South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-11-04
WHY WAS MRS. AILIS on THE
STAIRS IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE NIGHT?


against the lamp as they hurriedly
crossed before II when the call
sounded / would have had no idea
who the midnight providers were.
But the shadows gave me a shrewd
idea that the three people hurrying
through the darkness in the direc-
ton OF the bird call were Mr.. and
Mrs. Cosgrove and one OF their twin
sons.
l fancied that I heard the sound
OF convulsive sobbing in the dis
lance, but + was not quite sure.
My brain whirled with the mys-
terry of it all. I gripped the window
sill as mentally ran over the queec
things I had observed since the nigh:
before, when Dicky and l had ar
rived at the Cosgrove farmhouse.
Mrs. Cosgrove's evident terror at
my assertion that / could tell her
twin boys apart-something which
no one else in the house professed
to be able to do-the possession by
the family OF a collection Of pic
lures painted by Mrs. Cosgrove's
brother, which Dicky had recog-
nized and pronounced 10 be worth
$50. 900. and the queer, furtive be-
havior OF Mrs. Allis, (our fellow
boarder, when she discovered that
Dicky was an artist and had an ex-
pert's knowledge Of the pictures-all
rushed through my mind with
kaleid oscopic rapidity.
The Cracking Board.
I recalled the sudden wild shrek
OF Joy from Mrs Cosgrove at Dicky's
valuation OF the pictures: "Is Il
| really true? Think of what It will
mean TO Robert" and the note OF
warming in her husbands voice
when he answered: I'VE know what
It will mean to Robl-t's sister TO
have these paintings so no"ored."
From the way in which both
Dicky and the Cosgroves had
spoken OF Robert Savarin, I had
thought that he was dead. but the
memory OF Mrs. Cosgrove's hyster-
ical exclamation made me wonder
II he were not perhaps alive. and ii
there was not some reason for keep
ing his existence a secret.
Dicky had become so tired and
sleepy when we came up TO our
10 ask him about the history Of the
pictures and the artist who painted
them. I resolved TO find out every
thing ne knew about them as soon
as he awoke in the morning
II was not all curiosity that ma
me wish 10 find out the farmhouse
mystery. although the happenings of
the night were enough to stir any
woman's interest. But I had a queer.
| indefinable conviction that Mrs. Allis
meant harm TO the collection OF pic
/ lures I'm the farmhouse parlor.
while the memory OF Mrs. Cos
groves tortured eyes convinced me
that she needed aid of some sort.
But watching at the window I de-
| cided was OF no use. AS I moved
away from IL my ear caught the
| faintest OF sounds as Of a door
/ opening on the opposite side OF the
hall. A minute later a board Of the
staircase creaked. The person who
/ was descending the stairs must he
well trained to stealthy fittings for
III heard no footsteps until the
| creak Of the staircase.
What She Said.
With a lightning flash OF intui-
/ tion | knew that the prowler was
/ Mrs Allis Had she. too. watched
| the departure OF the Cosgrove fam
/ lily. and resolved to seize the oppor-
\ tunity 10 accomplish the defariOus
] - Ill. 81 -
/ brought her to the farmhouse?
heard Dicky's snores coming
| from the other room. and knew that
/ II would be very difficult TO awaken
\ him. He would not miss me were
gone for hours.
with a quick resolve I threw ove-
my nightdress a silk petticoat and
/ kimona. drew on my feet a pair
\ OF high fur-trimmed slippers. took
I from under my pillow the electric
\ iashlight I always have with me.
and stole into the hall on the bot
/ tom steps. in an attitude Of listening,
stood Mrs. Allis
The light from my hashlight
cleaned on something round and
\ black held against her dress. For a
\ moment I thought she had a re-
volver in her hand and shrank back
/ fl unreasoning terror against my
I d oor Then with a mental eXecra-
\ ton at my own COwardice | looked
again and saw that the supposed
revolver was only another fiashlight
\ like my own.
With the utmost nonchalance Mrs.
/ Allis glanced up at me as the CLEAN
OF my pocket lamp struck her eyes.
/ did you hear a noise, tOO?" she
/ asked Her tone held only casual
| friendliness. II was sure I heard
something queer. and 1 at once
thought Of what your brother said
\ OF the enormous value OF these
paintings. You see. when the rooms
In the house are full. as they are
now. the family sleeps in the bun
galow outside. so I knew there was