Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-29

not had more attempts to play on our
fears. But the really important thing
bearing on Miss James departure was
when Heppie came into the room, WIFI
her apron turned up like pocket anu
her dust cap pushed down over ner
eyes like the SLOUGH hat OF a boWery
tough.
When she got to the middle OF the
room she stopped and abruptly dropped
the corners of her apron. There rolled
out heterogeneous collection o.
things; a white muslin garment wnlcn
proved to be nightgown, with ions
sleeves and high collar; half-dozeh
hair curlers--I knew those; Edltn
had been seen, in midnight emergen.
cies, with her hair twisted around
just such instruments of torture-a
shoe buttoner; railroad map, and
one new and unworn black kid glove.
Miss Letitia changed her glasses
deliberately, and took a comprehen-
sive survey OF the things on the floor
Where did you get emf" she SAID
fixing Heppie with an awful eye.
II found 'em stuffed under the
blankets in the chest of drawers IN
the attic" Heppie shouted at her. II
we'd washed blankets last week, as
wanted to-"
"Shut up!" Miss Letitia said shortly.
and Heppie's thin lips closed with
snap. Now then, Knox, what 40 you
make of that?"
IF that's the nightgown she was
wearing the night she disappeared,
think it shows one thing very clearly,
Miss Maitland. She was not abducted,
and she knew perfectly well what she
was about. None Of her clothes was
missing, and that threw us off the
track; but look at this new glove! she
may have had new things to put on
and left the old. The map-well, she
was going somewhere, with a definite
purpose. When we find out what took
her away, we will find her.
"Humph!"
"She didn't go unexpectedly-that is,
she was prepared for whatever II
was"
II don't believe word of it" the old
lady burst out "She didn't have a
secret; she was the kind that couldn't
keep secret She wasn't RESPONSE
BILE, tell you; she was extravagant.
Look at that glove! And she had
three pairs half worn in her bureau"
(. Miss Maitland" asked suddenly,
did you ever hear Of eleven twenty
two?"
eleven twenty-five WHAT"
Just the number, eleven twenty
two" repeated. Does it mean any.
thing to you? Has 1t any significance!
II should say it has" she retorted.
"In the last ten years the Colored
Orphans Home has cared for, FED.
clothed, and pampered exactly eleven
hundred and twenty-five colored chill
dren, Of every condition of shape and
misshape, brains and no brains"
1T has no other Connection"
eleven twenty-five? Twice eleven
is twenty-five, If that's any help. NO,
can't think of anything. I loaned Al
Ian Fleming thousand dollors once;
/ guess my mind was failing. 1t would
be about eleven twenty-five by TINS
time" VI
Neither Of which explanations sui
feed for the little scrap found IN Miss
James room. What connection, II any
had it with her flight? Where was
she now. What was eleven twenty
wo? And why did Miss Letitia deny
that she had lost the pearls, when !
already knew that nine of the. ten had
been sold, who had bought them, and
approximately how much he had PAID?
CHAPTER Xxx
ate light lunch at Bellwood, alone
with Bella to look after me IN the DIN
ning-room. She was very solicitous,
and when she had brought my tea, |
thought she wanted to say something.
She stood awkwardly near the door,
and watched me.
"You needn't wait, Bella" said.
II beg your pardon, sir butt wan.
ted to ask you-is Miss Fleming vel! y
"She was not very well this morn
ing, but I don't think 1t is serious,
Bella" | replied. She turned to 60,
but fancied she hesitated.
ooh, Bella" called, as she was go
ing out, II want to ask you something.
The night at the Fleming home, when
YOU and watched the house, didn't
Won hear some person running along
the hall outside your door? About two
o'clock, think?
She looked at me stolidly
mo, sir, slept all night"
"That's strange. And you didn't
hear me when fell down the dumb
waiter shaft?"
"Holy saints" she calculated. was
that where you fell!
She stopped herself abruptly.
"You heard that?" asked gently,
land vet you slept all night? Bella
there's hitch somewhere. You
didn't sleep that night, at all; you
told Miss Fleming had been up all
night. How did you know that? II |
didn't know that you couldn't possibly
get around as fast as the-person IN
the house that night, would say you
had been in Mr.. Fleming's desk, look
ing for-let us say, postage stamps.
May have another cup of coffee?"
She turned sickly yellow white,
and gathered up my cup and saucer
with trembling hands. When the
coffee finally came back 1t was brought
grumblingly by old Heppie. "She says
she's turned her ankle" she shifted.
Turned 1t on lathe, like a table leg,
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