The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1914-09-24

tense pallor that overspread her face
Her dark, questioning, dreading eyes
looked up into his with an expression
he was never to forget. 1t combined
dread, horror, doubt and a smoldering
anger that seemed to overcast all
other emotions that lay revealed to
him.
This is a-what is commonly called
a road house'?" she asked DULY, her
eyes narrowing suddenly as if in pain,
1T is an inn during the winter, Mrs,
Wrandall, and a road house in the
summer, If that makes it plain to you.
| will say, however, that Burton has
always kept well within the law.
This is the first - er - real bit Of
trouble he's had. and l won't say it's
his fault. Keep quiet, Burton. No one
is accusing you of anything wrong.
Don't whine about It,"
But my place Is ruined" groaned
the dolefui one. tits got a black eye
now. Not that I blame you, madam,
but you can see how"
He quailed before the steady look
in her eyes, and turned away mum.
bling.
There is a fire in the reception
room, madam said the coroner; and
the proprietor's wife TO look out for
you il you should require anything.
VIII you 90 In there and compose
yourself before going upstairs? Or,
If you would prefer waiting until
morning, l shall not insist on the
er-ordeal tonight"
Il prefer going up there tonight"
said she steadily.
The men looked at each other. and
the sheriff spoke. Mr.. Drake is quite
confident the-the man is your hus.
band. It's an ugly affair, Mrs. Wran-
dali. We had no means Of identifying
him until Drake came in this evening,
put Of curiosity you might say. For
your sake, | hope he is mistaken"
Would you mind telling me some
thing about it before | go upstairs?
am quite calm. l am prepared for any
thing. You need not hesitate"
AS you wish, madam. You will so
liibo llS Spb TWILL, IL ySo plIA0S'
Burton, is Mrs. Wrandall's room quite
ready for herr"
II shall not stay here tonight" in,
terposed Mrs. Wrandall. You need
not keep the o for me-"
But, my dear Mrs. Wrandall-"
81 shall wait In the railway station
until morning II necessary. But not
here"
The orone led the way to the cosy
little room of the Office. She followed
with the sheriff. The men looked worn
and haggard in the bright light that
met them, as If they had not known
sleep or rest for many hours.
The assistant district attorney wai
here until eleven, but went home tc
get a little rest. It's been a hard case
for all Of us-a nasty one" explained
the sheriff, as he placed a chair in
front of the fire for her. She sank into
it Imply.
GO on. please" she murmured, and
shook her head at the nervous little
woman who hustled up and inquired II
she could do anything to make hel
more comfortable.
The sheriff cleared his throat. well
it happened last night. All day lons
we've been trying to find out who hC
is. and ever since eight o'clock this
morning we've been searching for the
woman who came here with him. She
has disappeared as completely as /
swallowed by the earth. Not a sigr
of a clew-not n shred. There's moth
ing to show when she left the inn Of
by what means. All we know is tina
the door to that room up there wa!
standing half open when Burton
passed by it at seven O'Clock thi,
morning-that Is to say, yesterda.
morning, for this Is now Wednesday
1t is quite clear. from this, that sh,
neglected to close the door tight.
when she came out, probably through
haste or fear, and the draft in the hal
blew it wider open during the night
Burton says the inn was closed TO
the night at half-past ten. He wen
to bed. She must have slipped on
after everyone was sound asleep
There were no other guests on tina
floor. Burton and his wife sleep oil
this floor, and the servants are at tn,
top of the house and in a wing. NJ
one heard a sound. We have not thu
remoteet idea when the thing hap
pened, or when she left the place. Dr.
Sheet says the man had been dead si1
or eight hours when he first saw him
and that was very soon after Burton'j
discovery. Burton, on finding the doc
open, naturally suspected that hi,
guests had skipped put during tn,
night to avoid paying the bill, and los
no time in entering the room.
HE found the man lying on the bed
sprawled out, face upward and a.
dead as a mack-I should say. quit,
dead. He was partly dressed. Hi;
coat and vest hung over the back O
a chair. A small service carving
knife, belonging to the inn, had beer
driven squarely into his heart and wa!
found sticking there. Burton say,
that the man, on their arrival at In,
inn, about nine o'clock at night. or
dered supper sent up to the room
The tray Of dishes, with most of tn,
food untouched. and an empty cham
payne bottle, was found on the servic,
table near the bed. One of the chair.
was overturned. The servant who tool
the meal to the room says that tn,