Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1915-08-04

"And about the SchoOlT
''Its holiday time, you know, sir"
"Of course it is. You don't know the
nature of the message he received"
Il know it word for word. He left
it on his bureau" she returned, TAX
ing a crumpled yellow paper from her
apron pocket.
The two men bent over the telegram,
reading the brief message contained
therein:
Time is up. Do it now or receive your
reward! KESTNER.
Lane turned to the woman.
"Was Professor House in good spir-
its when he went away this morning"
"Oh, yes. and he smiled and seemed
quite cheerful"
"Of course he didn't know that Ga
briel Morse had been murdered" OBJ
served the doctor.
NO. said the woman in a dull voice.
DR.. Gray looked at her coolly.
"Now, we will take look at the pro-
feSSor's room, Mrs. Quayle."
Without word she led the way up
stairs, the men following.
Here are his rooms" she said,
throwing open a door into study and
adjoining bedroom, lust as he left
them.''
DR.. Gray looked around at the order
" rooms and then at the unmade bed.
Except that you have rumpled the
bedclothes to make it appear that he
slept here. when he did not" he said
mildly.
ST don't know what you're driving at,
DR.. Gray" said the woman sullenly.
''The truth, Mrs. Quayle," he said.
1--WE told all know" she insisted.
"Come, Lane" said the doctor CURLY.
They went down the front stairs.
In the corner behind the front door
was the tall grandfather's clock.
"Your clock has stopped, Mrs.
Quayle," said DR.. Gray.
1T does not keep good time. sir"
she said in a strained voice.
perhaps / can mend it." said DR..
Gray, and before the woman could re-
monstrate he had pulled open the door.
Something bulky filed the ancient
clock case.
Chief Lane blinked dazedly.
"Why, it's the professor" he cried.
Hes unconscious or dead!'
Dead In q few minutes if you don't
hurry. Help me to put him on the
couch yonder. Hand me my medicine
case, open the windows. then lock that
woman up securely"
Half an hour later Professor House
was able to sit up and give connect
ed account of what had happened
since he had left Gabriel Morse's home
the night before.
81 said good night to Mr.. Morse and
came home at II o'clock. Just as
was entering the gate / met a man
coming stealthily out. He did not see
me until l placed my hand on his
shoulder. Then he turned and struck
savagely at me.
"In the moonlight recognized him
as Mrs. Quayle's son, Andrew, who,
you know, is or was serving long
prison sentence for burglary.
HE wrenched away and vanished up
the road. l supposed he had escaped
from prison. felt sorry for his
mother.
1.-The house was quiet, and l went
up to go to bed. but l didn't go after
all. l sat by my open window, think
ing about Gabriel Morse's splendid col
lection of diamonds which he had been
showing me that evening.
There was no light in my room and
/ must have nodded off to sleep. A
touch on my face awakened me.
Quayle was crouched on the piazza
roof, holding something wet to my
mouth and nose. l recognized the smell
of chlOrOform and then lost conscious
ness. You tell me that you found
saturated sponge tied about my face?"
Yes said DR.. Gray. In another
hour it would have been too late to re-
vive you"
Then it was Quayle who murdered
Gabriel Morser' broke in Chief Lane.
Gabriel deadY echoed Professor
House.
''Oh, no!' DR.. Gray smiled cheerfully.
I'VE thought he was-but Quayle was
a coward after all-he dared not fin
ish the job he began.
HE got in through the unlocked
front door and surprised Gabriel as he
was putting away the unset diamonds.
They fought all over the place and
finally he chOked the old man into in
sensibility. Then he got away.
Gabriel Morse whispered the story
to me just before joined you in the
library. chief
Lane looked chagrined. Then there
hasn't been a murder, after all"
81 hope Mr. Morse will recover. In
the meantime you might begin your
hunt for Andrew Quayle."
"I'n try the railroad first" said the
chief. moving toward the door.
You might begin by searching this
house." advised the doctor dryly. Il
stepped on a loose diamond in the up
per hall"
Half an hour afterward Chief Lane
11poo r+bo5 Apdrow OnaVla i'm thQ far