Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08

injured the old lady. and taken her
quietly out the front door,while ! sat
smoking in my room with the WINDOW
open, and Wardrop trying the shut.
tiers at the side of the house, seemed
impossible. Yet there were the stains
the confusion, the open front door to
prove it.
But-and I stuck here-,the abductor
who would steal an old woman, ana
take her out into the May night with
out any covering-not even shoes
clad only in her night-clOthes, would
run an almost certain risk OF losing
his prize by pneumonia. For Sec
ond search has shown not an article OF
wearing apparel missing from the
house Even the cedar chests were
undisturbed; not blanket, was gone.
Just before dinner made second
round Of the grounds, this time look
ing for traces of wheels. found none
nearby, and 1t occurred to me that
the boldest highwayman would hardly
drive up to the door for his booty.
When had extended my search to
the back of the Maitland place from It's
nearest neighbor, was more for
tunate
The morning delivery wagons had
made fresh trails, and at first des-
paired. sauntered up the liant to the
right, however, and about hundred
feet beyond the boundary hedge found.
circular tracks( broad and deep, where
an automobile had backed and turned.
The lane was separated by high hedges
of Usage orange from the properties
on either side, and each house in that
neighborhood had drive OF Its own,
which entered from the main street,
circled the house and went out as 1t
came.
There was no reason, or, 80 far
as | could see, no legitimate reason,
why a car should ha,o stopped there,
yet 1t had stopped and for some time.
Deeper tracks In the sand at the side
of the lane showed that.
felt that I had made some progress:
had found where the pearls bad been
hidden after the theft, and this put
Bella out of the question. And l had
founder thought had-the way IN
which Miss Jane had been taken away
from Bellwood.
came back past the long rear wing
of the house which contained, l pre-
sumed, the kitchen and the other mys-
FERROUS regions which only women and
architects comprehend. A long porch
ran the length of the wing. and as
passed heard my name called.
.In here in the old laundry" Mar
gery's voice repeated, and retraced
my steps and went up on the porch. AT
the very end of the wing, dismantled
piled at tbs sides with firewood and
broken furniture, was an old laundry.
It's tubs were rusty, its walls mildewed
and streaked, and 1t exhaled the musty
odor Of empty houses. On the 1oor
in the middle Of the room. undeniably
dirty and dishevelled, sat Margery
Fleming. !.
Il thought you we're never coming
she said petulantly. II have beer
here alone for an hour"
| ''I'm sure l never guessed II"
apologized. II should have been onl.
too glad to come and sit with you.
I She was fumbling with her hair
which threatened to come down an!
minute and which hung, loosely knot
ted, over one small ear.
] IT hate to look ridiculous she sale
sharply, "and l detest being laughed
at. I've been crying, and haven
any handkerchief"
I, ,,roffered mine gravely, and sh'
took It, She wiped the dusty streaki
of her cheeks and pinned her hair II
q funny knob on top Of her head tina
would have made any other woman
nrloa k,,vo DIT OIL oh
sat on the floor.
Now, she said, when she hat
jabbed the last hair-pin into place ant
tucked my handkerchief into her belt
III you have been sufficiently amused
perhaps you will help me out OF here
"Out Of where?"
"Do you suppose I'm sitting here
because like it?"
! "You have sprained your ankle"
4 said, with sudden alarm.
In reply she brushed aside hel
gown, and for the first time saw
what had occurred. She was sittini
half over trap door In the floor, which
had closed on her skirts and held he
fast.
"The wretched thing!" she walled
And l nave cdlled Until AN nOdfSe
IL could shake Heppie! Then l tried t
call you mentally. I fixed my mint
on yom and said over and over, Come
please come Didn't you feel anything
at all?"
Good old trap door," l said. g
know / was thinking about you, but
never suspected. the reason. Ant
then to have walked past here twenty
minutes ago! Why didn't you call me
them" was tn .ging at the door, bu
| 1t was fast, with the skirts to hold Il
tight.
planned. Cant you pry it up with
something's"
tried several things without sue
cess, while Margery explained hel
plight.
Il was sure Robert had not looked
carefully in the old wine cellar she
said, "and then remembered this trap
door opened into it. 1t was the only
place we hadn't explored thoroughly
l put a ladder down and looked around
Ugh!"
"what did YOU find /" I asked, as my