6 THE CIRCULAR STURCASE BKmarY ❖ •>' ROBERTS ❖ RINEHART ILLUSTRATIONS BY CCtPYklUif itot or aOA&A -H£Mlufc+ T SYNOPSIS. Miss Innes, spinster and gunrdlan of Gertrude and Halsey, established sum mer headquarters at Sunnyside. Arnold Armstrong was found shut to death in the hull. Gertrude and her tlance, Jack Bailey, had conversed in tho billiard room shortly before tin murder. IJetee tive Jamieson accused Miss Innes of hold lns back evidence. Cashier Bailey of Paul Armstrong's bank, defunct, was arrested for embezzlement. I J aul Armstrong s death was announced. Halsey's fiancee, Louise Armstrong, told Halsey that while she slill loved him. she was to marry an other It developed that Dr. Walker was the man l,ouise was found unconscious at the bottom of the circular staircase. She said something had brushed by her In the dark on the stairway and she fainted. Bailey is suspected of Arm strong's murder. Thomas, the lodgekeep er. was found dead with a note in his f locket bearing the name "I.ucien Wal aee " A ladder found out of place deep ens the mystery. The stables were burned, and in the dark Miss Innes shot an intruder. Halsev mysteriously disap peared. His auto was found wrecked by ft freight train. It developed Halsey had an argument in the library with a woman before his disappearance. New cook dis appears. Miss Inn»s learned Halsey was alive. Dr. Walker's face becomes livid at mention of the name of Nina Carring ton Evidence was secured from a tramp that a man, supposedly Halsey, had been bound and gagged and thrown Into an empty box car. CHAPTER XXVlll.— Continued. Mr. Winters and Alex disposed of the tramp with a warning. It was evi dent he had told us all he knew. We had occasion, within a day or two, to be doubly thankful that we had given him his freedom. When Mr. Jamie son telephoned that night we had news for him; he told me what I had not realized before —that it would not be possible to find Halsey at once, even with this clew. The cars by this time, three days, might be scattered over the union. But he said to keep on hoping, that it was the best news we had had. And in the meantime, consumed with anxiety as we were, things were hap pening at the house in rapid succes sion. We had one peaceful day—then <3y took sick in the night. I went in when I heard her groaning, and found her with a hot-water bottle to her face, and her right cheek swollen un til It was glassy. "Toothache?" I asked, not too gent ly. "You deserve it. A woman of your age, who would rather go around ■with an exposed nerve in her head than have the tooth pulled! It would be over in a moment." "So would hanging," Liddy pro tested, from behind the hot-water bot tle. I was hunting around for cotton and laudanum. "You have a tooth Just like it your self. Miss Rachel," she whimpered. "And I'm sure Dr. Boyle's been trying to take it out for years." There was no laudanum, and Liddy made a terrible fuss when I proposed carbolic acid, just because I had put too much on the cotton once and burned her mouth. I'm sure It never did her any permanent harm; Indeed, ! . the doctor said afterward that living on liquid diet had been a splendid rest for her stomach. But she would have none of the acid, and she kept me awake groaning, so at last I got up and went to Gertrude's door. To my surprise it was locked. I went around by the hall and into her bedroom that way. The bed was turned down, and her dressing-gown and night-dress lay ready in the little room next, but Gertrude was not there. She had not undressed. I don't know what terrible thoughts came to me in the minute I stood there. Through the door I could hear Kiddy grumbling, with a squeal now and then when the pain stabbed harder. Then, automatically, I got the laudanum and went back to her. It was fully a half-hour before Kid dy's groans subsided At intervals I went to the door into tho hall and looked out, hut 1 saw and heard noth ing .suspicious. Finally, when Liddy had dropped into a doze, I even ven tured ;t far as the head of lite circular staircase, but there floated up to me only the t'Ven breathing of Winters, the night detective, sleeping just in side the entry. And then, far off, I heard the rapping noise that had lured Louise down the staircase that other night, two weeks before. It was over my head, and very faint —three or four short innllled taps, a pause, and then again, stealthily repeated. The sound of Mr. Winters' breath ing was comforting; with the thought thai there was help within call, some thing kept me from waking him. I did not move for a moment; ridiculous thing-. Liddy had said about a ghost— I aia not at all superstitious, except, perhaps, in thu middle of the night, with everything dark things like that cam • back lo me Almost b< dde me was the clothes chute 1 could feel It, but I could see nothing As I stood, I's'.' iriiK Intently, I heard a sound mar ine It was vague, Indefinite Then It censed; there was an uneasy movement and a grunt from the foot of the circular staircase, ami silence again I .I.hml perfectly skill, hardly il.tr In;; to breathe. Tien I knew I had been right. Home oat wa." Healthily pa* ting the head of the Htiilita*" and coining toward nte In the dark. I leaned attain >t the wall fttr Ktii'S"it t -my Uiii • s were giving way. Tin- steps were close now, ami suddenly I thought of Gertrude. Of <m->< It v. :«s Gertrude I put out one baud lu front of me, hut I touched S" lui.w \l) voire sliiiij it turn d utu When I Came To It Was Dawn. but I managed to gasp out, "Ger trude!" "Good Lord!" a man's voice ex claimed, just beside me. And then I collapsed. I felt myself going, felt some one catch me, a horrible nausea —that was all I remembered. When I came to it was dawn. I was lying on the bed in Louise's room, with the cherub on the ceiling staring down at me, and there was a blanket from my own bed thrown over me. I felt weak and dizzy, but I managed to get up and totter to the door. At the foot of the circular staircase Mr. Win ters was still asleep. Hardly able to stand, I crept back to my room. The door into Gertrude's room was no lon ger locked; she was sleeping like a tired child. And in my dressing room Liddy hugged a cold hot-water bottle and mumbled in her sleep. "There's some things you can't hold with hand-cuffs," she was muttering thickly. CHAPTER XXIX. A Scrap of Paper. For the first time in 20 years I kept my bed that day. Liddy was alarmed to the point of hysteria, and sent for Dr. Stewart Just after breakfast. Ger trude spent the morning with me, reading something—l forget what. I was too busy with my thought to lis ten. I had said nothing to the two detectives. If Mr. Jamieson had been there I should have told him every thing, but I could not goto these strange men and tell them my niece had been missing in the middle of the night; that she had not gone to bed at all; that while I was searching for her through the house I had met a stranger who, when I fainted, had car ried me into a room and left me there, to get better or not, as it might hap pen. And there was something else: The man I had met in the darkness had been even more startled than I, and about his voice, when he muttered his muffled exclamation, there was some thing vaguely familiar. All that morn ing, while Gertrude read aloud, and Liddy watched for the doctor, I was puzzling over that voice, without re sult. Dr. Walker came up, some time just after luncheon, and asked for me. "Go down and see him," I instructed Gertrude. "Tell him I am out —for mercy's sake don't say I'm sick Find out what he wants, and from (his time on, Instruct the servants that ho Is not to be admitted. I loathe that man." Gertrude came hack very soon, her face rather flushed. "He came to ask us to get out," she said, picking up her book with a jerk, "lie says Louise Armstrong wants to come here, now that she Is recover ing" "And what did you say?" "I said we were very sorry we could not leave, but we would be delighted to have IxmUe come up here with ill. He looked daggers at me. And he wanted to know If we would recom mend Kllxa as u cook lie has brought a patient, a man, out from town, and is increasing his establishment -that's the way he put lt. M "I wish him Joy of KlUa," I said tartly. "Did he ask for llulaey?" "Yes. I told him that we were on the trai k hot night, itnd that It was ■ lily a question of time He said he aas glad, although he didn't appear to he, but h>' said uol to he too san guine," Ho yoti know what I believe?" I a iked "I believe, as firmly us I be lli ie anything, that Ui Walker knows -.i.n,. thing ikMl ll.>i i > .mi that he I "i.ld put his linger on hliu, if he I WUMtnd til" CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1910. There were several things that day that bewildered me. About three o'clock Mr. Jamieson telephoned from the Casanova station and Warner went down to meet him. I got up and dressed hastily, and the detective was shown up to my sitting room. "No news?" I asked, as he entered. He tried to look encouraging, without success. "It won't be long now, Miss Innes," he said. "I have come out here on a peculiar errand, which I will tell you about later. First, I want to ask some questions. Did any one come out here yesterday to repair the telephone, and examine the wires on the roof?" "Yes," I said promptly; "but it was not the telephone. He said the wiring might have caused the fire at the stable. I went up with him myself, but ho only looked around." Mr. Jamieson smiled. "Good for you!" he applauded. "Don't allow any one in the house that you don't trust, and don't trust anybody. All are not electricians who wear rubber gloves." He refused to explain further, but he got a slip of paper out of his pocket-book and opened it carefully. "Listen," he said. "You heard this before and scoffed. In the light of re cent developments I want you to read it again. You are a clever woman, Miss Innes. Just as surely as I sit here, there is something in this house that is wanted very anxiously by a number of people. The lines are clos ing up, Miss Innes." The paper was the one he had found among Arnold Armstrong's effects, and I recall it again: ——by altering the plans for rooms, may be possible. Tho best way, In my opinion, would be to the plan for In one of the rooms chim ney. "I think I understand," I said slowly. "Some one is searching for the secret room, and the invaders—" "And the holes in the plaster—" "Have been in the progress of his—" "Or her—lnvestigations." "Her?" I asked. "Miss Innes," the detective said, getting up, "I believe tlmt somewhere in the walls of this house is hidden some of the money, nt least, from the Traders' bank. I believe, Just as sure ly. that young Walker brought home from California the knowledge of something of the sort, and, failing in his effort to reinstall Mrs. Armstrong and her datiKhter here, he, or a con federate, has tried to break Into the house. On two occasions I think he succeeded." "On three, at least," 1 corrected. And then I told him übout the night before. "I have been thinking hard," I concluded, "and I do not believe the man at the head of the circular stalr cuse was Dr. Walker. 1 don't think he could have got in, and the voice was not his." Mr. Jamieson got up and paced tho Door, his hands behind him "There Is something else that pus sies me," he said, stepping before me. "Who and what Is the woman Nina ('arrlngton? If It was she who came here as Mattie llllss, what did she tell Halsey that sent hliu racing to Or Walker's, and then to Miss Arm strong? If we could find that woman we would taav< the whole thing." "Mr Jami* •«. did you ever think ! that I'nul Am itrnng might not have | died a natural d< till?" "Thai is tlm thing wii are going to I try to find out," he replied And then Gertrude came in announcing n man lii'luw to see Mr. Jamiesoti. "I want you present at this Inter i view. Miss Innes," he said May ttii-its tome up? He has left l»r \\ uiki i and h<- liae something h« wauls to tell ua." Riggs came into the room diffident ly, but Air. Jamieson put him at his ease. He kept a careful eye on me, however, and slid into a chair by the door when he was asked to sit down. "Now, Riggs," began Mr. Jamieson kindly. "You are to say what you have to say before this lady." "You promised you'd keep it quiet, Mr. Jamieson." Riggs plainly did not trust me. There was nothing friendly in the glance he turned on me. "Yes, yes. You will be protected. But, first of all, did you bring what you promised?" Riggs produced a roll of papers from under his coat, and handed them over. Mr. Jamieson examined them with lively satisfaction, and passed them to me. "The blue-prints of Sun nyside," he said. "What did I tell you? Now, Riggs, we are ready." "I'd never have come to you, Mr. Jamieson," he began, "if it hadn't been for Miss Armstrong. When Mr. In nes was spirited away, like, and Miss Louise got sick because of it, I thought things had gone far enough. I'd done some things for the doctor before that wouldn't just bear looking into, but I turned a bit squeamish." "Did you help with that?" I asked, leaning forward. "No, ma'm. I didn't even know of it until the next day, when it came out in the Casanova Weekly Ledger. But I know who did it, all right. I'd better start at the beginning. "When Dr. Walker went away to California with the Armstrong family, there was talk in the town that when he came back he would be married to Miss Armstrong, and we all expected it. First thing I knew, I got a letter from him in the west. He seemed to be excited, and he said Miss Arm strong had taken a sudden notion to go home and he sent me some money. I was to watch for her, to see if she went to Sunnyside, and wherever she was, not to lose sight of her until he got home. I traced her to the lodge, and I guess I scared you on the drive one night, Miss Innes." "And Rosle!" I ejaculated. Riggs grinned sheepishly. "I only wanted to make sure Miss Louise was there. Rosie started to run, and I tried to stop her and tell her some sort of a story to account for my being there. But she wouldn't wait." "And the broken china —in the basket?" "Well, broken china's death to rub ber tires," he said. "I hadn't any complaint against you people here, and the Dragon Fly was a good car." So Rosie's highwayman was ex plained. "Well, I telegraphed the doctor where Miss Louise was and I kept an eye on her. Just a day or so before they came home with the bo4y I got another letter, telling me to watch for a woman who had been pitted with smallpox. Her name was Car | rington, and the doctor made things ! pretty strong. If I found any such woman loafing around, I was not to ; lose sight of her for a minute until I the doctor got back. "Well, I would have had my hands full, but the other woman didn't show up for a good while, and when she did ; the doctor was home." "Riggs," I asked suddenly, "did you get into this house a day or two after I took it, at night?" "I did not, Miss Innes. I have never been in the house before. Well, the Carrlngton woman didn't show up un til the night Mr. Halsey disappeared. She came to the office late, and the doctor was out. She waited around, walking the floor and working herself into a passion. When the doctor didn't come back, she was in an awful way. She wanted iue to hunt him, anil when he didn't appear, she called him names; said he couldn't fool her. There was murder being done, and she would see him swing for it. (TO HE CONTINUED.) Dresden China. Judging by your recent note, writes a correspondent. It seems that the geographical knowledge possessed by girl typists Is about on n level with that possessed by the damsels who represent the postiuast«r general be hind the counters of our suburban post officei. Having occasion recently to telegraph funds to a town In Ger i many. It became necessary for the ! clerk to consult the post office guide, j After a long and fruitless search I ventured to suggest that she mum not likely to tind the town 1 wanted In th« section devoted to the culrstlal en plre, where she was looking. "Not under China" she retorted supercili ously. "You sutd liresden, didn't you?" The C onto ling Volume There was a buck ward student al Haldol who, for failure to puss an el animation In Greek, was ' an-nt down." j Ills toother went to see the master, Ur. Jowett, and explained to tilm what an e*eellettt lud her son was. "ll i» s hard experience for tiliu, this dls grace," said the old lady; but lie will have the consolatiuu of rellglou. autl there la always one book to which li* ' cau turn " Jowett e)ed her lor a mo tuetit and then answered. 'Yea, ma iiaui. the Uiwek giatautivwd | morula^" CHEERFUL WORDS FOR SUFFERING WOMEN. No woman can bo healthy with sick kidneys. They are often the true cause of bearing-down pains, head- Fvrry flrlure jm*. BChes, dIZ/.ITIeSS, lei Is A Slory mVS jjry nervousness etc. Keep the kidneys well jM// and health 1> I oas "- v main / tained. Doan'a I K1 dn 0 y pll,s J ' ™|ir/f make strong, / healthy kidneys. rua, 0„ says; "I was so terribly afflicted with kidney complaint, I could not stir out of bed. I was attended by several doctors but they all failed to help me. Doan's Kid ney Pills gave me relief after I had given up all hope and soon cured me. I have had no kidney trouble in three years." Remember the name—Doan's. For sale by all dealers. 50 cents a box. Foster-Milburn Co., Buffalo, N. Y. Had Been Done. Got Out of the Habit. "I see you have got a young man stenographer?" "Yes." "Don't you think a pretty girl stenog rapher adds a great deal to the at tractiveness of an office?" "I suppose she does, but I can't dictate to a woman somehow. I s'pose it's because I have been mar ried so long." ARE YOU THE MAN? 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When this tube is inllamed you have a rumbling sound or Im perfect hcariug. and when It Is entirely closed. Deaf ness is the result, and unless tha Inflammation can be taken out and this tube restored to its normal condi tion. hearing will be destroyed forever; nine cases out of ten are caused by Catarrh, which is nothing but an inflamed condition of the mucous surfaces. We will give One Hundred Dollars for anv case of Deafness (caused by catarrh) that cannot be cured by Hall's Catarrh Cure. Send for circulars, free. F. J. CHENEY A CO.. Toledo. O Sold by Drusrgists. 75c. Take Hall's Family Pills for constipation. Curing Conceit. "He used to have a good opinion of himself." "Hasn't he now?" "No; ho ran for office recently, and wasn't even close when the votes were counted." —Detroit Free Press. DISTEMPER In all its forms among all ages of horses, as well as dogs, cured and others in same stable prevented from having the disease with SPOIIN'S DISTEMPER CURE. Every bottle guaranteed. 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Tbey do dab duty. Small PIQ, Small D«M, Small Pric*. 112 Genuine must beat Signature HCl«an*ea iS txaatlflu Uif^ak Promotes ft loxorUnl growth. Never Falle to Heftor® Gray Hair to Its Youthful Color. Kidding Worse Than Cutting. Talk about making good with your frleuds, a New Orleans man told everybody he knew that he was going to Philadelphia for the dual purpose of seeing the world's baseball series and having a slight surgical operation performed. Reaching this city, h« consulted a specialist, and was told that an operation was not necessary. "But, doctor," the New Orleans party urgently interposed, "it must be done." "Why must It?" wonderlngly quer ied the surgeon. "Because," was the startling re joinder of the Southern man,"l told nil the boys at home that 1 was going to have an operation performed, and if I don't make good they will kid the life out of me." —Philadelphia Tele graph. Mixing His Oates. There is a story of a man who was so transportfd with joy as he stood up at the altar rail to be married, that his thoughts reverted to a day when he stood up at the bar In a court of Justice to plead "guilty" or "not guilty" to a criminal <hirge. So powerfully did that, the most painful event of his life, obtrude Itself upon his mind, that when the clergyman put the question, "Wilt thou have this woman t<> be thy wedded wife?" and so on, the poor distracted bridegroom answered with Hurtling distinctness, "Not guilty, so lelp ire (toil!" From Tuckerman's "Personal Uncollect lons." \ "Don't Argufy" A single dish ul Post Toasties with and cream ti-lls the whole Story — I "The Memory Lingers" l /
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers