Tombstone epitaph., 1916-02-20

was Of no use in this crisis. what with the compression of ten emotional years into ten minutes Of life Worse for him. the hen-minded Mrs. Moore. seeing the blood. cried, You mur- derer!" clutched at his coat. and fell into . faint Upon Professor Noll de- volved the masculine guidance of this affair. And he thought first, not of the police. but of a doctor. By this time. Miss Harding and Miss Jones were weeping breast to breast; Mrs Moore had recovered to say that she always expected 1t of NIT. North. and Miss Estrilla. the invalid lady on the top floor. had called from the head of the stairs, What is it?" With the brutality which impels us in crises to confide unpalliated horrors. some one shrieked. ''Hanska's murdered." There came from above some Spanish ejaculations to which no one paid much attention. and then a rattling of the hook of the telephone. which hung on door-post in that fourth-foor hall. Professor Noll. his mind still on the necessity for calling a doctor. slipped III AO uAtAEl Dtu-buOtS anu Iusuto across the street 10 rouse the house physician in the apartmenthotel. He was some time making himself known and understood. As he neared his own door again, he saw MT. Estrilla entering almost on the run.
 There's been a murder, Captain Hanska's killed!" Professor Noll called after him
 T know-my seester iephone-she Is frighten'" Estrilla called back shrilly over his shoulder And he hur- ried up the stairs.
 By this time, the open door, the fluttering lights. the screams and hys- terics. had begun to attract the atten- ton O; this and that late pedestrian A milkman pulled up. hitched, and en- tered and then night-faring printer. Presently the little knot in the street and the parlors was augmented by a woman. fully and rather overluXuri- ously dressed. as though for the the ater-a big picture hat and a black satin. fur-edged evening coat over a light gown which showed here and there the glitter of sequins. She was large but shapely woman of uncer- tain age; yet so pleasing withal that the gathering ioafers. even in the ex- element of murder. spared few admiring glsnces at her face
 I'm soin' up." she contided to her fellows. T belong there-they need a sensible woman, from the way they're screechin'. You better not fol- low-youll do no good an 1t migh, git you involved" With surprising lightness, considering her bulk. she mounted the stairs.
 The noise guided her to the focus of interest: she pushed her way into the room Of the late Captain Hanska, and stood looking about with a pair Of large serious eyes which took in every detail. She bent her gaze on the dead man. stopped, made quick ex- animation. first of the wound and then of his face. Both Mrs. Moore and Miss Harding were about to ask this strang- CT to account for herself. when the doctor. halfdressed but carrying his bag. edged past the door. All turned to him. He looked but an instant on the face.
 Hes dead" he said calmly. Has any one notified the police? Has any one called up a Coroner?"
 m attend to that" volunteered the strange woman. with an air of perfect competence and command; where's the phoue-ground floor and top floor hall, All right: I'll use the top floor: that's nearer. Any particular Cord ner. Doctor? Lipschutz? All right"
 Tn the hall. she met the regular patrolman, who had received the news at last The limb Of the law had for bidden the augmented crowd at the door to follow him; he was ascending alone. The sight of this woman in