River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-07-23
CHAPTER XIV.
On the Trail Of the Quarry.


T<HE eyes Of Mike Kearney's
mother were becoming very
dim with age. Her old "Key
of Heaven" was now replaced
by volume of prayer in much heavier
type. and she wore glasses during her
almost constant devotions.
AS the detective captain in charge
OF the homicide bureau at headquar-
tiers, Kearney found even less time
to turn his thoughts away from the
business of man hunting. He had de-
velOped some excellent sleuths and
was beginning to feel pleasure in
watehing them advance under his
guidance and training.
Kearney's Oaly recreation was still
his home. and the sound of his moth
er's voice. with it's pleasing bit Of
brogue, was his only music. But as
the burden Of her years became heav-
Ter the strength Of her mind was sap
ped slowly. gradually. She would for
get things that had happened only an
hour before and remember things
wildly and suddenly that had happen
ed years and years past.
Sometimes her tongue would wag
She would wander from subject to
subject In seemingly interminable
monOlogues. Her old cronies tried in
vain to stop the flow of her garrnlity.
so that their own tongues might wag.
but they had to give 1t up and so they
called less frequently.
But Mike. the apple OF her eye, to
whom she was all the world, never
ceased to pretend to be interested as
he sat with her in the sunny window Of
her spotless kitchen.
Nov l remember very WELL" she
droned with quavering voice one
evening, without specific reference to
any one in particular. 81 remember
very well that she was quite a fine
lady wasn't she, MikeT
''She was that. mother" replied the
son. dragging at his pipe "Shs was
gnaRd lady"
me, not at all grand" she protested.
''fOr she wasn't of the r'yalty kind.
She was quiet and nice and dressed so
simple, was the old lady whose son
was STINT up"
The subject of her wandering gossip
and Renaissance changed, and she
babbled on. Kearney settled down to
read his afternoon paper as she talked.
Her voice and her constant loving
kindnesses were all that he had in life
besides his Job. AS he noticed that her
mind was wandering to an unusual
degree a touch OF fear crept into his
heart. He asked himself what would
he do when she was gone. Could any
other woman take her place? He
hunched himself in his chair. sign of
his uneaSineSS.
his vacation time. During pleasant
weather murder. like hydrophobia, is
rare. He told himself that after his
vacation he would never leave his
mother again. He had arranged for
one of her cronies TO care for her until
his return.
Kearney had made up his mind 60
take trip south. He had clew, after
ten years of patient waiting. that was
worth looking up. The change might
do him good, and at the same time he
would have something TO occupy his
mind.
Some one had placed headstone on
the grave of the mother of James
Montgomery Some one was paying
the keeper of the cemetery near Nyack
to weed the little plot and keep it
bright with flowers.
Careful inquiry had shown him that.
save for her convict son. Mrs. Mont
gomery had left no relatives. The
cemetery keeper had been cautiously
questioned. He said that through the