Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-27

was ahead Of me, three steps at a
time, and, following Louise's silent
direction, had disappeared In a room
on the second floor, when I, with out
stretched arms, approached her. 1 did
not think to ask what had happened or
who was i'll or what the matter was.
My only thought was one Of JOY that
she was alive and well. What mat
tered If Louise was safe? And the
emotion that filled me was still more
intensified when she ran to me, and
throwing herself into my arms, cried
out:
"oh, Harding. thank God, you've
GOMEZ"
It was almost the first time she
had called me by my name, certainly
the first that she ever had given her
self to my embrace, and held her
closely, thrilled through at the
thought that 1t was to me she turned In
time Of trouble. Then. all at once, l
was aroused by the opening of the
door through which Doctor Wilcox
had gone and the appearance Of q
maid, who ran along the hall.
'What is it? What has happened"
l asked.
Katherine" moaned Louise, "Kath-
erine-she has killed herself"
For a moment I was stunned. The
first thought that came to me was The
,impossibility of it. What place had
tragedy in this happy quiet home? Fa-
miliar enough, though was, with
deeds of violence, with self-murder as
it thrust itself forward in the courts
IN Io 1,v~i1 rP hn
newspapers, that such thing could
intrude on the peace OF this well
ordered household seemed beyond my
comprehension. =
| II telephpned to you, but you were
not In your office" sobbed Louise, still
sclinging to me in the abandonment of
grief.
when did you telephone?" I asked,
even under such circumstances re-
joicing to learn that she had tele-
phoned
"Just after she did it, don't know
when it vast seems ages ago. I
couldn't-get you and-I thought
you would never come-then-then
II telephoned for the doctor and
father"
Just after she did it! had been try
ing to make myself believe 1t must
have been an accident, though from
Louise's manner I feared the worst.
Yet katherine Parrish was the last
person in the world of whom one
would think In connection with sui
eide "A quiet, reserved girl of great
strength Of character, several years
older than Louise, her dignity and her
well-considered actions had led me to
believe her far less emotional than her
younger sister.
1T was an accident, of course" l
said. though doubtfully.
7 mo" gasped Louise, shuddering
anew at the thought of the horror she
had Just witnessed. 81 heard the shot
and found her on the divan in her
room. The revolver was still in her
hand-her own revolver"
For the first time it came to me
with sudden vivid force that in the
elder sisters life, behind the smiling
mask Of reserve she always wore, was
hidden some secret sorrow. ! under
stood, now, that faraway look in her
eyes. felt there may have been
there must have been concealed the
knowledge of some mystery that i'm
PEELED her to this awful deed. Yet,
little did suspect whittier my efforts
to find why Louise's sister had shot
herself would lead me. Little did
imagine in what q web Of criminal
cunning, of battling crime, of hidden
evil, would find myself.
AS strove to soothe Louise's agita.
ton the doctor appeared at the door
way and imperiously beckoned me. ]
tried to persuade Louise to wait out
side, but she chung to me like a fright
ened child and insisted on accompany
ing me into the room.
Here, said the doctor in curt tones
OF authority, II want you to help me
carry her into quieter place before
I operate"
"This way" said Louise, recovering
herself as soon as she saw the oppor-
tunity to be useful, "into my rooms.
They are off the street and much
|auieter."
saw the look with which she tried
to read the Doctors face and put the
question she dared not ask.
Twill she live?"
Doctor Wilcox shook his head
gravely.
4. . 40 4.
"She IS just alive and that is all
can not tell yet whether or not we
can save her. There must be absolute
quiet am going to probe for the bull
let and see what course it has taken.
Please telephone at once for these two
men. They are my hospital aides As
soon as they arrive I will operate
AS quickly as we had laid the sense
less girl on Louise's bed, / telephoned
for Doctor Wilcox's assistants, and
was fortunate in being able to reach
both Immediately. Louise and the
maids meanwhile were kept busy by
the doctor preparing for the operation,
so it fell to my lot to break the news
to General Parrish when he arrived.
Louise had merely told him over the
telephone that Katherine had met
with an accident. SO he entered the
house almost wholly unprepared for
the shock my news gave him.
I had before seen strong men in
grief, but never before had wit
messed such a wave Of heartrending
r