Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-04-17
The
Abandoned
Room,
By WADsWoRTH CAMP
AUTHOR OF
'sTHE HOUSE OF FEAR"
WARS DARK FRAME" ETC.
CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER II.
you oughtn't to have let him get
away" Graham said.
:Paredes shrugged his shoulders.
/. you weren't there. You don't
know how sly Bobby was"
II suppose it's useless to ask"
Graham said. "You saw nothing put
in his 5wine?"
Parcdes laughed.
rs 1t likely? Certainly not.
should have mentibned it. 1 should
have stopped such thing. What
do you think am. Mr.. Graham"
sorry" Graham said. You must
understand We can't let any lead
clip This stranger Maria brought
up?"
u Il didn't catch his NAME" Paroles
answered. I'D never seen him be-
fore. gathered he was a fri-hd of
hers--connected with the profession.
Now shall telephone with your
permission, Miss Katherine and
don't you worry. Bobby. I will see
you thru; but we can't do much UNI
til the coroner comes. until the de-
tectiye can be made to talk"
Katherine hesitated for a moment,
then she surrendered.
please go with him, Hartley, and
and make him as comfortable as
you can in this unhappy house."
Katherine detained Bobby with a
nod. He saw the>>others go. He
shrank. in his mental and physical
discomfort, from this isolation with
her. AS soon as the door was closed
she touched his hand. She burst out
passionately:
II don't believe it, Bobby. I'll
never believe it NO matter what hap
pens"
ITS sweet OF you, Katherine. ne
said huskily. THAT helps when you
don't know what to believe your
self"
Don't talk that way. Such
crime would never have entered your
head under any conditions. Only,
Bobby, it ought never to have hap
pened. You ought never to have
been In this. position. Why have You
been friendly with people like-like
that Spaniard? What can he want,
forcing himself here? At any rate,
youth never lead that sort Of life
again."
Her fingers sought his. He clasp
ed them firmly
III get past this" he said. I'll
always look you straight. In tho eye.
Katherine. It, was mad-:...ly. You
don't quite understand"
He broke off, glancing at the door
thru which Graham had disappeared.
.Then remember" she said softly,
II don't believe It,"
She released his hand, signing.
that's all can say. all can do
now. You're i'll; Bobby Go in. Rest
for awhile. When you've had sleep
you, may remember something"
He shook his head. He walked
slowly with her to the house.
As he climbed the stairs he heard
Paroles telephonins. He couldn't
understand the mans insistence on
remaining where clearly he was an
intruder.
He entered his bedroom which he
had occupied only once or twice
during the last few months. The
place seemed unfamiliar. AS he
bAthed and dressed his sense of
strangeness grew, and he understood
Why. The last time he had been
here he had stood in no personal
danger. There had been no black
parepthesis in his life during the
stretch Of which he might have
committed an unspeakable crime.
For he couldn't believe as firmly as
Katherine did. Since he couldn't re-
member, he might have done any
thing.
s "Comei" he called in response to a
stealthy rapping at the door.
Stealth, 1t occurred to him, had.
since last night, become a stern con-
dition Of his'llfe.
Graham entered and noiselessly
closed the door,
II had a chance to slip in" he ex-
plaintd Paroles is wandering
about the place. 4 I'd give lot to
know what he's after at the Cedars.
Katherine In In her room, trying to
rest after last night, l Nancy"
Sand" Bobby asked, the detec Z
'tiye--Howells7"
III he's back from the station"
Graham answered, hes keeping
low. I wonder II n was he or Par
edes who followed you thru the
woods.fs
why should Carlos have followed
me?' Bobby asked I've, been
thinking II over, Hartley. It isn't a
bad scheme having him here, since
you think he hasn't told all he
kn6ws. ,.,..,. s-..5
II don't say that" Graham am
swered. II don't know what to think
about Paroles. I've come to talk
about Just that. I'm lawyer, and
I've had some criminal, practice.
since this detective will be satisfied
With you: for victim, I'm going to
take your case. II you'll have me.
sril be your, detective AZ well as
your lawyer" ~
hobby was a good deal touched.
THAT'S kind of you-more than
deserve, for have resented you at
tiHiss.*.. B \.
Graham, IL was clear. didn't guess
If 10 referred to his friendship for
katherine. f6f he answered quickly:
81 must have seemed a nuisance,
b,it I was only trying to get you
back on the straight path where
Z you've always belonged. Ican't be-
lteve YOU did this thing, even UNI
Z Consciously. until I'm shown proof
without a single flaw. Until the
autopsy the only thing we have to
\ work on liz that party last night.
4 I've telephoned to New York and
\ pit q trustworthy man on the heels
or Maria and the stranger. Mean
i time i think I'd hAffer watch flAxel :