have done
something for me. and he had not
come back. 1t must have been three
when | heard some n rapping. 1
sat up and listened, to be quite sure,
the rapping kept up. | was eau
tious, and I was about to call Liddy.
suddenly ! thought / knew what
IT was. The east entrance and circu-
lar staircase were always used by
Arnold when he was out late, and
sometimes, when he forgot his key, he
would rap and | would go down and
let him in. | thought he had come
back to see mel didn't think about
the time, for his hours were always
erratic. But / was afraid / was too
weak to get down the stairs. The
knocking kept up, and just IS ] was
about to cali Liddy, she ran through
the room and out into the hall. / got
up then. feeling weak and dizzy, and
put on my dressing-gown. II it was
Arnold. / knew I must e him.
1T was very dark everywhere. but,
of course. knew my way. / felt along
for the stair-rail, and went down as
quickly as / could. The knocking had
stopped, and / was afraid / was too
late. i got to the foot of the stair
ease and over to the door on to the
seast veranda. l had eve thought of
anything but that it was Arnold, until
Il reached the door. It was unlocked
and opened about an inch. Everything
was black 1t was perfectly dark out
lDlds. / felt very queer and shaky.
Then / thought perhaps Arnold had
used his key; he did-strange things
sometimes, and / turned around. Just
~ ! reached the foot Of the staircase
u thought / heard some one coming.
~ nerves were going anyhow, there
In the dark, and / could scarcely
stand. / got up as far as the third
sor fourth step; then | felt that some
one was coming toward me on the
staircase. The next instant a hand
met mine on the stair-rail. Some one
brushed past me, and | screamed.
Then I must have tainted"
That was Louise's story. There
could be no doubt of its truth, and the
thing that made 1t ~inexpressibly awful
to me was that the poor girl had crept
down to answer the summons of a
brother who would never need her
kindly Offices again. Twice, now, with.
sOut apparent cause. some one had en-.
1tered the house BY of the east
entrance; had apparently gone his
way unhindered through the house,
and gone out again as he had entered,
Had this unknown visitor been there
il third time, the night Arnold Arm
strong was murdered? Or a fourth,
the time Mr.. Jameson had locked
home one In the clothes chute?
Sleep was impossible, I think. for
Any Of us. We dispersed finally to
oathe and dress. leaving Louise little
f4he worse for her experience. But !
determined that before the day was
over she must know the true state OF
nfEairs. Another decision ! made, and
II pat 1t into execution immediately
nfter breakfast. I had one OF the
amused bedrooms in the east wing,
s4ook along the small corridor, pre-.
Doxod Tor occupancy, and from that
Oh Alex, the gardener, slept
One man In that barn of q
Was "a absurdity, with things
IN the time, and / must say
x1ex Nns - unObjectionable as
e0uId posdibly have been.
uckk morning. also. Halsey and
y - exhaustive examination OF
efalrcass. the small entry
~ ~ cardroom opening
Tnero no evidence Of
nsI6unI ~ nisht before. and