South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-04-30

Graham drew back.
why. Katherine"
Don't" she said. Don't call me
that"
The officers glanced at Graham
with frank bewilderment. Rawlins'
materialistic mind didn't hesitate to
express its first thought:
Must say, 1 always thought you
were sweet on the lady"
Hartley" Bobby said. You have
been fair 10 us?''
Il don't know why she attacks
me-" Graham muttered.
His face recorded a genuine pain
His words. Bobby eelt. overcame a
barrier of emotion.
They heard Paroles and DR.
Groom on the stairs.
Whats this?" the doctor rum
bled as he came up.
Tin sorry l forgot myself. -
Katherine said through her chat
tering teeth. She turned 10 Robin
son. Il am going TO my room. You
needn't be afraid. / shan't leave it
until you come to take me-"
Truly / hope it won't be neces-
sary." the district attorney an
swered.
She hurried away. Rawlins grin
ned at Paroles.
I'm wondering what the devil
you know"
Robinson made no secret of what
had happened. In reply to the ques-
tions of Paroles and the doctor he
told of the discovery of the
evidence and of the stout hat
pin that had, unquestionabIy. caused
death. The man made it clear
enough. however. that he didn't
care to have Paroles know of Bob
bys plan to spend the night in the
old room, and Rawlins Bobby, and
Graham indicated that they under
stood.
It's quite absurd that any one
should think Katherine guilty" the
doctor said TO Robinson. This evil
dence and its presence in her room
are details that don't approach the
heart of the mystery. That's to be
found only in the old room, and
don't think any one wants 10 tempt
il again. In fact, I'm not sure one
can learn the truth there and live.
You know what happened to
Howells when he tried. Silas Black.
burn went there, and none of us can
understand the change that's taken
place. lhave been watching him
closely. So has Mr.. Paroles. We
have seen him become grayer. We
have seen his eyes alter. He sits
shaking in his chair. Since we came
back from the grave the man-if we
can call him a man-seems to have
-shrunk"
Yes" Paroles said "Perhaps we
shouldn't have left hlm alone. Let
US go back. Let us see if he is all
right"
Rawlins laughed skeptically.
You're not afraid he'll melt
away"
I'm not sure he won't" Par
edes answered
They followed him downstairs
Because of the position of Black
burns chair they could be sure OF
nothing until they had reached the
lower floor and approached the fire
place. Then they saw. II was as il
Paredes' far-fetched fear had been
realized. Blackburn was not in his
chair, nor was he TO be found in the
hall Even then. with the exception
of Paroles. they wouldn't take the
thing seriously Since the old man
wasn't in the hall; since he couldn' Z
| have gone upstairs unobserved by
( them, he must be either in the Ii
brary. the dining room. or the rear
part Of the house There was no one
in the library or the dining room
and jenkins. who sat in the kitchen,
still shaken by the discovery at the
grave. said he hadn't moved for the
last half hour. was entirely sure no
one had come through from the
front part of the house.
They returned 10 the hall and
stood in a half circle about the
empty chair. where a little while
ago Silas Blackburn had covered
mounting snatches of his fear-'I' m
not dead, / tell YOU I'm not dead,
They can't make me go back
The echoes OF that fear still
shocked their ears.
There was a hypnotic power
about the vacancy as there had been
about the emptiness IN the burial
ground. Paroles spoke gropingly
What would We find" ne whis
! pered. IL we went TO the cemetery
and looked again in the eoftin?''
why should he have come back
at ala" Groom mused