Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-03-21

SIhuUdAI' AnAlOuSly Wdktcu lOI las
confession of acquaintance with the
man in the hut.
Eyes, I knew him-only too we'll"
said Crandall
Tell me about him." said the In
spector. But wait-let us carry Miss
Parrish inside the cottage where she
will be sheltered from the night air
until you are ready to start"
II can walk said Louise. "In fact
think I was more frightened than
hurt"
I helped her to her feet land as
sisted her into the cottage. where I
piled some cushions that were lying
about and made her comfortable. The
noise of our entrance made no impress
sion on the drug-stupefied man who
lay on the other side of the room. but
Davis and Crandall crossed to where
he lay and examined him closely.
"He will not wake for several
hours" said Davis after feeling his
pulse. Kent and will stay here until
then. You, Mr.. Crandall, will take Miss
Parrish home, and you, Dodds, as soon
as it's daylight had better 60 look for
Rouser's body
II don't have to look for It," said
the constable with shudder. II know
just where 1t Is. It's long ways round
by the road, though"
"Take the blackboard" said Davis.
"and when you reach the body go
through the pockets carefully and
bring me everything you find. You'd
better not take the body back to Ard
way yet. 1s there some place else you
can take IT,
Sure" said Dobbs, II can take It
over, to Millervale. It's just about as
far in the other direction. But what In
the lands sake I'll tell about It, gets
me-"
That's easy" said the inspector.
"You can explain that you were driv-
ing over there and as you came by
you saw the body lying on the road.
You can explain that he must have fall
len over the cliff in the dark. BY the
time they get through talking about
it and having an inquest over in Mil
lervale we will have had chance to
finish any more investigating we
want to do. You can start about
dawn"
"All right" said the constable, but
what will do with them warrants?'
Leave them with me. After you
have disposed Of Rouser's body you
can stop on your way back and We'll
take this one in with us. Come on out
SIDE Dodds, and you, too, Crandall,
want to ask you some questions about
our friend over there. You, Kent, stay
here with Miss Parrish"
The three of them went out, leav-
ing Louise and me alone together. a
circumstance that couldn't doubt
that Davis had planned, realizing that
there was much we would say to each
other. Hardly were they out of the
door before Louise turned to me, with
suppliant arms, and cried out with a
sob in her voice: Harding, forgive
me for having deceived YOU"
1T is YOU" cried, you who must
forgive me for having disobeyed your
wish, for having come out here after
you had asked me not to, for having
almost put bullet through your dear
heart"
you didn't know-you couldn't
know that was here. she sobbed.
"But how can you ever pardon the
lies told your
/! "Lies,'' protested Dear girl, you
never lied to me. Whatever these dear
| lips have said, knew, always knew
| your heart was true"
katharine asked it and had to
promise her"
i"Yon mean about Hugh Crandall"
| YES" she breathed. II don't know
yet what 1t Is that Is between them.
1 It's something about-about my father
/ Crandall knew it and Katharine found
1t out. Whatever 1t Is, they determined
! to keep it secret between them. Kath-
Earine made me promise that ! would
| ko11 ,1k cha CT
me not to reveal to any one that /
had even seen Hugh Crandall. I had
to promise her, you understand, don't
you?"
My answer was kiss full on her
lips, while my arms went about her
and held her tight to me.
"Of course, dear girl" l breathed.
II understand. understood all the
WHILE"
II was SO afraid" she murmured,
afraid you would think was decely-
ing you, that didn't love YOU"
| AS our lips met In long, sweet
kiss, wave of Joy swept over me that
ell but obliterated thoughts Of the
dreadful yellow letter. / forgot for the.
moment the drug-sodden creature "
ling in the corner, not twenty feet
away from us. | knew but one thing.
Louise loved me. What mattered any
thing? In the rhapsody that only those
who have loved can understand, we
held each other in close embrace in
a delightful silence-it may have been
for one minute-it may have been for
/ ten or twenty. Time for either of us
has lost it's power. We were the
world, just we ourselves.
The spell was broken by slight
Itwitching Of the man across the room.
| We came to ourselves with a start as
from dream I went over to his side
and looked at him. He was still dead
to all around him.
"You understand, Harding dear,
don't your" said Louise, as / resumed
my place beside her, why asked you
to drop your search? AS soon as Kath-
arine became conscious and told her
that you were on the trail of the yell
low letter, she became greatly excited.