Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-10-11
G6e0Tf :IER ,S|D:Eak H;
,AST0RY, OF MYSTERY |
ByLUCLACHAr1BERL,AlN !
au16or Of THE COAST OF CHANCE
Copyright. 1909. Tho Deebs- lsntn conpany

the window of the study, which was
just beneath my room, must be open
The sound Of those voices worried be;
Mr.. Dingley's was louder than common
and there were times when both
seemed to talk at once. cot up softly
and going to my window very noise
lessly, closed It, Then, so that should
be quite stifed for air, set the door
into the hall wide. 1t opened outward,
so that had to step out onto the land
ing. Just as did so, heard the study
door flung open. quick steps IN the hall,
and there, from that part Of the hall
directly beneath the landing, MI.
Dingley's voice:
ooh, that's just your supersensit1ve
conscience! There was no need OF
bringing the child up to town. There's
enough circumstantial evidence to cop
vict ten men of whatever guilt there
Is"
Then father-"Yes, and l thought
you had enough to convict one-that
is did last week. But this new de-
velopment-this Valencia woman, puts
another face on the business"
Come now, Fred, the poor woman
is really mighty upset over Rood
death. All she says is that she doesn't
really believe the boy did it."
"And for that reason, and that rea-
son alone" father broke in, "she IS
going to throw all her influence with
the defense thousands of dollars
spent, and Lord knows what wires
pulled to get him Off. Man, you can't
believe it! Don't you know she's going
to fight us every inch Of the way?
You'll need every scrap of testimony
you can dig up! And such an important
piece as They were advancing up.
the hall. shrank back and closed the
door,
Family heard the voices in the hall
going on a few moments longer, then
the front door shut with, a deep SOUND
and the house was still. | got back into
bed but it was not to sleep.
1t seemed that since l had been away
from the city this strange thing had
happened the Spanish woman, whom
the papers had described as mourning
for Rood, had taken up the defense OF
Montgomery couldn't understand it..
1t would seem that ought to have
been glad who had been so anxious
to find a champion for him but
queerly enough the only feeling that
came was one of fear, as If. instead OF
saving. she had been dragging him
into worse danger. lay, staring now
at the ceiling, now at the window,
where toward dawn paling light be-
gan to shine no longer felt the ner-
vous anxieties that had kept me awake
during the earlier part OF the night, |
was Gained by one great dread-the
thought of the Spanish woman! Her
presence rose up and possessed my
imaginary court ROOM obliterating the
figures of the Judge and the lawyers,
until it seemed that she and and the
prisoner were the only persons In the
room, and that the one person she was
fighting in all the city was myself.
The next morning when came In to
breakfast father laid his hand on my
cheek, which felt very burning, and
said. "You are not fit to answer one
question" My throat was dry, and 1t
was hard work to swallow things, but
he stood over me and made me eat a
good breakfast. After that he had me
20 over the. story Of what had seen
on the morning / had been coming
home with my basket of mushrooms.
When that was done, "Now, remem-
ber,'' he said, "all you will have to do
will be to tell that same story, and to
answer to the best of your recollection
all question put to, you. II you are care.
full to do that they can't confuse you!"
Abby had fetched my turban, with =
dark VEIL which had to put over my
face before went, into the street.
There carriage was waiting.
AS we drove it seemed to me there
were, more people in the street than
usual; and when we reached the jail
there was a dense crowd in front of 1t
and policemen were striking with their
clubs to make passage through But
our carriage drove, as Mr.. Dingley' !
had done before, around the building
and through the little alley to the back
entrance. Even here some people were
gathered; and as stepped to the pave
ment woman called out in shriil
voice, "Ain't that Carlotta Valencia"
Father seized me and almost lifted me
up the steps and into the high, coldly
lit hall.
Today, however, it was not empty.
A continuous stream of men, some Of
them escorting ladies, were hurryinS
10 the ITOII uOOl, duu oSiooo sAC wi =
ing flags and up the stairs. Following
them, we were upon the first balcony
and in front Of the door which was
kept a-swing by the people going in.
Father stopped and said something to
q policeman who seemed to be on guard
in the hall. He pointed at door next
to the one which was so constantly
opening and shutting.
"This way" father said, and ! found
myself, much to my surprise, not in a
crowded court room, but in small box
of a place, hardly large enough to hold
the six chairs that furnished it, and
with only one other person in it be-
sides ourselves. This is the witness
ROOM" father explained. I'VE await
our summons here"
I took one of the six chairs. The
room was dreary little place, with a
high, .dingy ceiling. one small window,
placed far up the wall, and small air.
tight stove with no fire in it. looked
at the one other occupant with great
er interest, now that knew that he
must be a witness. He was a dark,
tick. Mexican-looking man, who dan
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