Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-02-21
-"No. sir, they are all In bed"
"Then-Nhat is your name?"

Cooper, sir" '
"Then, Cooper, call the butler. or
whoever is in general charge. And
summon Mrs. Schuyler"
'Ill call. Jepson, he's the butler,
sir. And I'll cali Mrs. Schuyler's
maid, Tibbetts, II she's in. And the
maid, Hester, who waits on the Misses
Schuyler. Shall II"
eyes, get things started. Get Jep-
SOFAS soon as you can"
This is an awful affair" said
Mason, as Cooper went of. We were
In the hall. q great apartment more
like a room, save that a broad stair
case curved UP at one side. The
furnishings were magnificent, but in
a taste heavily ornate and a little old
upholstered benches, but none of us
cared to sit. The tension was too
great.
he went on There's lots to be
picked up from servants, before
they're really on their guard. Get all
you can about Mr.. Schuyler's evening
habits from the man, Cooper. But
go easy with the ladies. It's hard
enough for them at best"
The valet reappeared with Jepson.
This butler was of the accepted type,
portly and important, but the stag
gering Jews Cooper had evidently
told him, had made him a man
among men. -
whats this?" he said, gravely.
"rhe master dead? Apoplexy?"
"No, Jepson. Mr.. Schuyler was
who did it,"
KILLED! Murdered! My God!"
The butler spoke in a strong, low
voice with no hint of dramatic effect.
How will Mrs. Schuyler bear it?"
How shall we tell her." Jepson?'
Mason showed a consultant air, flor
the butler was SO evidently a man of
judgment and sense.
"We must waken her maid, and let
her u Mrs. Schuyler. Then the
other ladies. Mr.. Schuyler's sisters,
we must call them"
Eyes, Jepson, do all those things,
as quickly as o can"
But the wait seemed interminable.
f. At last the butler came back, and
asked us up to the library, the front
room on the floor above. Here a
footman was lighting a fire on the
hearth, for the house had the chill
Of the small hours.
First came the two sisters. These
ladies, though not elderly, were
middle-aged, and perhaps, few
years older than their brother. They
were austere and prim, of aristocratic
features and patrician air.
But they were almost hysterical in
their excitement. A distressed maid
lowered behind them with sal volatile.
The ladies were fully attired, but caps
on their heads and woolly wraps flung
round them bore witness to hasty
dressing.
What is it?" cried Miss Rhoda,
the younger Of the two. What has
happened to Randolph"
l introduced myself to them.
told them. AS gently as I could. the
bare facts. deeming it wise to make
no prevarication.
So raptly did they listen and SO
earnestly did I try to omit horrible
details, and yet tell the truth, that
did no hear Mrs. Schuyler enter the
room. But she did come in, and
heard also, the story as I told it.
Can it not be-" heard a soft
voice behind me say, "can 1t not yet
be there is some mistake? Who says
that mar is my husband?"
I turned to see the white face and
clenched hands Of Randolph Schuy-
ler's widow. She vas holding her
self together, and trying to get a
CLEAN of hope from uncertainty.
If Il had felt pity and sorrow for
her before I saw her, it was doubly
poignant now.
Ruth Schuyler was one Of those
gentle. appealing women. helplessly
feminine in emergency. Her fright
ened, grief-stricken eyes looked out
OF a small, pale face. and her blood
less lips quivered as she caught them
between her teeth in an effort to pre-
serve her ~self-control.
II am Chester Calhoun" I said, and
she bowed in acknowledgment. u
am junior partner in the firm OF
Bradbury and Calhoun. Mr.. Brad
bury is one of Jul husbands lawyers
and also a friend. so, as circum-
stances brought it about, I came here.