Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-12-09

wv 61'lOAS6 NOU, VIC ln0yA yOt PuS ouA
fingers on some villain who does" said
the Judge. Z. NJ
Outside it was noised about that
Judge Price had taken matters In
hand he was the old fellow who had
been warned to keep his mouth shut,
and who had never stopped talking
since A crowd collected beyond the
library windows and Toasted its eyes
on the back Of this .hero's bald head.
One BY one the house servants were
ushered into the judges presence.
First he Intercepted little Steve, who
had gone to Miss Betty's door that
morning to rouse her, as was his Gus.
tom. Next he examined Betty's maid:
then tho cook. and various house SER
wants, who had nothing especial to tell,
but told It at considerable length: and
lastly: big Steve.
Stop q Bit, the Judge suddenly In
terrupted the butler in the midst Of his
narrative. Does the overseer always
come up to tho house the first thing
in the morning.?
why, not exactly, sab, but he come
up this mo'ning, sab. He was talking
to me at the back Of the house, when
the woman run out with the word that
Missy was done gone away"
"He Joined in the search?'
eyes, sah."
when was Miss Malroy seen last? -
asked the judge.
"She and the young gemman you
fetched heah were seen in the garden
along about shutdown. seen them
myself" Pa as ,NenaE !
"They had had SUPPER"
Yes. sah."'
"Who sleeps here?"
Just little Steve and three of the
women, they sleeps at the back Of the
house, sab"
mo sounds were heard during the
night?" : "s e.
mo, sah.' rs~ ~ a. ri" @
: "1'll see the overseer--what's his
name Hicks? Suppose you 60 for
him. said the Judge. addressing the
sheriff.
The sheriff was gone from the room
only few moments, and returned with
tbs information that Hicks was down
at the bayou, which was to be dragged.
why" inquired the Judge.
Hicks says Miss Malroy's been act
ing mighty queer ever since Charley
Norton was shot-distracted like! He
says he noticed it, and that Tom Ware
noticed It." sa
How does he explain the boys dis.
appearance?" NJ
''He reckons she throwed herself In,
and the boy tried to drag her out, like
he naturally would. and got drawed In"
"Humph! Ill trouble Mr.. Hicks to
step here" said the Judge quietly.
There's Mr.. Darlington and q couple
of strangers outside who've been ask
ing about Miss Malroy and the boy.
seems like the strangers knowed her
and him back yonder in Moth Caro-
lima" said the sheriff as he turned
away.
"I'll see them" The sheriff went
the servants.
"Well, what do you think, Price?''
asked Mahaffy anxiously when they
were alone.
Rubbish! Take my word for It,
solomon, this blow Is leveled at me.
have been too forward. in my attempts
to suppress the carnival of crime that
is raging through west Tennessee.
You'll observe that Miss Malroy disap-
peared at moment when the public
is disposed to think she has retained
me as her legal adviser, probably she
will be set at liberty when she agrees
to drop the matter of Norton's murder.
As for the boy, they'll use him to com
pei my silence and inaction." The
Judge took long breath. "Yet there
remains one point where the boy is
concerned that completely baffles me.
If we knew just a little more Of his
antecedents It might cause me to make
startling and radical move"
Mahaffy was clearly not impressed
by the vague generalities in which the
Judge was dealing.
There you 60, Price, as usual try
ing TO convince yourself that you are
the center Of everything he said, in
a tone OF much evaporation. Lets
get down to business! What does this
man Hicks mean by limiting at suicide?
You saw Miss Malroy yesterday"
You have put your finger on a point
of some Significance" said the Judge.
'She bore evidence OF the shock and
loss she had sustained; aside from that
she was quite as she has always
BEEN"
We'll, what do you want to see
Hicks for? What do you expect to
learn from him.
II don't like his insistence on the
idea that Miss Malroy is mentally I'M
balanced. It's question of some
delicacy-the law, sir, fully recognizes
that. 1t seems to me he is overanxi-
Gus to account for her disappearance
in manner that can compromise no
one"
He>e they were interrupted by the
opening Of the door, and big Steve ad-
mitted Darlington and the two men of
whom the sheriff had spoken.
"a shocking condition of affairs, Mr..
Carrington!" said the Judge by way OF
greeting.
Yes" said Darlington shortly.
"You left these parts aome time q 81