Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-04-03

lessor Kent advanced ana DenVfOVor
the manncled corpse.
Have to ask you to stand back.
Professor" said Jarvis. LENS ap-
pointed me special dep'ty till ne comes
back. and he says nobody Is to lay
finger on hide ner hair OF the corpse;
not even the doc, II he comes"
Quite right" assented the other.
SHERIFF Schlager exhibits commend
able zeal and discretion"
Wonder II he knowed the corpse"
suggested somebody in the crowd
''Tell you who did, II he didn't" said
another man.
Who. them
Elder Try bennett. Didn't none OF
you hear about his meetin' up with a
strange woman yestiddy evenin'?"
"Shucks! This couldn't be that
woman" said Jarvis. How'd she come
tween last night and this morning."
How'd che come to be washed
ashore from a wreck. anyway" coun.
tered Sailor Smith. The ain't been
no storm for week, an this body
amt been dead twenty-four hour"
1T plumb beats me-" admitted
Jarvis.
"Who is this Dennett?" asked Pro.
lessor Kent.
CRY? He's the town CAB Of Martin
dale Center. Docs little plumbin' an
tinkerin' on the side. Just now he's
up to Cadystown. Took the ten-o'clock
train last night"
Then 1t was early when he met
this woman?"
Little after shutdown. He was risin'
the hill beyond the Nook-that's Sedg-
wick's place, the painter feller--when
she come out OF the shrubbery-pop:
He quizzed her. Trust the Elder for
that. But he didn't get much out of
her. until he mentioned the Nook.
Then she allowed she guessed she'd
20 there. An he watched her 90"
"You say man named Sedgwick
lives at the Nook. Is that Francis
sedgwick, the artist?" asked Kent.
That's him." said Sailor Smith.
Paints right purity pictures. Lives
there all alone with Chinese cook
well. the lady went down the hill"
continued Jarvis. "just as Sedgwick
come out to smoke q pipe on his stone
wall. Try thought he seemed surprised
when she bespoke him. They passed a
few remarks. an then they had some
words, an the lady laughed loud an
kinder scornful. He seemed to be
pointin' at a necklace Of queer, fiery
pink stones tibet she wore, and tryin'
to get somethin' out of her. She
turned away, an he started to follow.
when all of sudden she grabbed up
a rock an let him have it-blip:
Keeled him clean over. Then she ran
awav up the road toward Hawkill
Cliffs That's the way Try bennett tells
It. But amt never heard Of a story
losin anythin' in the tellin' when 1t
come through Iry's lips"
'Well, this corpse amt got no pink
necklace" suggested somebody.
Bodies sometimes gets robbed.
said Sailor Smith.
Chester Kent stopped over the
writhen face, again peering close
Then he Strengthened up and began
pulling thoughtfully at. the lobe Of hie
ear.
He pulled and pulled, until, as II by
that process, he had turned his face
toward the cliff. His lips pursed. He
began whistling softly, and tunelessly.
His gaze was distracted.
"Ain't seen nothin' to make you feel
bad, have you, Perfessor?" inquired
Temporary Deputy Sheriff Jarvis
with some acerbity.
9Th? What?" said Kent absently.
Seen anything? Nothing but what's
there for any one to see."
Following his fixed gaze, the others
studied the face of the cliff; all but
Sailor Smith He blinked near-sighted.
ly at the corpse.
Say said he presently. whats
them queer little marks on the neck.
under the earl"
! Back came Kent's eyes. Those 2"
he said smiling. why, those are, one
might suppose, such indentations as
would be made in flesh by forcing a
Jewel setting violently against 1t, by
a blow or strong impact"
Then you think 1t was the wom-"
began the old seaman when several
voices broke in:
There goes Len now"
/ The sheriff's heavy figure appeared
on the brow of the cliff, moving
toward the village.
"Who is 1t with him." inquired
Kent.
"Gansett jim" answered Jarvis.
. can indiana"
Cos! You got good eyes!" said
Jarvis. Hes more Indian than any
thing else. Comes from down ANA
gansett way, and gets his name from
it,"
Him! When did he arrive?"
while you was trapesin' around up
yonder.'
did he see the body?"
"Yep. Just after the sheriff got
whatever it was from the pocket. Gan
sett Jim hove in sight. Len went over
to him quick, an said somethin' ia
him. He come and give a look at the
body. But he didn't say nothing. Only
grunted."
Never does say nothin', only grunt,'
put in Sailor Smith.
That's right" agreed Jarvis. well
the sheriff tells me to watch the body
Then he says, AN I'll need somebody
to help me. I'll take you. jim So he
an the Indian goes away together"
Professor Kent nodded. He looked
seward where the reefs we're now
barring their teeth more plainly