Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-10-06
wants 10 ask Won a question.

wants to ask you a question"
It was all so unexpected and so start
ling to be called into the study where
only men went and only business was
talked about; and to hear 1t was Mr..
Dingley, not father, who wished to
ask me question, that wanted to
shrink away and escape from the very
facts / had been so anxious to know q
few minutes before. But father held
me by the hand, and had to drag my
feet down the long dark passage that
leads to the study, hearing Mr.. Ding
ley striding at my heels.
IT was small room, full of a great
litter of papers, and smelling family OF
tobacco and Russia leather. sat down
in the 'leather armchair that was drawn
up to the table. Just opposite to me
was a window looking directly into
tho green branches of weeping willow
and at intervals the wind blew the
leaves against the glass with sound
like "Hush!" Up to that moment had
had no memory connected with that
room-only the general sense of awe
1T had given me as child. But as soon
as was in that chair, facing the win
dow, hearing the Hush, hush" OF the
weeping leaves, in quick distinct
flash saw myself, a naughty child,
sitting up in that chair, in anguish OF
mind over stolen jam pot and my
mothers face pulled to great gravity,
no doubt to keep from laughing at the
sight of me. 1 seemed to hear her voice
again, "The truth, Ellie, remember
nothing but good ever comes OF the
truth
It fitted through my mind as little
sweet memory, having nothing to do
with what was happening at that mo-
ment, for the thought in my mind was
all, What has become of the man
with the revolver"
Father had sat down opposite me on
a corner Of the table, but. Mr.. Dingley
walked to the fireplace, turned his back
to 1t, put his hands behind his coat
tails, buried his big chin deep IN his
collar, and in just the same cheerful
voice he used when he asked me how
many hearts had broken, Now, Miss
Ellie" he said, what makes you think
that the man who came second out or
that door had revolver in his hand?'
I looked at him in astonishment, his
question seemed SO silly. why, be-
cause l saw It,"
He gave his head brisk shake
Eyes, but what makes you know you
saw it?"
Because heard it strike the
ground l was growing more and more
bewildered
"You heard it strike the ground,
Mr. Dingley repeated slowly, but" =
Then with sudden pouncing forward
motion of his head and shoulders, he
shot the words at me, II thought you
said he had it in his hand"
EYES," stammered, "but that was
before"
Mr.. Dingley was watching me stead
lily. "NoW, Miss Ellie, aren't you little
confused on that point?"
l was indeed; but it was his manner
that was doing it. He seemed to snatch
the words out Of my mouth, and turn
them into another meaning. But IT
was there! you saw it yourselves! |
appealed to him.
Father and Mr. Dingley glanced at
each other, and a strange thought
came to me with "a rush OF relief.
Wasn't he dead, had he gone away,
didn't you find anything?'
The answering look of their faces
made my heart go down like lead. we
found everything as you told us except
the revolver. There was no revolver
there"
sat clutchfng the arms. Of the chair,
staring hard at Mr.. Dingley, who
seemed suddenly to have become
stranger to me. "Then somel one must
have picked 1t up"
"But, Miss Ellie, you say that the
street was absolutely deserted when
this thing occurred; and when !
reached the spot there was woman
looking out Of a window, and some Ia
borers running up from Suffer street,
but no one had yet reached the place.
Now, how could"
Father struck in, mo, Jim, you'll
only brighten her!" In lower voice he
said something that sounded like, mot
on the stand yet" Then leaning toward
me- resting on his elbow until his face
was level with my own, II know you
must have been frightened at what you
saw, child, and it's possible you may
have been a little hysterical, isn't It?
It's possible you might have fancied a
revolver in his hand, isn't 1t, when
there was none there?"
He said this very slowly and gently,
as IL he were trying to soothe me, but
looking straight into his eyes saw
sharp anxious light there, and the con-
viction came to me that he very much
wanted me to have been mistaken. Mr..
Dingley, from the fireplace, was watch
ing me hard, as If he were trying. with
that incredulous look Of his, to force 1t
on me that must have been mistaken.
And then the thought floated through
my mind that in some way 1t would be
better for that handsome, terrible man
II l could say hadn't seen revolver.
I tried to make myself believe that
they were right; shut my eyes. The
picture came to me as If it were before
me still, and nothing in it was more
clear than that thing Of steel and pearl.
81 wasn't hysterical," I said, II saw 1t
plainly"
could you take your oath in court?''
father said in stern voice.
ooh, yes.'
Father dropped my hand and leaned
back. He looked puzzled Mr.. Dingley
came close to him and said something
10 So