The Nevada County picayune., 1910-09-02
Tf1E CIRCULAR STAIRCASE
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1l I-alaaH.al '. .s;:s= = your patient l wish merely to ask question"
 Wont you sit down."
 Tt will not be necessary. Doctor, has any one come to you, either early this morning or today. to have you treat a bullet wound? ."
 Nothing so startling has happened to me- he said "A bullet wound Things must be lively at Sunnyside.
 "l didn't say it was at Sunnyside. But as it happens, it was. If any such case comes to you, will it be too much trouble for you to let me knowg'
 'I shall be only too happy" hs ssid. 'I understand you have had a fire up there, too, A fire and shooting in one night is rather lively for quiet place like that"
 Tt is as quiet as a boilershop,' replied, as l turned to go.
 And you are still going to st&y?'
 Until l am burned out" l respond ed. And then, on my way down the steps, l turned around suddenly. Doctor" l asked at a venture, have you ever heard of child named Lucien Wallace?'
 Clever as he was. his face changed and stffened He was on his guard again in moment.
 "Lucien Wallace?" he repeated. No, l think not. There are plenty of Wallaces around, but don't knoV any Lucien."
 was as certain as possib e that he did People do not lie .ea aiiy to me, and this man lied beyond doubt. But there was nothing to be gained now; his defenses were up, and. left half irritated and wholly bafflec. Our reception was entirely d d'fferent at Dr Stewards. Taken into the l bosom of the family at once, Flinders tied outside and nibbling the [ rass at the roadside. Gertrude and l drank some homemade elderberry wine and told briefly of the fire. Of the more serious part of the nights exptr rience, of course, we said nothing. But when at last we had left the family on the l porch and the good doctor wa, unty- l ing our steed, I asked him thu same question I had put to Dr. Walker. Shot" he said Bless my soul. no Why, what have you been doing up at the big house, Miss Innes?"
 Some one tried to enter the house l during the fire, and was shCt and slightly injured" I said hastily. Please don't mention it; we wish to make as little of it as possible
 There was one other possibil ty, and we tried that. At Casanova station l saw the station master, and asked him | if any trains left Casanova between one o'clock and daylight. There was | none until 6 a. m. The next q leStion required more diplomacy. : Did you notice on the six o'clock train any person-any ma ai-who limped a little?" I asked. Please i try to remember; we are trying to trace man who was seen lettering around Sunnyside last night before the fire"
 He was all attention in moment.
 "I was up there myself at tie 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 well 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 a man who | limped?" Gertrude put in, as he stopped for breath.
 Not at the train. man." ,e said. No such person got on here today. But I'll tell you where l dii see a man that limped didn't wait till the company left; there's a fast freight goes through at 4:45, and l had to get down to the station. l sel there wasn't much more to do any how at ! the fire-we'd got the flames unfer con l trol'-Gertrude looked at mo and smiled-"so l started down the hill i There was folk here and there goin' home, and along by the path to the i Country club l seen two men. One was a short fellow. He was sitting on a 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 l looked back. and he was hobbling on and-eXcuse 6, miss he was swearing something sicken. ing"
 i CTO BE CONTINUED