Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-03-21
agonized cry Of Louise, Louise, where

agOn1zed cry OF Louise, Louise, Wnere
are your"
At the sound life came again into
me. ! dashed my revolver to the
ground and sprang after him. found
him bending over an unconscious form
on the ground. Just as reached the
spot he had lighted match. He lifted
1t to see my face, and as he did so
I saw that. the woman lying there ap-
parently lifeless was indeed my
Louise. r
Overwhelmed with anguish and re-
morse flung myself beside her. en-
treating her forgiveness. The other
man showed me roughly aside.
Don't be fool" he exclaimed.
"She has only tainted"
"she's shot!" She's killed." I cried.
II shot her"
81 tell you she has only tainted he
cried angrily. Help me carry her over
there by the window
Together we lifted her and bore her
gently to the side of the cottage
where we laid her on the ground. Joy
surged in my heart as l heard
that she was still breathing, JOY that
was not even abated when saw by
the window light that my companion
was none other than Hugh Crandall.
But just then all other thoughts
were driven out of my head by the
sight of thin stream of blood trick
ling down the sleeve of Louise's auto
mobile coat.
81 tell you she is shot. See,' I cried,
all my anguish coming back anew.
With trembling hands helped
1on hnv Gle r.,
ing all the time to see and know the
worst.
Its only a scratch" said Crandall,
with sigh Of relief.
Across her rounded arm was red
dening cash where the bullet had cut
its way through the tender flesh.
While my head told me that Crandalf
was right. that it was only a flesh
wound and not in the least dangerous,
in my heart still felt little better
than murderer Three inches to the
right, and the bullet from my revolver
would have stilled her heart forever.
She opened her eyes and stared at
us in puzzled way. )
"Why, Harding, DEAR" she said In
feeble surprise, "are you here-here
with Mr.. Crandall?"
For answer I bent and kissed her.
What mattered it II Hugh Crandall
was the criminal? What mattered 1t
if the chain of mystery was still un-
solved? What mattered it If the author
of the yellow letters had escaped the
inspector? Louise lived! She loved
me! .
Davis and the constable came run
ming up the path. painting from their
chase, but empty-handed.
els she hurt?' asked Davis as he
saw the three of us grouped under the
window.
"a flesh wound, not at all danger
GUS" Crandall answered, while !
knelt there caressing Louise's hair
and whispering softly to her.
How about your" asked Davis.
"He didn't hit me" Crandall
answered with short laugh. II
tumbled over the bucket of milk he
was carrying and dropped when he
saw me. Didn't you get him?"
Hes safe, answered the inspector
"He ran plump over the edge Of q
precipice in the dark. We heard the
thud of his body on the rocks below.
He must have been instantly killed
Well get the body in the morning. He
must have fallen two hundred feet. >
"a good two hundred" the con-
stable added as Davis turned to peer
in the window of the hut.
'"And inside there" said the inspec'
tor after minutes survey Of the In.
terror, 'is the other one, the master
criminal safe enough for the
present"
"Why," said the constable, who had
followed the inspectors example in
looking through the window why
that's Aleck Young"
CHAPTER XIII.
Dawn found Inspector Davis and
me keeping strange vigil in the de-
serted cottage. Louise was gone. Gran
dali was gone. Constable Dodds was
gone. Only two of us were there, and
p; on a rude couch in the corner, inert
unconscious with the death-like stupor
of the confirmed user of morphine, lay
the wreck of a man whom Davis had
| termed the master criminal.
| ION the inspectors return from his
pursuit Of the postmaster he had a,
once assumed the position Of director
general of the little group at the cot
tage. he naQ QeCTeeu IIfdL STdAudA
should take Louise back to town II
| the automobile as soon as she was
! able to travel.
after she had had an hours rest
here" he said authoritatively, "hel
nerves will have recovered suffi
ciently. 1t Is important that the wouno
in her arm should be dressed as
quickly as possible. It will be well
too, FOR her to return as speedily as
possible to her father and sister. Hel
continued absence, II it reaches theil
ears, will needlessly alarm them both
You, Mr.. Crandall, will take her back
in the machine in which you came, Of
course"
Certainly" said Crandall-- over
eagerly, thought-"but, II you will
! pardon me for asking who are YOU?
For reply Davis handed him his caro-
which bore his official title.
But" stammered Crandall, II dom
understand you. What are you doing
out here?"
"Pm here" said the Inspector =
fancy on the same mission thai