Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-05-08
CHAPTER ~


At half past six she went to the tele.
phone and called for the morning
newspapers. At the same time she
asked that a couple of district messen-
ger boys be sent to her room with the
least possible delay. The hushed.
scared voice of the telephone girl
downstairs convinced her that news
Of the tragedy was abroad; she could
imagine the girl looking at the head.
lines with awed eyes even as she re.
sponded to the call from room 416.
and her shudder as she realized that
it was the wife Of the dead man speak.
ing.
One Of tho night CLERKS. pale and
agitated, came up with the papers.
without as much a. . glance ct the
headlines, she tossed the papers on
the table. Il have sent for two mes
senger boys. It 10 too early to &C.
complish much by telephone, fear.
Will you be 50 kind as to telephone at
seven o'clock or q little after to my
apartment You will find the number
under Mr.. Wrandall's name. Please
infor1a the butler Or his wife that they
may expect me by ten O'clock, and
that shall bring . friend with me-
young lady. Kindly have my motor
sent to Hanners garage, and looked
after. When tho reporters come, ~
they viii. please say to them that ]
will see them at my own home Ut
eleven o'clock"
The clerk, considerably relieved.
took his departure in some haste, and
she was left with the morning papers,
each Of which she scanned rapidly.
The details. of course, were meager.
There was Q double-leaded account Of
her visit to the inn and her extraor.
binary return to the city. Her chief
interest, however. did not rest In
these particulars, but in the specular
lions Of the authorities a. to the iden.
tity' Of the mysterious woman-and
her Whereabouts. There was the like
lfhood that she was not the only one
who had encountered the girl on the
highway or In the neighborhood Of the
inn. So far as she could CLEAN from
the reports, however, no one had seen
the girl, nor was there the slightest
hint offered as to her identity. The
papers Of the previous afternoon had
published lurh accounts of the mur
name Of the victim at that time still
being a mystery. She remembered
reading the story with no little inter.
est. The only new feature in the case,
therefore, was the Identification Of
Challis Wrandall by his beautiful
wife," and the sensational manner In
which it had been brought about.
With considerable interest she noted
the hour that these dispatches had
been received from special CORE.
spondents." and wondered where the
shrewd, lynx-eyed reporters mapped
while she vas at the inn. All Of the
dispatches were timed three o'clock
and each paper characterized it's issue
o. an Extra" with ChAllis W1andalls
name in huge type across - many
columns AZ tho dignity Of the sheet
permitted
Not = word Of the grill Absolute
mysteryi
Mrs. Wrandan returned to her post
beside the bed Of the sleeper In tho
adjoining room Dehberatesy she
placed the newspaper on q chair near
the eirl's pillow. and then raised the
window shades 10 let.in the hard gray
light Of early morn.
It was not her present Intention 10
arouse the wan stranger, who slept %
one dead. So gentle was her breath
ing that tie watcher stared In some
fear at the fair. smooth breast that
seemed scarcely 70 rise and fall For
q long time she stood beside tho bed.
looking down at the face OF the sleep
er. . troubled expression in her eyes.
81 wonder how many times you were
seen With him, and where, and by
whom" were the questions that ran In
q single strain through her mind.
"Where do you come from? Where
did you meet hint Who is there that
knows Of Jour acquaintance win
HINT"
Her lawyer came in great haste and
perturbation 1T eight O'Clock. In 70
Spouse 10 the letter delivered BY one
Of the messengers. A second letter had
Kone By like means 10 her husbands
brother, Leslie Wrandall. instructing
him to break tho news to his father
and mother and 70 como to her apart
ment after 10 had attended to tho 70
noval Of the body to The family homo
near Washington square She made 1t
quite plain that she did not want CaaE
liz Wrandalrs body to lie under The
roof that sheltered her.
Hi family had resented their mar
riage. Father, mother and sister bad
objected to her from the beginning.
not because she was unworthy, but b.
cause her tsadespeople ancestry was
not % romots ~ his. She found
curious sense Of pleasure in returning
10 them the thing they prized 80 hisa'
~ and surrendered to her with such
bitterness OF heart. She had not been
rood enough for him; that was their
attitude. Now she was returning him
20 them. - one would return an article
that had been tested and found to DO
worthless. She would have no more
pe hlni
Carroll, hsr lawyer. On elderly man
lof vaat experience, WAS not surprises
90 And hsr.(aike calm and reasonable.
He had como - know her very well
a the Past 1sw pears. He had been
Aer tleAsgs hyysr W g the time Of