Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-06


something else in the receptacle, some
thing that made Margery Fleming
draw IN her breath 81 lrply and made
Hunter raise his eyebrows a little and
glance at me. The something was
scrap Of unruled white paper and on
1t the figures eleven twenty-five!
CHAPTER vi.
A Fountain Pen.
Harry Wardrop came back from the
city at four o'clock, while Hunter was
in the midst of his investigation. l
met him in the hall and told him what
had happened, and with his new appre-
hension added to the shock OF the
night before. he looked as though his
nerves were ready to snap.
Wardrop was man of perhaps
twenty-seven, as tall as I, although
not 50 heavy, with direct blue eyes and
fair hair; altogether manly and pre-
possessing sort of fellow. was not
surprised that Margery Fleming had
found him attractive-he had the
blond hair and of-hand manner that
women seem to like ] am dark, my
self.
He seemed surprised to find Hunter
there, and not particularly pleased,
but he followed us to the upper floor
and watched silently while Hunter
went over the two rooms. Beside the
large chest Of drawers in the main
attic Hunter found perhaps half a
dozen drops of blood, and on the edge
of the open drawer there were traces
of more. In the inner room two
trunks had been moved out nearly a
foot, as he found by the faint dust
that had been under them. With the
stain on the stair rail, that was all he
discovered, and 1t was little enough.
Then he took out his notebook and
there among the trunks we had little
seance of our own, In which Hunter
asked questions, and whoever could
do so answered them.
"Have you a pencil or pen, Mr..
Knox?" he asked me, but had none.
Wardrop felt his pockets, with no bet
ter success.
81 have lost my fountain pen some
where around the house today" he said
irritably. Here's pencil-not much
Of one
Hunter began his interrogations.
How old was Miss Maitland Mss
Jane, l mean?"
"Sixty-fve,"' from Margery.
"She had always seemed rational?
Not eccentric or childish?"
mot at all; the sanest woman !
ever knew" This from Wardrop.
HAS she ever, to your knowledge,
received any threatening letters?"
Never in all her life," from both of
them promptly.
"You heard sounds, you say, Miss
Fleming. At what time?"
About half-past one or perhaps a
few minutes later. The clock struck
two while was still awake and
nervous.
This person who was walking
through the attic here-would you say
it was a heavy person? A man. I
mean"
Margery stopped to think
eyes," she said finally. 1T was
very stealthy, but think it was
mans STEP"
"You heard no sound of struggle?
No voices No screams?"
None at all" she said positively.
And added my quota. i
There could have been no such
sounds" ! said II sat in my room
and smoked until quarter to two. |
heard nothing until then, when heard
Mr.. Wardrop trying to get into the
house. I went down to admit him,
and-I found the front door open about
an inch"
Hunter wheeled on Wardrop.
"a quarter to two?" he asked. "You
were coming home from-the city,
Eyes, from the station"
Hunter watched him closely.
"The last train gets in here at
twelve-thirty." lie said slowly, Does
1t always take you an hour and a
quarter to walk the three squares to
the house?"
Wardrop flushed uneasily. and l
could see Margery's eyes dilate with |
AS for me, could only !
stare.
II did not come directly home" he
said, almost defiantly.
Hunters voice was as smooth as
silk
"Then-will you be good enough to
ell me where you did go?" he asked.
Il have reasons for wanting to know
Damn your reasons beg your
pardon, Margery. Look here, Mr.. Hun
.er, do you think would hurt hair
If that old lady's head? Do you think
came here last night and killed her,
Or whatever it is that has happened
% her? And then went out and tried
20 get in again through the Window"
"Not necessarily" Hunter said, un-
ruffled at merely occurred to me
hat we have at least an hour of your
lime last night. while this thing was
going on, to account for. However,
we can speak of that later. / am
practically certain of one thing, Miss
Maitland is not dead, or was not dead
when she was taken away from this
1ouse."
Taken away!" Margery repeated.
Then you think she was kidnapped?"
well, 1t is possible. It's puzzling
affair all through. You are certain
there are no closets or unused rooms
where, IL there had been murder, the
body could be concealed
81 never heard of any" Margery
z T