Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-07-20
MeMAN a. the..
DERBY.
~,
Wells HASTINGS
~o Author Of ceo0
The Professors Mystery
Copyright l9llby Bobb.l1erra (S
CHAPTER XIV Continued

CHAPTER XIV Continued.
| If these stairs had been built for
the purpose of giving alarm they could
scarcely have been better contrived.
! The first one groaned beneath my feet,
and the second, to which hastily
transferred my weight, gave q shrek
of protest that seemed to my strained
senses almost human. tried the ex-
pedient of testing each one of them
with my hand, but even those that
SO proved silent, yelled betrayal as
soon as trusted the full weight of my
body to them. Indeed, think every
stair of the flight was potentially vocal,
and differed from its fellows only In
| the key and volume of it's protest. A
skilful and acrobatic musician could,
/ think, have trampled a dirge from
them. After / had tried four or five in
momentary apprehension Of discovery,
i / cast myself astride the balustrade.
] thinking to work my way up 1t hand
over hand but the balustrade was the
prima donna Of the whole chorus, and
! brawled out such shrilling vibration
of protest that slid back to the stairs
again, and without more ado, and TAX.
ing three at a stride, mounted them
on the run.
At the top / stopped again and
listened. feeling very much as burg.
lar might, who had undeftly dislodged
stack Of tin pie plates; for was GER
tain that by now the whole house must
be alarmed, that In another moment
Doctor Mayhem and his janitor must
rush from below, and some unknown
| guard of the floor where now stood
come at me from the other side. But
nothing at all happened. Some one
in one of the closed rooms had fit OF
coughing, and brought 1t to loud ana
successful conclusion. Below me the
dim we'll Of the hall lay in silent mys-
terry, like waters that had parted to let
me through and closed again after my
passage. stole along again, counting
the doors as passed. At the one !
knew to be Mrs. Lathrop's stopped
and listened, but there was no sound.
debated for moment whether or not
I should tap and whisper "all we'll
| to her, but I decided against it and
went tiptoeing on. had come to the
next door when there came rattle OF
the latch at the farther end OF the
hall; the door I took to be Nancy's
opened and into the sudden brightness
stepped the square figure OF Mrs
! Olsen.
shrank instinctively against the
door at my side, and, because was
! sure that In spite of the dimness OF
the hall she must have seen me,
abandoned my foolish attempt at con.
cealment and risked q very doubtful
strategy. It was a dubious expert
ment, but, as far as could see, the
only one left open to me. Mrs. Olsen
was still too far away to take by sur
prise, or by any sudden move Of mine
be prevented from giving the alarm !:
SO, there being nothing else for 1t,
tried to impersonate Doctor Mayhem
although knew myself so much larger
than he that was desperately un.
certain of success. Nevertheless,
stopped to the bolt as nonchalantly as
| could, and shooting it carelessly back
turned the handle and stepped quietly
into the room, closing the door behind
me. I found the room in the half-light
Of a turned.down lamp, and from 9
huddle Of bed clothes face turned
aud looked at me- the weary face OF the
old man had seen from my place
amidst the Ivy starteled old race
now, with frightened eyes that looked
at me piteously, as II my unexpected
entrance was only some new and un-
, timed terror. nodded and smiled at
him reassuringly.
cts all right" said gently; I'm
not one of the doctors or anything like
that. You can set your mind at rest.
I'm only some one who has come to
find out about this place Perhaps
who knows-perhaps can even send
you home again some day"
Home the old fellow quavered,
looking at me uncomprehendlngly,
homer
eyes" | repeated, perhaps l can
send you home"
He passed his hand over the gray
stubble of lip and chin, and brushed
the straggle Of thin hair back from his
| forehead.
Home" he repeated, with some
dawning Of comprehension, and to my
surprise and embarrassment, sat bolt
upright in bed and burst into tears.
/ thought, through his sobbing,
could hear steps passing in the hall
outside. 1 stepped back to the door
and listened, and 1t seemed to me the
footsteps were dying away in the oil
rection of the stairs; SO that was on
! fire to open the door again, certain
that the coast was now clear. and wild
| to be with Nancy But for the life OF
me. could not SO abruptly leave that
sobbing old creature on the huddled
| bed. It was insane to wait and all
| nv inclination and hope and love and
fear drew me away, but against my
will I came back to his bed again, and
| put my arm about his shoulders.
Listen" said; you must be very
quiet. for no one must find out that
have been here. Perhaps you won't
understand now, but you can think OF
| It when | am gone. l haven't time to
| tell you much, but promise you that
am going to try to help not only you,
! but all the people here. may be able
to do 1t tomorrow; perhaps 1t will be
some days, or even some weeks, but
80, ,,,,ot ronemher that eyerythinp is