Enterprise news-record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1910-1911, 1911-06-03


laundering through the house, calling
up illnumerable echoes from it's dead
and hidden corners.
1t was the police. II wild hight,
the biting storm. had be IN of no avail.
An alarm had ached headquarters,
and all hope of escape Oh my pait
was at an end. Yet. be cause AT such
crises instinct rises SUI 'erior to rea-
son, l blew out the cam lie and softly
made my way into the hall. ] had
remembered the window opening over
shed at the head of the kitchen
staircase. could reach it from this
rear hall by just turn or two. and
once on that shed shor t leap would
land me on the ground. after which
could easily trust to the storm to con-
ceal my fight across the open golf
links. 1t was worth trying, at least.
] Anything was better than being found
/. in the house with my murdered be-
trothed.
/ had no reason to think that ] was
being sought or that my presence In
this building was even suspected. 1t
might well be that the police were
even ignorant of the tragedy awaiting
them across the threshold of the door
they seemed intent on battering down.
The CLEAN of candle burning in this
closed up house or even the tale told
by the rising smoke may have drawn
them from the road to investigate.
With spring reached the window
by which hoped to escape and quick
ly raised it. A torrent Of snow swept
in. covering my face and breast in
moment. 1t did something more
1t cleared my brain, and remembered
my poor horse standing in this blind
ing gale under cover of the snow
packed pines. Every one knew my
horse. l could commit no greater
folly than to fee by tho rear fields
while such a witness to nv presence
remained In full view in front. With
the sensation of trapped animal
reclosed the window and cast about
for safe corner where ] could lie
concealed until l. learned what had
brought these men here and how
much ! really had to fear from their
! presence.
had but little time in which to
choose The door below had just CIV
en- way. and party of at least three
men were already stamping their feet
free from snow In the hall. ! did moi
like the tone of their voices: it was
, too low and steady to suit me. had
:. rather have heard drunken cries or q
, burst of wild hilarity than these stern
and purposefu whispers. Men of res
olution could have but one errand here
My doom was closing round me.
= could only put Off the fatal moment
But it was better to do this than t.
:. plunge headlong into the unknown fat
! awaiting me.
q knew of possible place of conceal
ment. 1t was in the ballroom not fal
/ from where / stood. l remembered
q the spot well. 1t was at the top Of
y little staircase leading to the musi
4 clans gallery balustrade guarded
a this gallery. supported by boarding
n wide enough to hide a man lying be
! hind 1t at his full length. 1t woult
% offer me the double advantage of con
= ceaiment and an unobstructed view o.
what went on in the hall through tn
r. main doorway opening directly oppo
"a site. could reach this ballroom ant
n its terminal gallery without goinI
"a around to this door. A smaller on
% communicated directly with the CORR
"a dor in which was then lurking. ant
toward this l now made my way wit
10 all the precaution suggested by m,
~ desperate situation. No man ever NOV
,f ed more lightly. The shoes which
q. had taken off in the lower hall wer
q. vet ip my hand. had caught then
Il no after replacing the cushions o
In Adelaide's body Even to my ow
az straiaipg ears ! made no perceptibl
d. sound. reached the balcony and ha
,e stretched myself OUT at full length bt
m hind the boarding before the men bt
lie low had left the lower 6oor
se More quickly than | expected tn
A total darkness in which lay brighter
,g ed under an advancing lantern, and
h. heard the steps of two men comm
it. down the ball 1t was steady II &c
s. rapid approach. and was quite pr
st pared for their presence when the
I finally reached the doorway sopposii
m and stopped to look In at what mu'
ul have appeared to them vast an
ce empty space. When lifted my hea
to again il was to catch glimpse OF the
lel side faces as they turned to look els
lis where for. what they were plainly
he search of An oath. muffied but sterl
ad which was the first word above
whisper that l had heard issue frol
M their lips. told me that they had reacl
Ily ed the room and had come upon II
i'd horror which lay there.
lis Maddened by my own intolerable p
he sition, drawn by power felt 1t In
he possible to resist. crept to my fe'
il and took my staggering way down II
pc, half dozen steps Of the gallery an
it thence. along by the left hand wa
wv toward the farther doorway an
, through II to where these mep stoq
be- weighing the chances IN which n
he life and honor were involved an
id, those Of one other Of whom ! daFf
cd not think
,d IL was dark in the ballroom, and