Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-06-06

consequence he had been obliged to
transform it into 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. bum
dies and rubbish, scattered over the
floor without care or eystem. She had
closed the door behind her and was
quite alone. Light sneaked in through
the cracks in the shutters, but SO
meagerly that 1t 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 1t was
held as an inducement to the morbidly
curious who always seek out the grue-
SOIUG 6uO 6lool CVO4 40 SAASy SA0ANS~s
For 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 1t
as it actually had transpired. For
mouths 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. It was true that she
meant to shake OF the shackles Of q
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 of
the missing woman. "I'd say she was
about the size Of Mrs. Wrandall her
SELF, and much the same fgger." he
said, as he had said thousand times
before. my wife noticed 1t the min
ute she saw Mrs. Wrandall. Same
height and everything"
A bell rang sharply and Burton
glanced over his shoulder at the indi-
Gator on the wall behind the desk. He
gave a great start and his jaw sagged.
Great Scott" he gasped. A curl.
GUS grayness stole over his face. cts
its the bell in that very room. Ny
soul, what can"
"Mrs. Wrandau is up there, isn't
she?" demanded Booth.
ut amt rung since the night he
pushed the button for oh, gee!
You're right She Is up there. Ny
what q scare 1t gave me-" He wiped
his brow. Turning to q boy, he com
handed him to answer the bell. The
boy went slowly, and a. he went he
removed his hands from his pockets
He came back an instant later. more
! swiftly than he went, with the word
that the lady up there" wanted Mr.
Booth to come upstairs.
She was waiting for him In the open
| doorway. A shaft Of bright sunlight
! from . window at the end Of the hal
fell upon her. Her face was colorless
haggnrd. He paused for an instant tc
contrast her as she stood there in the
/ pitiless light with the vivid creature
he had put upon canvas 30 recently.
She beckoned to him and tLrnei
hack into the room. He followed.
'yMis ia the room Brandon, where
my husband met the death b de
; served" she saA quietly.