Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-04-16
CHATTER I.--contlnued.

CHAPTER I.-contlnued.
I'm not 30 sure Of IT, said the cor
oner, shaking his head. Il have q
feeling that she isn't one OF the ordi
nary type. It wouldn't surprise me u
che belongs to-well, you might say
the upper ten. Somebody's wife, don't
you see. That will make 1t rather diff.
ficult, especially as her tracks have
been pretty well covered"
1t beats me, how she got away
without leaving single sign behind
her" acknowledged the sheriff. She's
a wonder. that's all I've got to say"
At that instant the door opened and
Mrs. Wrandall appeared She stopped
short, confronting the huddled group,
dry-eyed but as pallid as a ghost. Her
eyes were wide, apparently unseeing;
her colorless lips were parted In the
drawn rightly that suggested but one
thing to the professional man who
looks: the "risis sardonicus'' of the
strychnae victim. With a low cry,
the doctor started forward, fully con-
WINGED that she had swallowed the
deadly drug.
For Gods sake, madam" he began,
But as he spoke her expression
changed; she seemed to be aware of
their presence for the first time. Her
eyes narrowed In curious manner,
and the rigid lips seemed to surge
with blood. presenting the effect of a
queer, swift-fading smile that fingered
long after her face was set and seri-
Gus
i neglected to raise the window, Dr.
Sheet she said In low voice. ut
was very cold In there" She shivered
slightly. win you be so kind as to
tell me what / am to do now? What
formalities remain for me-"
The coroner was at her side Time
enough for that, Mrs. Wrandall. The
first thing you are to do is to take
something warm to drink, and pull
yourself together bit"
She drew herself up coldly. "I am
quite myself, DR.. Sheet. Pray do not
alarm yourself on my account l shall
be obliged to you, however, if you will
tell me what am to do as speedily as
possible. and let me do it so that |
may leave this-this unhappy place
without delay. No! / mean it, sir.
! am going tonight-unless, of course"
she said, with quick look at the sher-
III, the law stands In the way"
You are at liberty to come and go
as you please, Mrs. Wrandall," said the
sheriff, "but it Is most foolhardy to
think Of"
Thank you. Mr.. Sheriff." she said,
for letting me go. thought perhaps
there might be legal restraint She
sent swift glance over her shoulder,
and then spoke in high, shrill voice,
indicative of extreme dread and uneas-
mess:
Close the door to that rooml'
The door was standing wide open,
just as she had left 1t. Startled, the
coroner's deputy sprang forward to
close it. Involuntarily, all of her lis
teners looked in the direction of the
room, as if expecting to see the form
of the murdered man advancing upon
them. The feeling, swiftly gone, was
most uncanny
Close it from the inside" com
manded the coroner, with unmistaka-
BILE emphasis. The man hesitated, and
then did as he was ordered, but not
without curious look at the wife of
the dead man, whose back was toward
him
He will not find anything disturbed,
DOCTOR said she, divining his thought
4 had the feeling that something was
creeping toward us out OF that room .
You have every reason to be nerv-
Gus. madam. The situation has been
most extraordinary-most trying, .
said the coroner. II beg of you to
come downstairs, where we may at
tend to a few necessary details with
out delay. 1t has been most ia
tiguing matter for all of us. Hours
without sleep, and such wretched
weather.
They descended to the warm little
reception room. She sent at once for
the inn keeper. who came in and glow
cred at her as ii she were wholly re-
sponsible for the blight that had been
put upon his place.
~Will you be good enough to send
some one to the station with me in
your depot wagon?" she demanded
without hesitation.
He stared. I'VE don't run a bus
in he winter time he said, gruffiy
She opened the little chatelaine bag
that hung from her wrist and abstract
ed card which she submitted to the
coroner.
You will find, Doctor Sheet, that the
car my husband came up here in be-
longs to me. This is the card issued
by the state 1t is In my name The
factory number is there You may
compare it with the one on the car.
Ny husband took the car without OBJ
tanning my consent"
Joy riding said Burton, with an
ugly laugh. Then he quailed before