The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-09-19

of the north woods was Tommy's old stamp
ing ground, and the cave in which Celestla
had been brought up.
Tommy, travelling through the night at
first on bicycle, along the ties and then on
foot knowing now that there was cave to
be found. and about where to look for It,
had discovered the entrance thereto. just
at dawn, and had penetrated deep enough
to discover certain traces of human haDlta-
ton and deceit.
All through that night another person had
been journeying through the north woods;
but with different motive. Tommy had
hastened toward something which he hoped
was ahead; Mrs Gunsdorf had been fleeing
from something which she feared was, be-
hind.
on the railroad track, and walked the ties.
But she did not reach that city to which all
were bound until the middle of the after
noon. Then enquiring the way, and hiding
her right hand (because of the blood STANG
which she had not been able to wash Off,
she sought and found a certain quiet hotel
of which Mary Blackstone had given her the
address.
1t was to this same address that Tommy,
fresh from his discoveries, had hurried for
bath and rest The rest turned into the
same kind of rest that fallen tree enjoys.
He slept like log on his narrow bed, and
was aroused late in the afternoon by a
sound Of voices.
hotel were of thin pine boards. The occu-
pant of room No could hear the snorings
of the occupant of No. 5--four rooms away.
Tonmy's and to this room came Mrs. Guns
dorf with the hand she dared not show and
her story of murder done in the night.
To Tommy it did not matter who had
murdered CeIestia. She was dead. He list
ened in kind of trance to the story of the
killing. He heard Mrs. Gunsdorf rejecting
the pearl necklace, and he overheard vio-
lent struggle in which Mary Blackstone pre-
vented Mrs. Gunsdorf from killing herself,
and got the knife away from her--and a
little later he heard Mary saying, Take this,
.xr. -, rta nf ~ in mn
and forget"
TO get away--to hide in the woods-to
escape to Canada--anywhere for a respite
nothing else seemed to matter to them.
Some man tried to oppose Tommy's en-
trance to the observation end of Celestial S
car only to be thrown SO violently to one
side that he realized he had encountered a
force with which he could not cope. And
Tommy, half-dead with grief and rage, burst
into the car and found himself race TO lace
with Celestia.
She was standing and appeared to be in
the best Of health; but she had a dazed look,
or rather an inattentive look. She did not
seem to resent Tommy's violent intrusion in
the least nor to be surprised at it, nor to
express any other emotion. The clock in
the car indicated few minutes to five
During the day Ce1estia had spoken to
half a dozen audiences. Many who had
heard her first speech had heard the other
five. And the elimination of her upstate
tour had been triumph.
Its SO wonderful" exclaimed Tommy.
IT heard-but you're not even hurt, are
you?"
ct am going for drive" said Celestia, in
an expressionIess voice. "Is the car there?''
yes the car is there" said Tommy.
sI have to go at five o'clock"
She neither looked at Tommy nor spoke
to him. but as the clock began to strike five
she hurried out on the rear platform. de-
scended to the ground and crossed the down
track to large black touring car that was
waiting at the side of the road, the engine
turning slowly.
The driver of the car, dark man heavily
eoggled sprang to the door for Celestia
Freddie the Ferret who was hanging about
also sprang to perform the same office, with
the result that this small service for their
Goddess fell to the lot of Tommy. AT least
he was the one to get his hand on the door
knob. But he did not at once open the door.
Celestia,s behavior was SO strange that he
thought she must be Ill. While he hesi-