6 THE CIRCULAR STAIRCASE! BYmakv ❖ 5 s ROBERTS .. , MNZ /Ifl/JTPATMJ BY '/R^wV^V I*C#R NOT CY AO&*J -M.MIL/T SYNOPSIS. Miss Innes, Spfnster and guardian a lf-. Gertrude ami Halsey, estsrbilfche'd manmer headquarters at' SunnJ'stde. Amidst nu merous difficulties the servants deqprtpd., As Miss Innes locske.d up for the jiight,- 1 ■he was startled by a dark. tigure m.fte feeranda. She passed a 'terrible .flight, which was tilled with unseemly noises. In the morning Miss Innes found a. •trance l(nj< roff butt-on: in - a ejotws' hamper. Gertrude and Halsey arrived with Jack Bailey. The. hou.se was • «ned by 'a revtrtver shot". A ' strangu man was fouml shot to death, in the fliall. It proved to be the body of Arnold lAnn utrong. whose bankar • father <nynejl ♦ountry house. Miss Innus found' llsl;" , sey's revolver on the luwn. He aniLJa,ck Bailey had ..disappeared, The'„flntai cuff- • button mysteribusly disappeared.! , tective Janileson and the coroner arrived. Gertrude revealed that she was ehgageiL to Jack Bailey, with whom she had talked in the billiard room a few mo-' 1 fnents before tlu; murder, Jamlesoh told Miss "that sh(» was hiding evidence fre(n lULrnr <IHe iiwprtsoned' Ah Intruder in an empty ropm. The prisoner escaped down a laujiflwy chute, ft developed; that the Intcufler was piribably a woman.. Ger trude was suspected, for the intruder left a print of iv bjiEc foot. Gertrude re--* turned home with her fight Ankle < sprained. -A.nngro found -4he-«U*«r'-.half of what proved to be Jack Bailey's cuff button. Halsey suddenly reappeared. He said lie find Bailey had left because they had .received a telegram. Baifl {hat Blvpn Bfiiloi* at «»• loftneiV( Revolver, feartug to TrU'l? JilnT lfa<- sey's loaded troapof).' Cashier "-fiailliy of Paul Armstrong's bank, defunct, was af rested, charge.il with epibezzlement. • HaJ sey said Armstrong had wrecked his own bank, and, wss 'able t$ clear Bailey. A telegram contained news that Paul strong was dead. Halsey trapped Mrs. Watson, the housrifceep«il , ,Vwhile she was Stealing from the house. At the lodjte Miss Innes and Halsey found HaJsey's fiancee. Louise Armstrong, sister of tIW dead man. She was believed to be in Cal ifornia. The lodge keeper told Miss Innes that Louise and Arnold had had a .lonjj talk the night of the murder. Louise WM ;■ prostrated. , J CHAPTER Xlll—Continued. The gardener mentioned by Halsey came out about two o'clock in the aft ernoon, and walked up from the sta tion. I was favorably impressed by him. His references were good—he had been employed by the Brays' until they went .to Jiurope, and he looked young and vigorous. He asked for one assistant, and I was glad enough to get oft' so easily. • He was a pleas ant-faced young fellow, with black hair and blue eyes, and his name was Alexander Graham. T-have "been par ticular about Alex, because, as l aaid before, he played an important part later. ' That afternoon I had a new insight Into the character of the dead banker. I had my first conversation with Louise. She sent for me, and against my better judgment I went. She held out her hand and I took ft between both of mine. "What can I say to you, Miss In nes?" she said slowly. "To have come like this —■" 1 thought she was going to break down, but she did not. "You are not to think of anything but of getting well," I said, patting her hand. "When you are better, I am going to scold you for not coming here at once. This is your home, my dear, and of all people in the world, Halsey's old aunt ought to make you Welcome." She smiled a little, sadly, I thought. "I ought not to see Halsey," she ■aid. "Miss Innes, there are a great many things you will never under stand, lam afraid. I am an Imposter on your sympathy, because I —l stay here and let you lavish care on me, and all the time I know you are golug to despise me." "Nonsense!" I said briskly. "Why, what would Halsey do to me If 1 even '/ventured such a thing? He is so big >and .masterful that if I 'dared t<j be '"FFffSJf ; WW ma * a *> 111 " "r i He Looked Young and Vigorous. •milling but rapturous over you. h« Would throw in" out <ii u window. In tg«*ul. li* wduld «|ulti capable of It.' Hlii- sseiui i| Hcuricly to hear uiy tu ■pilous ton' She had eloquent brown «y.i -the innehi'S are lulr, an.l prone to u grayish green Optic Hint la better for '*»<- tk*n apt*MMr*iM-e and the) S> eMlttd now to l>. cloud.-d with trou ble ' I'iMir l lsl/' jr'" she said hultly "Mi*-* lanes. I cannot marry him. urnl lam afraid to tell tun* I aiu 4 cov. aid « toward?" I sat Ut»idu lite led 11 iid slsrsd at fell Mix won tUU til to dlguo With and i.< iid-» »uk i«-.pii. uh.» 14ucei fs Ik l« - "W* wilt talk atMiut that wl.. u yuu ar> ir«<ns< i I »tiid K' all)i ' lint tin 11 mi> n'uin thins* 1 must I Ull >r, 1 II d You 111 IK < I • '■l 4> ■ <"<» I i i». li«ie hi■'! why I •••jul hidd' u»i It linU IJ 41 tilu I "I Am Very Sorry You Mads This Decision/* He* Said. " • Thomas has been almost criaiyr'Misa Innes. I did not know that Sunnyside' was rented. I knew my mother wished to rent it, without telling my—step father, but the news must -„l}ave reached her after 'I r left. When I started east, I had only one idea—to be alone with my thoughts for a time, to' bury myself here. Then, I —must have taken a cold on the train." "You came east in clothing suitable for California," I said, "and like all young girls nowadays, I don't suppose you wear flanpels." But she was not listening. "Miss Innes,'* she said, "has' my stepbrother Arnold gone away?" "What do you mean?" I asked, startled. But Louise was literal. "He didn't come back that night," she said, "and it was so important that I should see him." "I believe he has gone away," I re plied uncertainly. "Isn't it something that we could attend to instead?" But she shook her head. "I must do It myself," she said dully. Halsey came to the door at that mo ment and 1 could hear him coaxing Liddy for admission to the sick room. "Shall I bring him in?" I asked Louise, uncertain what to do. The girl seemed to shrink back among her pillows at the sound of his voice. 1 was vaguely irritated with her; there are few young fellows like Hal sey—str.'iightforward, honest, and will ing to sacrifice everything lor the one woman. I knew one once, more than 30 years ago, who was like that; he died a long time ago. And sometimes I take out his picture, with its cane and its queer silk hat, and look at it. But of late years It has grown too painful; he is always a boy—and I am an old woman. I would not bring him back if I could. Perhaps it was some such mem ory that made me call out sharply. "Conte in, Halsdjr." And then I took my sewing and went into the boudior beyond, to play propriety. I did not try to hear what they said, but every word came through'the open door with curious distinctness. Halsey had evi dently gone over to the bed and 1 suppose he kissed her. There was Bi l«*nce for a moment, aa if words were superfluous things. "I have been almost wild, sweet heart,"—llalsey's voice. "Why didn't you trust me, and send tor me be fore?" "It was because I couldn't trust my self," she aaid in a low tone. "I am too weak to striiKKle to-day; oh, Hal sey. how I have wanted to see you!" There was something 1 did not bear, then Halsey again. "We could go away." he was say ris. "What does it matter about any one In the world but Just the two of us? To be always together. this, hand In hand; Louise—don't tell m« It Isn't goliiK to be. I won't believe you." "You don't know; you don't kuow," Ijouise repeated dully. "Ilalsey, 1 care - you know that—but—not enough to marry you," "That is not true, Louise," he said sternly. "You cannot look at ute with your honest eye* and say that." "I cannot marry you," she repeated miserably "It's bad enough, Uu t It? I'on't