Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1911-01-05
CHAPTER XXxIi.
Anne Watson's Story

HilHC WdtSOnS 8 OIOTy.
Ltddy discovered the fresh break
in the trunkroom wall while we were
at luncheon, and ran shrieking down
the stairs. She maintained that, as
she entered, unseen hands had been
digging at the plaster; that they had
stopped when she went in, and she
had felt gust of cold damp air In
support of her story she carried in
my wet and muddy boots, that had
unluckily forgotten to hide, and held
them out to the detective and myself.
What did tell your" she said
dramatically. Look at 'em. They're
yours, Miss Rachel-and covered with
mud and soaked to the tops. l tell
you, you can scoff all you like; some
thing has been wearing your shoes.
AS sure as you sit there, there's the
smell of the graveyard on them. How
do we know they weren't tramping
through the Casanova churchyard last
night, and sitting on the graves!"
Mr.. Jameson almost choked to
death. Il wouldn't be at all surprised
If they were doing that very thing,
Liddy," he said, when he got his
breath. "They certainly look like It,"
| think the detective had a plan
on which he was working, but which
was meant to be a coup. But things
went so fast there was no time to
carry it into effect. The first thing
that occurred was a message from
the Charity hospital that Mrs. Wat
son was dying and had asked for me.
did not care much about going.
There is sort of melancholy plea
sure to be had out of a funeral. with
its pomp and ceremony, but | shrank
from death-bed. However, Liddy
got out the black things and the crepe
veil | keep for such occasions and |
went. | left Mr.. Jameson and the
day detective going over every inch
OF the circular staircase, pounding,
probing and measuring. | was inward
ly elated to think of the surprise | was
going to give them that night: as it
turned out, | did surprise them-al-
most into spasms.
l drove from the train to the Chari.
ty hospital, and was at once taken
to ward. There, in a gray-walled
room in high iron bed, lay Mrs. Wat.
son. She was very weak. and she
only opened her eyes and looked at
me when ! sat down beside her.
was conscience-stricken. We had been
so engrossed that had left this poor
creature to die without even a word
of sympathy.
The nurse gave her a stimuIant
and in little while she was able ia
| talk. SO broken and half.coherent
however, was her story that shall
tell it In my own way. In an hour
from the time | entered the Charity
| hospital | had heard a sad and pitiful
narrative, and had seen woman slir
into the Inconsistencies that is only
step from death.
Briefly, then, the housekeeper's
| story was this:
She was almost 30 years old, and
| had been the sistor.mother of a large
family of children One by one they
| bad died, and been buried beside Their
parents in a little town In the middle
west There was only one sister left
/ the baby Lucy on her the older cir
| had latishcd an tho love OF an lmpul
| slye and emotional nature. When
Anne. the elder, was 30 and Lucy 10
"a young man had come to the town
I ile NaH going east after spending the
ummef at q celebrated ranch ia Wy
umIus-oHe col those places where
wealthy men send worthless and dis
a.laIe4 sons log season ui temper