Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-04

only left when the husbands suicide
had broken up the home. could get
nothing else out of her, but gradually
Bella's share in the mystery was COM
ing to light.
Slowly, too-it was a new business
for mel was forming a theory of my
own. 1t was a strange one, but It
seemed to fit the facts as knew them.
With the story Wardrop told that af-
ternoon came my first glimmer OF
light.
He was looking better than he had
when saw him before, but the tears
of Mrs. Buffers approaching death
and the manner of her injury affected
him strangely. He had seen the pap
er, like Bella, and he turned on me
almost fiercely when I entered the
library. Margery was in her hold posi-
ton at the window, looking out, and
knew the respondent droop Of her
shoulders.
"Is she conscious?" Wardrop asked
eagerly, indicating the article In the
paper.
'No. not now-at least, it is not like
w." Ks
y He looked relieved at that, but only
for q moment. Then he began to
pace the room nervously, evidently
debating some move. His next action
showed the development of resolu-
ton, for he pushed forward two chairs
for Margery and myself.
"Sit down, both Of you," he directed.
"I've got a lot to say, and want you
both to listen. When Margery has
heard the whole story, she will prob
ably despise me for the rest of her
life. can't help it. I've got to tell
all know, and it isn't so much after
all. You didn't fool me yesterday,
Knox; knew what that doctor was
after. But he couldn't make me tell
who killed Mr.. Fleming, because, be-
fore God, didn't know
CHAPTER XIV.
II have to go back to the night Miss
Jane disappeared-and that's another
thing that has driven me desperate.
Will you tell me why should be sus-
pected of having hand in that, when
she had been mother to me? II she
is dead, she can't exonerate me; II
she is living. and we find her, she will
tell what tell you-that know moth
ing OF the whole terrible business"
II am quite certain of that Ward
rop," interposed. Besides, I think
have got to the bottom of that mys-
terry"
Margery looked at me quickly, but
shook my head. 1t was too early to
tell my suspicious.
"The things that looked black
against me were bad enough, but they
had nothing to do with Miss Jane.
will have to go back to before the
night she-went away, back to the
time Mr.. Butler was the state treas
urer, and your father, Margery, was
his cashier.
Butler was not q business man. He
let too much responsibility lie with his
northumberland then, according to
the story. he couldn't do much any.
how against Schwartz. The cashier
was entirely under machine control
and Butler was neglectful. You re-
member, Knox, the crash, when three
banks, rotten to the core, went under
and it was found large amount o.
state money had gone too. 1t was
Fleming who did til am sorry, Marg
! cry, but this Is no time to minc<
words. It was Fleming who deposit
ed the money in the wrecked banks
knowing what would happen. Wher
the crash came, Buffers sureties, tc
save themselves, confscated every
dollar he had in the world. Butler
went to the penitentiary for si1
months, on some minor count, anG
when he got out, after writing tC
Fleming and Schwartz, protesting his
innocence, and asking for enough out
of the fortune they had robbed him ia
support his wife, he killed himself, al
the White Cat"
Margery was very pale, but quiet
She sat with her fingers locked in hel
lap, and her eyes on Wardrop.
TT was a bad business WardroI
went on YEARLY. Fleming moved in
to Buffers place as treasurer, and
took Lightfoot as his cashier. Thai
kept the lid on. Once or twice, wheI
there was an unexpected call fol
funds, the treasury was almost empty
and Schwartz carried things ovel
himself. went to Plattsburg as Mr.
Fleming's private secretary when hi
became treasurer, and from the frs
I knew things were even worse thar
the average state government.
Schwartz and Fleming had to hole
together; they hated each other, anc
the feeling was trebled when Fleming
married Schwartz's divorced wife,"
Margery looked at me with startled
incredulous eyes. What she must have
seen confirmed Wardrop's words, anG
she leaned back in her chair, limp ant
unnerved. But she heard and com
pretended every word Wardrop was
saying.
"The woman was very ordinary
person, but it seems Schwartz cared
| for her, and he tried to stab Mr.. Elem
ing shortly after the marriage. About
year ago Mr.. Fleming said another
attempt had been made on his life
with poison; he was very much alarm
ed, and noticed a change In him from
that time on. Things were not goins
| well at the treasury; Schwartz ant
his crowd were making demands thai
were hard to supply, and behind al
that, Fleming was afraid to go ou
alone at night.
THE VOTE FOR RECIPROCITY.
| New York Times-1f the republican
party that has 80 long lived by tn
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