The Ocala evening star., 1911-06-20
The House
of the
Whispering
Pines
By ANNA KATHARINE GREEN
Copyright. 1910, by Anna Katharine
Rohlfs


woman before him brought him to
himself. With a ghastly look on his
bloated features he scanned for one
moment the row of deeply shocked
faces before him, then tottered back
out of sight and fed toward the stair
case. All thought that an end had
come to the narrowing scene. and
minister and people faced each other
once more, when, loud and sharp from
above, there rang down the shrill cry
Of delirium, this time in articulate
words which even the children could
understand
Break it open, say! Break 1t open
and see If her heart is therer'
1t was too awful Men and women
and children leaped TO their feet and
dashed away into the streets. uttering
smothered cries and wild CALCULATIONS
In vain the clergyman raised his voice
and bade them respect the dead. for
the rooms were we'll nigh empty be-
fore he had finished his appeal. Only
the least of the children remained.
Soon these too. were gone. and the
casket was refastened and carried out
those darkened rooms trail of desc
lation which was only broken from
time to time by the now FAINT and
barely heard reiteration of the name
Of her who had just been borne away.
Lila. Liar
Sweetwater. however affected by this
scene in the funeral chamber. had not
lost control of himself nor forgotten the
claims of duty. He noted at glance
that while the candid looking stranger
whose lead he had been following was
as much surprised as the rest at the
nature of the which he
had possibly anticipated and for which
he was in some measure prepared-he
was of all present the most deeply and
peculiarly impressed by it.
Sweetwater took occasion likewise
while the excitement was at its height
to mark what effect had been made on
the servants by the action and conduct
of young Cumberland.
1t was not so easy to determine as
the anxious detective might wish.
Only one of them showed a simple
emotion. and that one was, without
was a Roman Catholic and was sim
ply Mortified by the sacrilege of which
she had been witness. There was no
mistaking her feelings. But those of
the other two women were more COM
plex.
So were those of the men. Zadok
specially watched each movement of
his young master with open distrust
and very nearly started upright in his
repugnance and dismay when that in
| truding hand fell on the peaceful brow
of her over whose fate to his own sur
| prise he had been able to shed tears.
And the women! Might not the
same explanation account for that Gu
rious droop of the eye with which the
two younger clutched at each others
hands to keep from screaming and
interchanged whispered words which
| Sweetwater would have given consid-
erable out of his carefully cherished
hoard to have heard.
| 1t was impossible to tell at present,
but he was confident that it would
not be long before he understood
these latter at least. He had great
|
| homely as he was. He was not so
sure of himself with men, and he felt
that some difficulties and not a few
pitfalls lay between him and. for in
stance, the uncommunicative Zadok.
But I've the whole long evening be-
| fore me-" he added in quiet consola-
ton to himself. 1T will be a pity If
/ can't work some of them in that
time"
Plans had been made for carrying
the servants to the cemetery. and.
despite the universal disturbance con
seQuent upon these events. these plans
were adhered to. Sweetwater watch
ed them all ride away in the last two
carriages.
This gave him the opportunity he
wanted Leaving his corner. he look
ed up Hexford and asked who was
left In the house
'Dr. Perry. Mr. Clifton, the lawyer;
Mr. Cumberland. his sick sister and
the nurse
"Mr. Cumberland. Didn't he go to
the grave?"
Did you expect him to after that y
Sweetwater's shoulders Snse. and his
voice took on a tone of - ference.
There's no telling Where is he
now. do you think-urstairs?"
"Yes. 1t seems he spends all his
time in little alcove opposite his sis
ter's door They won't let him inside
for fear Of disturbing the patient. 81
he just sits where I've told you. doing
| D0thiDp hut GStpniDp tO aVprv SOuDC
that comes through the door"
"Where's his room? In sight of the
alcove you mentiOn?"
mo: there's a partition or two be
tween. If you go up by the side stair
case you can slip into it without any
one seeing you. Coroner Perry ant
Mr. Clifton are in 'front.'
"Is the side door locked?"
"No"
Lock it. The back door. Of course
! is"
Yes; the cooR attended TO that"
st want few minutes all by my
self. Help me, Hexford- If DR.. PERI!
has given you no orders take your stand
upstairs where you can give me warn
ing if Mr. Cumberland makes a NOV
to leave his post or the nurse her pa
tient"
Five minutes later Sweetwater hat
slipped from sight. and for some TIM
not even HexfOrd knew where he was
''Dr. Perry. may have few word
with you?"