The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1914-08-13
CHAPTER XVII.
Once More at Burton's Inn,

CHAPTER XVII.
Once More at Burton's Inn.
Again Sara Wrandall found herself |
in that ever-to-be-forgotten room at |
Burton's inn. On that grim night in |
March she had entered without fear |
or trembling because she knew what |
was there. Now she quaked with |
mighty chill of terror, for she knew
not what was there in the quiet, now
sequestered room. Burton had told
them on their arrival after a long
drive across country that patrons of
the inn invariably asked which room
it was that had been the scene Of
the tragedy, and, on finding out, re-
fused point-blank to occupy it. In
consequence he had been obliged to
transform it into a sort Of store and
baggage room.
Sara stood in the middle of the
murky room, for the shutters had long
been closed to the light Of day. and
| looked about her in awe at the hetero-
geneous mass of boxes, trunks, bun
dies and rubbish, scattered over the
| floor without care or system. She had
closed the door behind her and was
quite alone. Light sneaked in through
the cracks in the shutters, but SO
meagerly that it only served to in
crease the gloom. A dismantled bed
stead stood heaped up in the corner.
She did not have to be told what bed
it was. The mattress was there too,
rolled up and tied with thick garden
| rope. She knew there were dull, ugly
blood stains upon it. Why the thrifty
Burton had persevered in keeping
this useless article of furniture, she
could only surmise. Perhaps it was
held as an inducement to the morbidly
curious who always seek out the grue-
some and gloat even as they shudder.
For a long time she stood immov-
able just inside the door, recalling
the horrid picture of another day. She
tried to imagine the scene that had
been enacted there with gentle, low
able Hetty Glynn and her whilom
husband as the principal characters.
The girl had told the whole story Of
that ugly night. Sara tried to see it
as it actually had transpired. For
months this present enterprise had
been in her mind: the desire to see
the place again, to go there with old
Impressions which she could leave be-
hind when ready to emerge in new
frame of mind. 1t was true that she
meant to shake off the shackles of a
horrid dream, to purge herself Of the
last vestige of bitterness, to cleanse
her mind of certain thoughts and mem
cries.
Downstairs Booth waited for her
He heard the story Of the tragedy from
the innkeeper, who Grossly maintained
that his business had been ruined
Booth was vaguely impressed, he knew
not why, by Burton's description O.
the missing woman. I'D say she was
! about the size of Mrs. Wrandall her
] self, and much the same fgger," ht
. said, as he had said thousand times
, before my wife noticed it the min
7 ute she saw Mrs Wrandal SANE
. height and everything"
A bell rang sharply and Burton
glanced over his shoulder at the indi
Gator on the wall behind the desk. HI
7 gave a great start and his jaw sagged
Great Scott!" he gasped. A cur
. Gus grayness stole over his face. 1T
its the bell in that very room. M
soul, what can"
Mrs. Wrandall is up there, ism
she?" demanded Booth.
70 ct amt rung since the night b
y. pushed the button for Oh, gee
You're right. She is up there. MY
. what a scare it gave me-" He wipe
= his brow. Turning to boy, he con
% manded him to answer the bell. TIL
- boy went slowly, and as he went h
= removed his hands from his pocket:
He came back an instant later, NOR
swiftly than he went, with the wor
- that ''the lady up there" wanted Nj
= Booth to come upstairs.
= She was waiting for him in the ope
~ doorway A shaft of bright sunligt
- from a window at the end of the ha
~ fell upon her. Her face was colorles
= haggard. He paused for an instant
~ contrast her as she stood there in th
pitiless light with the vivid creatu1
10 he had put upon canvas so recently.
~ She beckoned to him and turne
L. back into the room. He followed.
le This is the room, Brandon, whe1
Us my husband met the death he d
fe served" she said quietly.
observed? Good heavens, Sar
ID are YOU"
r. 81 want you to look about you ar
oi try to picture how this place locke
OIL on the night of the murder. You ha,
as vivid imagination. None of tn
er rubbish was here. Just bed, tab
&c. and two chairs. There was a carp
on the floor. There were two Poop
here, a man and a woman. The VOL
ed an had trusted the man She trustt
:ly him until the hour in which he die
ny Then she found him out. She b;
ny come to this place, believing it WI
ru- to be her wedding night She foul
of no minister here. The man laughed
lc- her and scoffed Then she knew.
&C. horror, shame, desperation she tri
he to break away from him. He W
he strong She was a good woman;
EST virtuous, honorable woman. She saw
al, herself"