make It worse lame day, be fore lotiK, you will be glad" ' Tlh-ii |t is because you have never lov« d me " There were depths uf hurt pride in Ids voire. "You saw how luui h I loved you. and you |«t me j think you tared (or a while No - I i hat |>n'l like you, Louise. There la out-lb Inn you bav* n't told me I* it lit > iiu •• theft is soiiiu oho els>- ' } s," almost ittaodlbly ' Uoilst ' Oh. I don't bellevf It." It l» Hue," »hu said >adl> llals.y, >t»u must not try tu aeo iu« again As ' .foil as I ian I am going away irorn i it. h w 1., re you are ail so win h kind j CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, igio er than I_ deserve. And whatever you hear about" iri&, 'try to think as well of me as you can. lam going to mar ry—another man. How you must hate me—hate rae!" I could hear Halsey cross the room to the window. -Then, after a pause, he went back to her again. I could hardly sit still; I wanted to' go in and give her good shaking. "Then It's all over," he was saying with a long breath. "The plans we mado/together, the hopes, the—all of. it—over! Well, I'll not be a baby, and I'll give you up the minute you say 'I don't love you and I do love— some one else!'" "I can not say that," she breathed, "but, very soon, I shall marry—the other man." I could hear Halsey's low trium phaht laugh. "I defy hlin," he said. "Sweetheart, as long as you care for me, I am not afraid." The wind slammed the door between the two rooms just then, and I could hear nothing more, although I moved my chair quite close. After a dis creet Interval, I went Into the other room and found Louise alone. She was staring with sad eyes at the cherub painted on the ceiling over the bed, and because she looked tired I did not disturb her. CHAPTER XIV. An Egg-Nog and a Telegram. We had discovered Louise at the lodge Tuesday night. It was Wednes day I had my interview with her. Thursday and Friday were uneventful, save as they marked improvement in our patient. Gertrude spent almost all the time with her, and the two had grown to be great friends. But cer tain things hung over me constantly; the coroner's Inquest on the death of Arnold Armstrong, to be held Satur day, and the arrival of Mr? Arm strong and young Dr. Walker, bring Ing the body of the dead president of the Traders' bank. We had not told Louise of either death. Then, too, I was anxious about the children. With their mother's inheri tance swept away in the wreck of the bank, and with their love affairs in a disastrous condition, things could scarcely be worse. Added to that, the cook and Llddy had a tlare up over the proper way to make beef-tea for Louise, and, of course, the cook left. Mrs. Watson had been glad enough. I think, to turn Louise over to our rare, and Thomas went upstairs night and morning to greet his young mis tress from the doorway. Poor Thomas! lie had the faculty—found still In some old negroes, who cling to the trudltlons of slavery days—of making Ms employer's Interest his. It was always "w«" with Thomas. I miss Mm sorely; plpestnoklng, obse quious, not over reliable, kindly old man! On Thursday Mr. Marlon, the Arm strongs' legal advisor, railed up from towu. Me had been advised, he sitld, that Mrs Armstrong was turning east with her husband's body and would arrive Monday. Il» came with some hesitation, at last, to.tie fact that he hud been further Instructed to ask m> to relinquish my lease on Sunny shle, as It was Mrs. Armstrong's de sire to i'miww dirt ily there. 1 was aghast "Here!" I said "Hurely you are, mistaken. Mr llartuii I should think j alter what happened h.