Putnam patriot., 1915-01-29


 bered it. the dirty walls. the opened window. But the overturned chair stood against the wall. the cards were stacked ell the table. and there was no body lying on the floor. Coombs let ut q harsh laugh.
 Well. where's yer dead man? I eekon ye don't see none. hey"'
 No 1 insisted. but did see one twice. The body lay there where the stain shows on the floor It has been arried away within half an hour"
 "A likely story Who could do the .ob: Nobody round this shebang but Saiie an ne, l sure ain't been in ere an ] reckon it want Sallie. So ut il out. young feler After break fast you an I'll have talk an ind put a few things Come on. Brous- sard, an lets talk over that matter ours
 The two went down the stairs to- gether. and closed the door of the rear room and stepped out into the hail Sallie was in the kitchen. for heard her voice questioning the men as they passed through Out of the window caught glimpse of them beth disappearing through the weeds toward the bayou
 That dead body had not moved itself. Human hands had accomplished the deed during the brief period Of my absence outside Whose hands could have done itE Not those of Coombs. surely. for he could not have passed me and attained the house while was in the garden unseen. nor Sallie, for she possessed no strength to more than drag the dead man to some near by covert. With the possibility of this in mind l searched the vacant rooms of that floor. closets and all. thoroughly. but to no result. There Was therefore but one conclusion pos sible-unknown parties were involved We were not alone in the house in spite of it's apparent desertion.
 l paused in doubt before Mrs Der nard's door. convinced this was the truth. Should l tell her frankly the story of the night. my vague discov- cries. my suspicion? I surely had no right to deceive the woman or keep her with me. l had determined my, self to face it out-to risk life. if need be, to learn the truth. But l had no right to involve her further.
 rapped at the door twice before there Wds any movement within Then her voice asked who Was there, and at my answer she came out fully dressed, fronting me with questioning eyes.
 "The night has rested you" I said smilinsiy. my heart beating ill swift appreciation of her beauty. Are you ready for breakfasts?
 "For anything to escape the loneli- ness of that room, she replied seri- ousiy. If really look rested it is not from sleep, for l have passed the night i'll terror. My slumber was fit ful and filled with dreams. But am sure of some things-my door was tried twice. and l heard some one prowling about the hall
 That might have been l. l inter rupted. ''as l was out there during the night. but l certainly never tried your door.
 You had light?'
 Yes"
 T saw that shining over the tran som. It was much later when my door was tried-not long before day light, | think. Whoever it was passed ont the front hall window on to the porch roof. My light was burning. all though turned low. and no doubt he saw me sitting up, wide awake, on fhe edge Of the bed for he had disap- peafed by the time l gained sufficient courage to approach the window and look out"
 "Clmbed down the trelis probably I said. deeply interested. It appears strong enough to support a man. wish you had got sight of the fellow. She lifted her hands to her head.
 But | was so frightened. My head throbs now with pain. l was fright ened last night in the darkness l confess completely lost my nerve and would have run away if l could Perhaps I even said things which made you believe I regretted my ac- ton in coming with you. But l am more myself now. and l mean to re main and discover what it all means Can you guess why? Do you not sus- pect who l am?"
 'who are you? Only as you have told me"
 And I told you only half truth. am the wife of Philip Henley" Her cheeks flushed. d touch of passion In her voice as she faced me. That is the truth Do you suppose that l would ever have come here with you other wise? No matter how desperate my condition was, that would have been impossible l should have desplsea myself
 My surprise at this avowal kept me silent vet l could Rot conceal the ad- miration from revealment i'll my eyes She must have read aright. for she drew back step, grasping the knob of the door.
 "I-I wanted to tell you yesterday all the way coming down here. But wanted to discover just what you were like"
 "You mean whether l could be trusted.'
 She looked at me frankly
 Now | am simply going tor trust you fully. I must There k no other way. | thought it all over and over again last night and determined to confess everything as soon as we met this morning