The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-12-09

to leave, "there's gentleman arriy-
ing on the last train. After he comes
you may go to bed. I'll wait up for
Miss Dale-oh, and Billy" arresting
him at the door, "see that all the
outer doors on this floor are locked
and bring the keys here"
Billy nodded and departed. Miss
Cornelia took long breath. Now
that the moment for waiting had
passed-the moment for action come
she felt suddenly indomitable, pre-
pared to face dozen Bats!
Her feelings were not shared by her
maid. 81 know what all this MEANS"
moaned Lizzie. II tell you there's
going to be a death, sure!'
"There certainly will be if you don't
keep quiet" said her mistress acridly.
Lock the billiard room windows and
go to bed"
But this was the last straw for
Lizzie. A picture of two long, dark
flights of stairs up which she had to
pass to reach her bedchamber rose
before her-and she spoke her mind.
II am not going to bed!" she said
wildly. "Tm going to pack up tomor-
'ow and leave this house." That such
a threat would never be carried out
while she lived made little difference
to her-she was beyond the need of
Truths consultations. II asked you
on my Bonded knees not to take this
place two miles from railroad" she
went on heatedly. "For mercy's sake,
Miss Nelly, let's go back to the city
before it's too later
Miss Cornelia was infiexible.
''Pm not going. You can make up
your mind to that I'm going to find
out what's wrong with this place If
It takes all summer. I came out to
the country for a rest and I'm going
to get it."
you'll get your heavenly rest!"
mourned Lizzie, giving it 20. She
looked pitifully at her<misress' face
for sign that the latter might be
weakening-but no such sign came.
Instead, Miss Cornelia seemed to grow
more determined.
Besides" she said, suddenly decid-
ing to share the secret she had Rugged
to herself all day, 81 might as well
tell you, Lizzie. I'm having a detec-
tive sent down tonight from police
headquarters, in the city. I dare say
he will be stupid enough. Most of
them are. But at least we can have
one proper nights Sleep"
Not L / trust no man." said Lizzie.
But Miss Cornelia had picked up the
paper again.
"'The Bats last crime was par
ticularly atrocious one" she read.
The body of the murdered man >"
But Lizzie could bear no more.
"Why don't you read the funny page
once in a while?" she walled, and hur-
ried to close the windows in the bill
lard room. The door leading into the
billiard room shut behind her.
Miss Cornelia remained reading for
moment. Then-was that sound
from the alcove? She dropped the
paper, went into the alcove and stood
for a moment at the foot of the stairs,
listening. Not must have been
Imagination. But, while she was here,
she might as well put on the spring
lock that bolted the door from the
alcove to the terrace. She did so,
returned to the living-room and
switched off the lights for moment
to look out at the coming storm. 1t
was closer now-the lightning flashes
more continuous. She turned on the
lights again as Billy re-entered with
three candles and a box of matches.
He put them down on side-table.
'.New gardener GOMEZ he said brief
ly, to Miss Cornelia's back.
Miss Cornelia turned. mice hour
for him to get here. What's his
name?'
"Say his name Brook" said Billy.
Miss Cornelia thought. "Ask him to
come in," she said. "And Billy
where are the keysT"
Billy silently took two keys from
his pocket and laid them on the table.
Then he pointed to the terrace door
which Miss Cornelia had just belted.
"Door up there spring lock-" he
said
"Yes," she nodded. "And the new
bolt you put on today makes It fairly
secure. One thing Is fairly sure,
Billy. If anyone tries to get In to-
night, he will have to break window
and make certain amount Of noise"
But he only smiled his curious eng
matte smile and went out. And no
.aonor hos Miss CorpoI;o Soofod bor
self when the door of the billiard
room slammed open suddenly-and
Lizzie burst into the room as If she
had been shot from a gun-her hair
wild-her face stricken with fear.
81 heard somebody yell out in the
grounds-away down by the gate!"
she informed her mistress in a loud
stage whisper which had a curious
note of pride in it, as If she were not
too displeased at seeing her doleful
predictions so swiftly coming to pass.
Miss Cornelia took her by the shoul-
der-half-startled, half-dubious.
'What did they yell?"
"Just yelled a Yell"
"Lizzier'
Il heard them"
But she cried ''Wolfv too often.
'You take liver-piIl," said her mis-
tress disgustedly, "and go to bed,
Lizzie was about to protest both
the verdict on her story and the judy
ment on herself, when the door in the
hall was opened by Billy to admit the
new gardener A handsome young fell
low, in his late twenties perhaps, and
neatly If shabbily dressed, he came
two steps into the room and then