The Washington times., 1918-10-04
The PlOtters.
aLOve Story
An Unusual Serial of
East and West by
Virginia Turbine
Vandewater
CHATTER LII.
(Copyrirht 1913. Star Companvl

fore her.
Then the stiffness was rent by
shriek as Mrs. Chaplin rushed for
ward and-dropped on her knees by
the body OF her husband.
Hes dead! he's deadr' she
screamed. "oh. my God! my Gods"
Elizabeth's senses returned to her
suddenly. Running forward. she
put her arms about the distrAught
woman
Mrs. Chaplin she said sternly.
stop that screaming. It can do Nc
good We must sead at once for
doctor"
At the authoritative tone Martha
Chaplin ceased her wailing, but con-
tinued to crouch by the prostrsts
form OF the man who had ruled her
for thirty-fiVe years Elizabeth
bent over her, trying to lift her.
As il awakened from a trance, John
Butler stepped forward hastily.
Let me do THAR he demanded.
pushing the girl aside
When he had carried the wife
into the parlor and persuaded her
to lie down there until he could
teIephone for assistance. he re-
turned to where Elizabeth stood
awaiting him As he entered the
room. she pointed to the pistol on
the table.
"was il done with thAt?" she
asked. sharply.
81 don't know" John replied.
shuddering. as he looked at the
body on the 6oor. 81 don't know
what happened. don't"-puttihS
his hand to his head, confusedly-'
81 don't remember. | only know
that we were quarreling-and then
I heard a shot-snd he fell. Why"
--asir suddenly realizing what had
happened-'I suppose it looks as
IL I had done it,"
TRY to think. dear" she urged
Did Amos shoot HIMSELF Did he
point the pistol at you, and did you
try to get It away from him: And
did it so of In the struggled"
He shook his head. II don't know
how il happened. He showed me
the pistol when we first came into
the room. Then we talked OF other
things. He got angry-and / had
just told him that the farm would
not be his-and he sprang toward
me as il TO strike me-then there
was a flash. and he fell"
1--WE must send for a doctor i'm
mediateIy," Elizabeth said. But
forcing herself to lay her hand over
the heart of the dead man, and to
put her fingers on his wrist. ~thers
Is not a flicker here Hark~ A
footstep sounded on the verandA
Here comes somebody"
She ran out into the hall when
a knock sounded on the open front
door. A man stood looking in.
"I was passing the gate" he ex-
planned, land heard some one
scream. thought ia best come
in and see what was wrong. Chapin
Is an old neighbor," he added, 80
I thought ia take the liberty
He stopped as Mrs. Chaplin came
out from the psrlor. At sight OF TIE
man. she burst into tears.
"Oh, Mr. Miller" she sob5ed. an
awful things happened! Amos
has"
Hush. dea-r' Elizabeth inter-
posed "Mr. Miller, there has been
q dreadful accident here" she eX-
planned to the man, who by now had
come into the hall Mr.. Chaplin
has been shot. Will you send for
the docto--or whatever persons one
should send for7 The telephone Is
ther-." pointing to the back hall.
Going back into the small room
where John still fingered Eliza
beth spoke hastily:
Dear. come out OF here and leave
everything Just as II is A neigh
Dor has arrived. and is telephontrg
to the village for help. We can CO
nothing until the doctor gets here.
Meanwhile try to remember all that
happened. YOu will have to Suswer
a n~rrbsr OF que Stions. you know.
"Elizabeth"-the man caught her
by the hand-"dear-you know that
it Us all mystery 10 me. do7t
YOU. You believe that II / could
remember-
Before he could say more she put
her arms about his neck and laid
her bead on his shoulder.
"RarIinC." she nurruret. Il
know that YOU are not TO blame for
anything that has happened That
Ia all do know. But | would
stake my life on that"
He held her close to him and
kissed her pasSiOnstely.
Thank Cod" he breathed. "SoU
can stand anything. That was all
1 feared"
You thought 1 could doubt you
she chided.
Il might have known Won would
not" he said But" with another
sigh, II can think clearly now and
feel absolutely no fear.
We must go into the other room
and face whatever happens. was
dazed at first. but that IL past. Yet
I all was so sudden that, even
though ! can think clearly, do
not know whether Amos Chapin
seized that revolver as he came to-
ward me or not. knew he was
Soin-. to attack me-anh waited
for him. But 7 did not defend nv
self. He fell before he touched ms.
Darling. you must rot mind
what questions are asked me.
Things may look pretty dark for
me for a while. ] want you not to
be alarmsd-for it's going to be all
right"
Yes she said confidently. .It's
going TO be all right We both
know that"
And now must get poor Mrs.
Chaplin upstairs before anyone else
comes in.>> she Is 50 confused that
she wants to talk all the tsr1Ie about
what has happeHci. I rust hunlor
Ter and quiet hs=. an Slad there
. something I can do II viii n,rka