Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-04-24

the suspense. NOCnln8 COulu
be elected from the director of
with anecdotes from his varied career;
the comedy OF the dynamiters hair;
the tragedy Of the thrice fatal tele-
phone message at the Standard club;
the drama Of the orchid hunt on Wee
hawken Heights. From time to time
he thrust a hand out OF the window.
Shortly after midnight there was
splatter Of rain on the roof.
Good" said, Kent, stretching elab-
orately. Couldn't be better. Lies
fine SPORT"
Couldn't be worse, I should think,
contradicted Sedgwick.
Depends on the point Of view, my
boy. No longer can my buoyant spirit
support your determined melancholy
without extraneous aid. The time has
come for action. Be thankful. Get on
your coat"
sedgwick frightened at once.
''Right-o!" he said. Get your lamps
lighted and I'll be with you"
"No lights. Ours is deep, dark.
desperate. devilish, dime novel de-
sign"
ENDING, most likely, in the clutch
Of some night hawk constable for vio-
lation OF the highway laws"
Possibly. We've got to chance 1t.
Come into the garden, Maud, chant
ed the scientist.
Sedgwick started. II thought we
were going to motor somewhere. What
about the garden?"
about the garden? Why, some
where about the garden there must be,
I should guess, certain implements
which we need in our enterprise" He
executed q solemn dance-step upon
the floor and warbled,
"'Oh, pickax and a spade. spade,
For and shrouding sheet"
A sudden thought struck cold into
the heart of Sedgwick. BE sensible.
can't your" he exclaimed. What DO
you want with a pickax and spade!"
! "My wants are few and small. II
YOU haven't pick, two spades will do.
In fact, they'll be better. I was mere
ly sticking to the text of my Hamlet.
His shoulders slumped, his Jaw
slackened, and, az his figure wrapped
into the pose Of the grave digger ne
wheezed out the Icouplet again. The
could thought froze around Sedgwick's
heart. He visioned the wet soil OF
Annalaka buryin ground, heaped above
loose-hasped pine box. within which
went forward the unthinkable pro-
cesses Of earth retaining its own.
Good God! Is it that?" he NUT
tered.
The hummer Strengthened up. I'm
plain prose, do you possess two
spades?" he inquired.
Speeches., Sedgwick went out into
the dark, presently returning with the
tools. Kent took them out and dis
posed them in the car.
Get in," he directed.
.'If we had to do this, Kent" Sedg-
wick, shuddering in his seat, why
haven't we done 1t before?''
The other turned on the power.
You're on the wrong track as usual"
he remarked. 1T couldn't be done be-
fore" ss.,
"well, it can't be done now" cried
the artist in sudden sharp excitement.
1T won't do. Stop the car. Kent"
Kent's voice took an om1nously de-
liberate measure. Listen" said he;
Il am going through with this-now-
tonight. II you wish to withdraw
"That's enough" growled the artist.
mo man alive can say that to me-"
The car slowed up. II beg your par.
don. Frank" said Kent. We're both
Of us little on edge tonight. This
lis no time for misunderstanding.
What Is on your mind?"
"Just this. Annalaka burying-ground
is watched. Lawyer Balm said as
much. Don't you remember? He told
Ms that the house next door Is occupied
by an old sleepless asthmatic who
spends half her nights In her window
overlooking the graves"
The car shot forward again. rs that
all?'' asked Kent.
isn't it enough :"
Hardly. We're not going within
miles OF Annalaka."
"Then our nights work is not"
Kent could feel his companions revolt
at the unuttered word, and supplied 1t
for him.
Grave robbery? 1t is."
"Where?"
"In a private burying ground on the
Blairs' estate"
"Wilfrid Blair's grave? When was
the funeral?"
"This morning. I was among those
present, though don't think my name
will be mentioned in the papers"
why should you have been there? p
ooh, set it down to vulgar curiosity, .
said Kent.
Probably you'd say the same II |
asked you the motive for this present
expedition. l suppose you fully ap.
preciate the chance we are taking?
Didn't l tell you that It was rather
more than life-and-death risk"
Something cold touched Sedgwick's
hand in the darkness. His fingers
closed around flash. mo, no Dutch
courage for me. Where is this place."
ION Sundayman's creek, some four
teen miles from the Nook as the motor
car flies"
Fourteen miles," repeated Sedg.
wick musingly, following q train OF
thought that suddenly glowed, a
beacon-light Of hope. "And these
Blairs have some connection with the
dead woman OF the cove, the woman
who wore her Jewels" His fingers
gripped and sank into Kent's hard.
fibered arm "Chet, for the love OF
heaven, tell me! Is she one of these
Blairs?'
a." 3