-i# only 4 f.w days ago she would MV*r wish to route hat k " "N'evertfeelt M," he rt piled, she la most antious to roui». This Is what she says Ts« every pusslblu mesas 10 hat<t riuHtiyaldu vatated Must go' ! there at ww»' " "Mr M.trit>n.' I said testily, "| nm ' j uui going tu do ua/tbieg of Ut« kind j I and mine have suffered enough at the hands of this family. I rented the house, at an exorbitant figure and I have moved out here for.the summer. My city home is dismantled and in the hands of decorators. I have been hero one week, during which I have had not a single night t>f uninterrupted sleep, .and I intend to Btac 'unttl I have recuperated. Moreover, ii.. Mr- Armstrong died insolvent, as I believe Was the case, his widow ought to be glad th be rid o'f so expensive a piece of property." - • The lawyer cleared his throat. "I am very sorry you have made tWI» decision,'' ha,, said. "Miss.. Inues, Mrs. Fitzhugh tells me Louise Arm strong is with you." "She,ls." f , " 1 • ' ' she l>o(?H'i'nfarrn&d df double bereavement?*' "Not yet"," I said. "'She has been very ill; perhaps tonight'SHe can be told.;* . , . "ft fs very sad; very sad," he said. "I have a telegram for her. Miss In tieS.' Stfalt I senfi ft out?" "Better open it and read It ttj me* I suggested. "It it is important.' that jvi.R save, tipje." • •,. .'..Tliej-, ? w.fts t a . ftfusq wbUe Mr. Har ' ton opened the" telegram,' /Then be read it slowly, Judicially/' " 'Watch for Nina Carringtotr. Home Maodarr-. Signed-P. L.:W,' "y ■ ; ."Hum!" I said. '"Watch for Nina Carrington. Home Monday.' Very well, Mr. Harton, I will tell her, but she is not in Condition to watch for any one." * ( ''Well, Miss Innes, If you decide to —er—relinquish the lease, let me know."the lawyer said. "I shall not relinquish It," I replied, and I imagined his irritation from the way he hung up the receiver. I wrote the telegram dowp word for word, afraid to trust my memory, and decided to ask Dr. Stewart how soon Louise might be told the truth. The closing of the Traders' bank I con sidered unnecessary for her to know, but the death of her stepfather and stepbrother must be broken to her soon, or she might hear it in some unexpected and shocking manner. Dr. Stewart came about four o'clock, bringing his leather satchel into the house with a great deal of care, and opening it at the foot of the stairs to show me a dozen big yellow eggs nesting among the bottles. "Real eggs." he said proudly. "Nam of your anemic store eggs, but the thing—some of them still warm. Feel them! Egg-nog for Miss Louise!" He was beaming with satisfaction, and before he left, he insisted ongo ing back to the pantry and making an egg nog with his own hands. Some how, all the time he was doing it,l had a vision of Dr. Wllloughby, my nerve specialist in the city, trying to make an egg-nog. I wondered if ha ever prescribed anything so plebeian —and so delicious. And while Dr. Stewart whisked the eggs he talked. "I said to Mr 3. Stewart," he con fided, a little red in the face from the exertion, "after I went home the other day. that you would think me an old gossip, for saying what I did about Walker and Miss Louise." "Nothing of the sort," I protested. "The fact is," he went on, evidently justifying himself, "1 got that piece of information just as we get a lot of things, through the kitchen end of the house. Young Walker's chauffeur- Walker's more fashionable than I am. and he goes around the country in a Stanhope car—well, his chauffeur comes to see our servant girl, and he told her the whole thing. I thought It was probable, becausu Walker spent a lot of time up here last summer, when the family was here, and be sides. Rlggs, that's Walker's man. had a very pat little story about the doc tor's building a house on this proper ty, just at the foot of the hill. The sugar, please." The egg nog was finished. Drop by drop the liquor had cooked the egg, and now, with a final whisk, a last toss in the shaker. It was ready, a symphony In gold and white The doctor sniffed It. "Real eggs, real milk, and a touch of real Kentucky whisky." he said. He Insisted on carrying It up him- j self, but at the foot of the stairs he | paused. 'Ulggs said the plans were drawn for the house,"he said, harking back to the old subject. "Drawn by Hus ton In town Mo 1 naturally believed him." When the doctor catoa down, I was ready with a question I asked, "Is (hrri any one lu the neighborhood nauied I'arrlug ton* Nina t'urrlngton?" "Carringtou"" ll.t wrinkled his fore head "t'arrlngton* No, I don't re- ' member uuv such lutnily There us« 4 to be Covington* down Ui« creek" Th.. nam *;»< Carrlugton," I sal 4 ■ind thu subject lapsed I r*» IIK ftiNTINUKLK) Woman a Rural Mali Carrier. Mrs t iirrie Ikiltirty King, of t'rjp- i •till Hpilug*, Mi t, is the ouly woman utail i.mtii In h< r state jlhi d> lit- 1 ers mall u« * rural route, making a [ . limit of about , mil 1 a d.»> I* tut* girlhood tte * iit mun> troiMee 101 1..1 ho ■ m hip. an att.uttpila* muni that i» in* ul §t«.4i aarviva M . aa» A MARVELOUS RECOVERY. How a Chronic Invalid Regained Per fect Health, Mrs. Ray Trusner, 30 West Third St., New Albany, Ind., says: "Kidney disease had rendered mo a chronic invalid. I lay in bed unable to move hand or foot. My right * jH'jr I'mb was swollen to twice normal size. 1 —y. looked the picture of death and my case puzzled the doctors. - The kidney secretions were highly colored and scalded terri bly. Marked improvement followed : the use of Doan's Kidney Pills. In six weeks I was a well woman. My friends arid relatives marvel at my recovery." Remember the rianle—Doan's. , • F6r sale by aIL dealers 50 cents a . t>ox. FosterrMilburn Co. t Buffalo, N. Y. AWFUL. Stranger;—l suppose you people 'in this town think you have the grandest climate in the country? Man With a Gold —No; but we claim . the greatest variety. HOW A DOCTOR CURED SCALP DISEASE "When I was ten or twelve years Old I had a scalp disease, something like scald head, though it wasn't that. •I suffered for several months, and most of my hair came out Finally they had a doctor to see me and he recommended the Cuticura Remedies. They cured me in a few weeks. I have used the Cuticura Remedies, also, for a breaking out on my hands and was benefited a great deal. I haven't had any more trouble with the scalp disease. Miss Jessie F. Buchanan, R. F. D. 3, Hamilton, Ga., Jan. 7, 1909." Kept with Barnum's Circus. P. T. Barnum, the famous circus mail, once wrote: "I have had the Cuticura Remedies among the con tents of my medicine chest with my ' shows for the last three seasons, and I can cheerfully certify that they were very effective in every case which called for their use." When the Fiah Exploded. Somebody discovered that fish are fond of gasoline, and this led to the idea of soaking worms in gasoline in order to make them more alluring when used for halt. Mark the result. Two of those gasoline-tempted fish exploded in the frying pan, and broke the kitchen window, and blew the cook's face full of mashed potato, and hurled the teakettle into the flour bar rel, and painted the kitchen ceiling with stewed tomatoes. Call it a lying world and let it go at that. How It Was Named. Nottingham lace was so called bo cause it originally was made by tho semi-savage people who lived in tho caves in tho district now known as Nottingham, In England. By keeping tho work between them and the dark mouth of the cave the women could work tho pattern easily. Nottingham, or any other lace, even the finest and filmiest, can bo washed safely and quickly with Easy Task soap, which is a natural, scientific cleanser and leaves tho lace in the best condition. Easy Task costs but five cents a cake at your grocer's. Something Dreadful. Wee Anita was listening to a story of the Johnstown flood. "What made it?" she asked. "Oh. the dam broke," replied grand ma. The next morning she ran Into her brother's room and. climbing upon thu bed, inquired anxiously: "iJuvver, 1 wasn't it just ilrefful 'bout that swear I breaking ami killing all dose people?" *nu»r« li mrtf* Catarrh in thto «rctt«»n of tha *mrtry thai » i Ui *r .11%. w , I*l r au4 UMU lh» ul fw* >»ar* aupiMfcd t.» !•« wit'urabt*. r a in-a* man, >«*a/4 II a Um »; tfiaaaar rr«rrib«-<l t» cal ah.l by coi ataMiy fal u 112 rut" with trntt u«nt it Utrurabla. ilctr(»•*«» tiu |»r«*v»u 1 alarm to b«- a wMtltuttui a. ill* •a*". a'»<l lh«rt'f«»r* r#t|mf« ruditlt tftttmrtl, lla-i t Catarrh «*urr. ttii*iiufa<-titfr.| by I J t bru. y A > •. I ia Mm mity < uiiaiitutluaa< « ut* • *<• tbv I..4T t#t It la taaat* Intrrtially 11. from id 4r >(» a t«* a tvaat**»nfui It as-ta «ltrv«tly »#» thr '■-•«al a if ttk«» al»l ] - • luinlfwl «|uiiar« b*f any »-a«# u lai • U v*u t' mml | rir uiar* awl t«-«tMi<-.nla*a A.IUrMM K I «11l Nk, V Jk o>.. Tuiaita, uUu. H a t.v *v iai at Uail » I auaiiy i'Uia U>t co<uitipaUu«. Last Here. The Minister- In the nest world. I Totality, the last shull lie fii>tt. It.nunv •Hay, »i»n't I shine whea I I Ihe minister cuittc 10 supi < r at our , huule t,, th« rel— HUI k ii.,— If V. j Are a Trifts Hensitive | Al*'Ut IS« .1. >..ar . . i.i- fie ! I ew.tr .11 . . , .. .1. , u-ihs 1 lea • »•«* !•>•«. I S- •' > .*»t »ii-l eutuliMt lull Um* 11*ius I. .wiue IN m«I» h..,1 ~,.t..,. we. | pt. «-i,i tt,iL l.lat » 1 4. L« I s), M t WOMEN OF MIDDLE AGE Need Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound Brookfleld, Mo.—"Two years ago I ■was unable to do any kind of work and only weighed 118 pounds. My trouble fcf' '■Wi'' 1 *!" V '7 ! " W< 1 dates back to the iii,'«time that woman ma 7 ex P ec t nature ij|! iQFffllfflhjdii:!# to Drl n g on them W* iHBI the Change of Life. •:lL -sr I got a bottle of ' •''T/ JOP' Lvdia E. Pinkham's My dr. Vegetable Com •; /\\' r mjo pound and it made j» '= me^ee i muc^ better, and I have contin- l-'llJ ue( i its use. I am It / 'J J very grateful to you ' J for the good health I am now enjoying." —Mrs. SARAII LOUSIGNONT, 414 S. Livingston Street, Mo, , The Change of Life is the most criti caljperiod of a woman's existence, and neglect of health at this time invites disease and-pain. ......... "Womeji everywhere should remem ber that there is no other remedy known to medicine that will BO suc cessfully carry women through this trying period as Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound, made from na tive roots and herbs. For 80 years it has been curing wo men from the worst forms of female ills—inflammation, ulceration, dis placements, fibroid tumors, irregulari ties, periodic pains, backache, and nervous prostration. If you would like special advice about your case write a confiden tial letter to Mrs. Piokliam, at Lynn, Mass. Her advice is free, fend always helpful WHERE HE SAVED MONEY. "You say it costs loss to run this automobile than that trotting horse you owned?" "Yes; I used to bet on the trotting horse." A Liking for "Hamlet." "Do you like Hamlet?" asked the hostess of her unlettered, if gushing, (juest. "Indeed I do," WB the reply. "I am excessively fond of It, but I always pre fer a savory to a sweet one." There was a momentary confusion, and then the hostess realized that the admiration of the guest was of a cul inary, not literary, character. "1 gave her ham with an omelette for breakfast next morning," said the hostess, wheu telling the story.— Scraps. Even the Children. Ex-fJovernor Penny packer, condemn ing in his witty way the American di vorce evil, told, at a Philadelphia luncheon, an appropriate story. "Even our children," he said, "are becoming Infected. A Kensington school teacher, examining a little girl In grammar, said: "'What Is the future of"I love?"' "'A divorce,' the child answered promptly." r > This Is a Good Breakfast! Instead of preparing a hot meal, have some fruit; Post Toasties with cream; A soft boiled egg; Slice of crisp toast; A cup of Postum. Such a breakfast is pretty sure to win you. "The Memory Lingers" V " J
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers