Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1921-06-23

Still the woman didn't say a word
She only gazed al the speaker un
seeingly. Tony snatched the gur
from her hand.
"Edie," she grOaned. Mummy,
sweet, go right away, before any one
comes. You've killed Urieh. ca
away, go away. i say"
She grasped Mrs. DevOn's arm and
hurried her toward the porch door.
"Run," Missed the girl. sect back
10 the boat quick. Don't ever say a
word to any one" Then Tony spied
the little black bag she'd seen so Of
ten on the Dirty Mary. Picking IL
up she thrust it into her mothers
hands. "Here! Take this, too. oh.
mummy; kiss me, kiss mel"
She flung herself upon the woman
frantically, kissed the pallid, impas-
sive face again and again and then
| showed Edith out upon the dark porch.
1t was while Tony's whole attention
was conferred on her beloved that Reg
inald Brown seized the opportunity
| to sneak stealthily from the room.
The nervous women in the upper
part of the house had not expected
to hear the piercing scream that came
to their ears, and, as it was repeated
more than once with such terrible in
slstence, Mrs. Curtis, followed by
Katherine, fled down tie stairs.
Tony heard them coming, and a
Surging love for her mother brought
a resolution full-born from the loyal
young heart. She was standing over
the PROSTATE Uriah when Sarah Cur
tbs and her daughter rushed madly in.
II shot my father" gasped Tonnibel,
looking at Mrs. Curtis, her fingers
locked tightly over the handle of the
revolver.
"Where's your mother?" came from
Mrs Curtis lips.
Tonnibel didn't answer for & min
ute, then she shook her head.
"She hasn't been here!" she swal-
lowed hard and continued: "'Twas
my father, and-and l shot him."
Katherine took a long breath of ex-
element.
Don't you know you'll be arrested,
you wicked girl?" she calculated.
"And executed" interposed Mrs.
Curtis. katherine, call the police"
AS Katherine made for the tele-
phone, a motor car driving up to the
house stayed her action. Her hand
dropped from the receiver when Phil
ip MacCauley came in. For a moment
he didn't see Devon. With 6 quick,
flashing glance, he noticed how pallid
and deathlike his Tony was.
"What have you two been saying to
herr" he demanded IL deadening
tones. II suspected something like
this, and-and got away as soon as /
could. Darling girl, don't look
at me like that"
Mrs. Curtis was fully herself now.
'The wicked girl has shot her own
father" she told Captain MacCauley,
making an effort to keep the satis-
faction out of her voice. "There he
is, dead on the f1oor!"
Then Philip saw Devon. In horri-
fed amazement and disbelief his gaze
came back to Tonnibel.
Darling" he said, and ne went
swiftly to her II don't believe
word of it. It's all lie!'
Tony flung out her hand.
"Don't touch me, please don't!" she
mumbled. 81 told her l did 1t, and
I-I-I-dd."
She backed away from the out
stretched arms.
But you couldn't have" groaned
the boy. what happened? Oh, Godl
Won't someone tell me what hap
pened?"
Mother has told you quite plainly,
Philip" gulped Katherine, noticing
with a thrill that Captain MacCauley
had not covered the few steps Tony
had retreated "She said she killed
her father, and no girl admits such a
thing as that unless it's true Heav-
ems, there's Cousin John and"
cousin Paul" fell from Mrs. Cur.
It's who looked as if she had turned to
stone
Not another word was uttered by
that silent group of people until after
the two doctors entered the library.
For a moment everything was con-
fusion. Doctor John forced Mrs. Cur
lis into a chair when she tried. to fling
herself into his arms. With every
,ne but Tony talking at once, neither
he nor his brother could understand
he meaning of the seemingly dead
nan on the floor.
"Will you all keep still, all of your"
shouted Doctor John, In his bombastie
yolce. First, Paul, let's see about
his fellow here" '
"Tony shot him, II you want to s
,now," Mrs. Curtis dared to fling out.
Doctor Paul gave her such an awful ,
ook that she quailed beneath It.
Hes not dead" he said after a
asty examination of Uriah, and one ,
Try, fearless sob burst from Tony De- I
on. |
"You might as we'll own up the
rhole thing now, miss" cried Mrs. /
'urtis, after the wounded man had 9
cen carried out by the doctors and Z
'hilip. "It'll be better for you in tn,
nd"
ITO BE CoNTINUED.)