The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-02-28

to be confronted by the most appalling
crisis imaginable. they could not but
marvel at her ccmposure. brakes
mind dwelt on the stories OF the guillo-
tine and the hercines who went up TO
IL in those bloody days without so
much as a culver OF dread Somehow,
TO him, this woman was a heroine.
They passed into the hall and
mounted the stairs. At the far end
OF the corridor a man was seated in
front OF a closed door. He arose as
the party approached The sheriff
signed for him TO open the door he
guarded. AS he did so, a chilly blast
OF afr blew upon the faces OF those in
the hall. The curtains in the window
OF the room were tapping and whip
ping I'm the wind. Mrs. Wrandall
caught her breath. For the briefest
instant il seemed as though she was
on the point Of faltering. She dropped
farther behind the sheriff. her limbs
suddenly stiff, her hand going out TO
the wall as If for support. The next
moment she was moving forward res
olutely into the icy, dimly lighted
room.
A single electric light cleaned in
the corner beside the bureau. Near
the window stood the bed She went
swiftly toward It, her eyes fastened
upon the ridge that ran through the
center OF IT. still. white ridge that
seemed without beginning or end
With nervous fingers the attendant
lifted the sheet at the head OF the
bed and turned II back. AS he let II
fall across the chest OF the dead man
he drew back and turned his face
away.
She bent forward and then straight
ened her figure TO its full height, with
out for an instant removing her gaze
before her: a dark.haired mpn gray In
death. who must have been beautiful
TO look upon in the flush or life
For a long time she stood there
looking as motionless as the object on
which she gazed Behind her were the
tense keen-eyed men, not one OF
whom seemed TO breathe during the
grim minutes that passed. The wind
howled about the corners OF the inn,
but no one heard IL. They heard the
beating of their hearts, even the tick
ing of their watches. but not the wall
OF the wind.
AT last her hands. claw-like In their
tenseness, went slowly to her temples
Her head dropped slightly forward.
and a great shudder ran through her
body. The coroner started forward,
expecting her to collapse.
Please 80 away" she was saying
In an absolutely emotionless voice.
Let me stay here alone for little
while"
That was all. The men relaxed. They
looked at each other with a single
question in their eyes Was IL quite
safe to leave her alone with her dead?
They hesitated.
She turned on them suddenly,
spreading her arms in wide gesture
of self-absolution. Her somber eyes
swept the group
Il can do no harm. This man is
mine want to look at him for the
last time-alone. Will you go?'
DO you mean. madam, that you Ia.
tend to" began the coroner in alarm.
She clasped her hands. Il mean
that ! shall take my last look at him
now-and here Then you may do
what you like with him He Is your
dead-not mine. do not want him.
Can you understand? ! do not want
this dead thing But there is some
thing | should say to him. something
that | must say. Something that no
one must hear but the good God who
knows how much he has hurt me-
want 10 say 1t close to those gray. hor-
rid ears. Who knows? He may hear
mel"
Wondering, the others backed from
the room. She watched them until
they closed the door.
Listening, they heard her lower the
window. II squealed like a thing In
fear.
Ten minutes passed. The group In
the hall conversed in whispers
Poor thing" said the innkeepers
wife.
Well" said Drake, taking a deep
breath, she won't have to worry any
more about his not coming home
nights. say. this business will create
a fearful sensation. sheriff The Four
Hundred will have a compton flt."
We've got to land that girl, who
ever she is" grated the official "Now
that we know who he is. II shouldn't
be hard to pick out the women he's
been trailing with lately. Then we
can sift EN- down until the right one
Is left II ought TO be easy"
I'm not so sure OF H." said the cor
oner. shaking his head Il have a
feeling that she isn't one of the ordi-
nary type II wouldn't surprise me n
she belongs to-well, you might say
the upper ten. Somebody's wife, don't