Manchester Democrat. [volume], January 29, 1902, Image 7

About Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930

Image provided by: State Historical Society of Iowa

                
EQUAL PARTNERS
By^HOWARD FIELDING
Copyright, I90i, by Charles W. Hooke-
3*C**O»OO*G
"You're coiulng along, too," said
Nealo. "No I'll stand by what I said.
Go borne."
Aklcu opened ids mouth to speak and
then dosed It again. lie turned and
went out of the room with the police
man, Hrendn following immediately
and Dr. I?lair a moment later. Elrncn
doi and Neale remained.
The captain dropped into a chair.
HI
don't know AM I done rigln," be
sr. Id.
Elmondorf walked acrows the room
and looked at a picture on the wall be
tween the windows. It was a photo
graphic copy of XeiersU'ln's painting
of *'Tnn'talu8." The unfortunate king
"Who divulged the secrets of Zeus was
represented chained to the rock starv
ing while tbe fruit laden boughs waved
Just beyond his reach. It was a pniu
ful picture, quite out of keeping with
all else In tbe room, and Elmendorf re
garded It curiously. A few lines, tell
ing tbe legend, were printed below,
and tbe detcctivc read them.
"Well, he looks it," he said, glanc
ing ujMit the face of Tantalus. "And,
by the way, Neale, you don't think Al
don did this tiling, do you?"
"Not on your life!" said the captain.
"The case is perfectly plain. It may
be that I didn't do the smart thing."
Elmendorf turned away.
"Arresting a man for murder just be
cause be calls you a thief when you
know you are one," said he, "isn't ex
actly my Idea of wisdom."
Neale sprang to his feet and faced El
mendorf angrily.
"Not with me, Joe Neale," said the
detective. "It won't work."
CHAPTER IV. :''v:
TIIE EASY WAY.
OLICEMAN WAL-
LACE did not consid
er it necessary to sub
ject his prisoner to
the indignity of hand
cufTs, but he kept a
firm hold on Alden's
left arm just above
the elbow as they left the house. Al
den seemed to be entirely Indifferent
to this attention. When he rcuchcd
the sidewalk, he paused, bringing bis
captor to a halt. The cab in which he
bad come was beside the curb, and Al
den, using bis free hand, helped Bren
da Into the vehicle.
It Is not customary for New York po
licemen to dally while their prisoners
perform the gentle courtesies of polite
BOdety, but Alden's deadly calmness
prevailed In this instance.
"Home?" he asked.
"St Winifred's," replied Brenda.
"Please tell him to drive fast."
Alden gave the order aud then, ad
dressing the young woman, said: "I
shall be there soon. They dare not
hold me."
brenda would have spoken, but tbe
horse suddenly started under tbe whip,
and tbe cab lurched on the rough pave
ment. The last glimpse of Alden lift
ing his hut while the huge policeman
gripped his left arm remained with
Brenda like a persistent nightmare that
survives the dawn. The conventional
courtesy stuck in her mind. It was a
little picture of the old days, the time
of small pleasures and easy living, so
sharply brought to an end. Every
thing in life had suddenly become dif
ficult. Words must be weighed and
oue'a conduct guided by a plan, not left
to mold Itself Into the forms of mere
usage. And thus she came to think of
what she should do and say at the hos
pital. How meet the emergencies that
might arise? Had Elsie regained her
senses? Had she spoken, or did she lie
dead at that moment in some small,
bare room, watched by a stolid nurse
who yawued and stretched herself as
the day's work drew to a close? A por
trait in a velvet frame—Elsie's mother
beyond a doubt—recurred sharply to
Brcndu's memory, and she shuddered.
It had stood on the dressing table—a
woman uot yet old a pretty, smiling
face. It was dreadful to think of that
face smiling there all that afternoon,
the, eyes looking, yet seeing uotblng,
the lips unable to utter a cry.
"I must put it out of my mind," said
Brenda to herself.
At the hospital there was little to be
learned uothing to be done. An elder
ly man who seemed to be in authority
said: "The child Is still living. We
cannot predict the ultimate result of
the injury as yet. You cannot see her
nor send any message. Leave your ad
dress, and we will communicate with
you in accordance with the eveut,
whatever It may be. It will be useless
to wait. If you are able to see her at
all, there will be no great pressure of
time."
Brenda rode to her home, and as the
cab drifted through the clamoring
whirlpools of the Avenue she was
thinking that the white haired man
had spoken almost tenderly of Elsie as
"the child."
There was no mother In the Maclane
mansion. She had been dead ten
years. There was an aunt, an amiable
old lady for whom Brenda entertained
no little affection, but In the serious
affairs of life she would as readily
have taken counsel with her brother,
who was not yet 12. Her father, for
so strong a man as he was in the
world of llnance, was a weak man at
home. He had no gift of sympathy, a
deficiency which may have accounted
for both the strength and the weak
ness. Brenda told him the story of
her adventures as It bus been here set
forth, and he received It with painful
surprise and lively alarm.
"Why did you go there?" he ex
claimed. "What possible interest
could you have in this wretched girl?"
"My dear father," she replied, with
an excellent counterfeit of a smile,
"let me remind you that my affection
for Mr. Alden has been the one sin
cere emotion of a sadly artificial life.
When I saw that terrible story, the
first feeling I had was sympathy ror
Clarence. I wanted to do something
for him, and I couldn't think of any
thing else but to go to her."
"The papers will be full of it!" he
groaned. "I have always been afraid
of Alden. You know 1 could never
reconcile myself to him."
"I remember that you always ad
mired him," said she.
"A good many people admire him,"
exclaimed tbe old gentleman Impa
tiently, "and they're all afraid of him.
He is a headlong, reckless, unsafe
man, and 1 never should have per
mitted you to become engaged to
him."
Brenda smiled without effort this
time. She knew, that her will would
f?S«
isiirtfi
sfig
her ratlier's in any oonuiet.
an.I that lie would permit her to have
her own way to the end of the story.
"I am not engaged to him any more,"
said she, and her father admitted cor
dially that that was something to be
thankful for.
"He has behaved most dishonorably
to you," he added.
"I have no complaint to make of Mr.
Alden's conduct," said Brenda. "I
shall not break my heart for him, but
I wish he might have loved me. Let
us go in to dinner."
Mr. Maclane was considerably sur
prised to observe as the meal progress
ed that his daughter ate with a good
appetite. Having a shrewd faculty of
observation, he perceived at last that
Brenda's body was atteudlng to the
whole matter of its own sustenance
and that her mind was elsewhere. As
anxiety rises in intensity the thinking
part of us interferes more and more
with the grosser envelope aud the
processes of enlightened selfishness
therein implanted by nature, but there
conies a point of separation whence
the mind goes its own way and the
body likewise, to the great betterment
of the latter temporarily.
After dinner Brenda and her father
went Into the library, a room of whieli
he made great use for smoking, much
preferring it to the apartment especial
ly designed for the indulgence of that
pernicious habit.
Brenda fell at once into deep thought,
and her father, after several futile at
tempts to talk with her, sat down by a
desk and endeavored to occupy himself
with certain household accounts. He
was a man of large frame and little
flesh, rather handsome in a mildly
aquiline style and with eyes like Bren
da's, but gentler and with more of the
blue tint in them. There was some
thing womanish about him, hard to
trace, but probably in his manner al
together and not in his looks. A nerv
ous Irritability made utter trifles tragic
for him. Everything worried him more
or less. At the desk there, as he put
tered with the accounts, bis pen fell
from the rest where he had placed It,
and he picked it up, with a groan.
His pleasures were few. His home
was something to him his pride, of va
rious kinds, a staff to lean upon. He
had considerable affection for his son
and rather more for Brenda. He
thanked God dally that her health was
so good but, even so, he was always
afraid that it might fall.
His chief joy in life was a business
journey. He could get nothing out of a
pleasure trip because of the obvious
waste of time. But to be one of three
or four moderately congenial men ab
solutely forced to travel, preferably In
some one's private car, perhaps to see
a bit of industrial property in the west
or even no farther than Washington
when there was a bill affecting busi
ness interests before congress—turn
was genuine relaxation. It was neces
sary to go, and the responsibility for
getting there was on the engineer in
the cab ahead. One might smoke a
good cigar meanwhile and speak of
small matters. When one has reached
a certain stage of nervousness, It is
"Permit mc to conaMcr the legal aspcct
of the
CU8C."
more tranqullizing to ride C5 biiles an
hour under another man's guidance
than to sit still at home as a result of
one's own volition.
To Brenda and her father in the li
brary entered Willett, the butler, with
a troubled countenance. It appeared
that two men desired to sec Miss Mac
lane and that their names were Barnes
and Haggerty.
"They mentioned a Captain Neale,
miss," said the butler, "presuming to
any that you'd understand."
Brenda rose hastily.
"They have come to take me to the
hospital," she said. "Tell them I will
be ready In a few minutes, and see
about the carriage."
"Are these people policemen?" de
manded Mr. Maclaue.
"Well, sir, I took them to bo what
they call ward detectives," ventured
the butler, "aud I dropped the hint to
James that he'd do well to keep an eye
on them. There's thiugs in the small
reception room, sir, as would go into a
man's pocket."
"You did quite right, Willett," said
Mr. Maclane. "Brenda, my child, I
suppose It's entirely useless"—
"Absolutely. I must go," she said.
"Then I must go, too," he groaned.
But Brenda put a firm veto upon this
proposal.
"It Is wholly unnecessary," she said.
"With my maid and James I shall not
be afraid, even if these men are all
that Willett says they are. There will
be the coacliuiau aud groom besides.1
Her father came up to her and touch
ed the diamond ornament which Bhe
wore at her throat.
"I would not put unnecessary tempta
tion In the way of the weak," he said,
with an attempt ut levity. "Some of
these fellows are said to be very ex
pert."
Brenda gave the pin to her father
and also removed a ring of more than
ordinary value, which she knotted up in
a handkerchief and thrust Into the
bosom of her dress. Her maid entered
at this momcut with such things as
were necessary to prepare Brenda for
the ride.
After his daughter's departure Mr.
Maclane paced the floor of the library
for a long hour In restless anxiety.
Then he received a telephone message
from Brenda informing him that she
bad learned that Mr. Alden was still
detained at the police station, which
was an Injustice not to be overlooked
by his friends. The financier then un
derstood wb£ he had bee& left at
home. As a result of Brenda's pres
entation of the case Mr. Maclane CAIV
ed upon his. lawyer, who was a near
neighbor, and the two men rode down
to the station house In a cab. stopping
at a club on the way to cash a check.
Upon giving their names to the ser
geant at the desk in the station they
were ushered into tbe captain's room,
where, to their surprise, they found
botli the officer and his prisoner. Neale
was sitting by a desk in the corner.
He had the cramped look and the dull
eye of a man who has neither moved
nor spoken In a long time. Half a
cigar with a ragged end was between
his lips, aud It seemed to have been
driven lu with a hammer. Any one
who had known Neale for ten years
would have said that this was the
same cigar he bad always been smok
ing. There was a tradition that be
had uever been seen to light a fresh
one. I
Alden was standing by a barred win
dow looking out into a narrow, dark
court, with a dead wall on the op
posite side. There was nothing to at
tract a rational man's eye, but Alden
continued to stare even after Maclane
and the lawyer entered the room. He
turned, however, when Captain Neale
greeted the two men Vy name. At the
sight of Alden's face Maclane, who
was advancing toward him, stopped
short It is not the barrier between
them which keeps the spectator in the
menagerie from intruding upon tbe
privacy of the caged tiger it is tbe
look In tbe creature's eye.
"Good evening, sir," said Alden
quietly. "I am surprised to see you
here."
Maclane started at the sound of the
voice it was so different from what he
expected.
"My daughter told me there was
some sort of trouble," he began.
"It was very kind of her," satd Al
den.
You probably heard that Mr. Alden
was under arrest," said the captain.
"That Isn't BO. He's held as a witness.
There's no charge against him. He
aud I had a little disagreement about
what was the right thing for blm to do.
You see, be doesn't understand my po
sition. I'm held accountable In these
cases. But I don't want to make no
trouble for no man," he went on, with
that profusion of negatives which is
often an ornament of his language in
moments of earnestness, "and if I
could see a decent way of letting him
go without getting myself Into trouble,
why, Td be glad to oblige him and his
friends."
"Permit me to consider tbe legal as
pect of the case," said the lawyer, sit
ting upon a corner of the table that
was In the middle of the room and fac
ing Neale, while the others were be
hind him.
There was silence of half a minute,
and then tbe lawyer got upon his feet
It seems to be perfectly simple," be
said at last.
If you say so. that settles it," re
plied Neale, rising and walking toward
the door. "Sorry to have troubled you,
Mr. Alden. Good night."
And he bowed as the three men
walked out, Maclane weak and trem
bling with excitement, Alden perfectly
mechanical. As they passed the ser
geant's desk the lawyer discovered
that he had left bis cane in the cap
tain's voom, and he returned. He was
absent about nvu tntuuvco, ttl 11*1/
ration of which time be joined Maclane
upon the sidewalk. Alden was not
Ikere.
He has gone to the hospital In our
cab," said Maclane. "The man Is In a
trance. He scarcely spoke ten words.
What detained you?'
"The captain was showing me a
present that he had just bought for his
little boy." replied the lawyer. "It's
one of those Iron banks. 'That'll make
him thrifty, like his father,' said the
captain. So, to encourage the child,"
sinking his voice to a whisper, "I put
$300 Into the bank while the captain
was looking out of the window. Per
haps you didn't notice that I counted
some of my fingers as I sat on the cor
ner of the table uot so many as I had
expected, but Neale was really glad to
get rid of him. Ifs the easy way all
around."
"Only $300!" exclaimed Maclane.
'Well, that teas easy."
CHAPTER V.
THE PATIENT AT ST. WINIFRED'S.
N the way to St Win
ifred's with Brenda
Mr. Barnes and Mr.
Haggerty exerted
themselves to be en
tertaining. By way
of opening a conver
sation and showing
that personal interest which a lady al
ways appreciates Mr. Barnes mention
ed the singular circumstance that be
happened to know a man who bad seen
Miss Maclane that afternoon. He won
dered whether MIBS Maclane could
guess where it was that this man had
seen her. Upon Brenda's acknowledg
ing that she was unable to solve this
riddle Mr. Barnes kindly gave her a
clew.
"If you could remember where you
were at precisely ten minutes to 3," he
said, "why, that would settle it."
Brenda smiled at the great astute
ness of Mr. Barnes, but she declined to
be led into a review of her movements
that afternoon. Mr, Haggerty then
struck into the conversation with tbe
remark that it was curious how people
could forget where they had been, and
he lustanced the case of a young lady
who had lost an excellent alibi in a
criminal affair through the error of not
taking the police Into her confidence
at an early stage of the proceedings,
while the facts were fresh in her mlud.
Brcuda suggested that perhaps the
lady did not fully trust the police,
whereupon Mr. Barnes asserted warm
ly that that was the greatest mistake
possible to a human being.
"Always trust the police," he said.
"Guilty or innocent, it's the only thing
to do."
At the hospital It became immedi
ately evident that Barnes and Hagger
ty had encountered a mysterious and
formidable obstacle. They were about
to accompany Brenda Into the recep
tion room, and she had begun to fear
that they might never leave her while
she remained in the building, but for
some inscrutable reason they vanished,
and Brenda's last glimpse showed
them obviously crestfallen.
She had been somewhat lightened In
spirits by the absurd comedy played
by these dull wlttcd men. It had end
ed, however, and the real significance
of the drama again asserted itself.
The reception room of St. Winifred's
Is lofty and bare, and there was a chill
air In It even on that sultry June even
ing. Brenda observed that the place
inspired her two companions with a
vague terror. The maid was seized
with a visible trembling, and the stal
wart JameB shifted bis heavily shod
feet upon the floor, arousing singular
ly loud echoes that seemed to affect
him unpleasantly.
Tne attendant who had shown them
In returned after Bome minutes' ab
sence with two men, one of whom
Brenda bad seen in the hnll as they en
tered. He was the typical hospital phy-
"JiiM Maclane!" she cried in a tceah
voice.
slclan of the popular conception. Bren
da noted only that he wore spectacles
and that bis upper lip was very thin
and rigid. In his companion Brenda
was rejoiced to recognize a young doc
tor of her acquaintance, Sumner Ken
dall. She advanced hastily, with ex
tended hand.
"Dr. Kendall," she exclaimed, "I had
no idea you were connected with St
Winifred's. I have come to see Miss
Miller. Is she conscious? What has
she said?"
Tbe physician seemed to be laboring
under considerable embarrassment He
took Brenda's hand with a quick, nerv
ous movement, and he clasped It hard
er than the forms of polite society per
mit. But he did not meet the young
lady's eye.
"Our patient is conscious," he said.
"She has an excellent chance of recov
ery. Indeed under ordinary circum
stances there would be small cause for
alarm. To our great surprise, we flnd
that she does not know who inflicted
tbe wound. It may be only a lapse of
memory due to shock, but I myself fear
that she will never be able to answer
the question."
"She does not know?" echoed Brenda.
"You must understand," said Ken
dall, "that the assailant stood behind
her. He, whoever it may have been, Is
supposed to have entered the room
while Miss Miller was out on the bal
cony. I have had the place accurately
described to me. In the corner of the
room near the eastern window there is
quite a large closet Perhaps you no
ticed It"
Brenda inclined her head.
"The assassin may have hidden him-
self there," Kendall continued. "Miss
Miller remembers stepping into the
room through that eastern window,
and she knows nothing of what hap
pened between that moment and the
time of her awakening here."
"She will live," said Brenda. "She
will remember some day."
"She can never remember what she
did not observe," replied Kendall. "It
may be that she neither saw nor heard
the assassin. As to the wound, I hard
ly know what to say. The knife enter
ed between the first and second ribs
and passed downward very close to the
most impossible to inflict such a
wound. The assassin must have been
singularly Ignorant of anatomy to
strike downward at such a spot, for the
chances were a thousand to one that
the bony structure would protect the
vital parts. The knife should have
cleared the first rib and hit fairly
against the second. But it happens that
Miss Miller received an Injury on this
precise spot years ago, as a result of
which the first rib is somewhat de
pressed. Thus the murderer was favor
ed by an extraordinary chance. His
Idea was, first, to escape being seen by
her, and, second, to strike at the front
of tbe body while standing behind In
order to avoid the blood that must fol
low the blow. Having struck, he un
doubtedly supposed that he had reach
ed the heart and only a miracle pre
vented. Our ambulance surgeon believ
ed that the wall of the heart was punc
tured aud that a clot of blood was stop
ping the wound, as happens once In a
million times. That is not the case. Not
only did tbe knife miss the heart, but
It missed the arteries In a way that on
ly divine Providence can account for.
So the first effusion of blood was not
followed by the fatal drain that might
have been expected. Do I make myself
clear?"
"I understand enough," said Brenda.
"I know that she may recover, and I
thank God with all my soul."
There was a pause, during which
Kendall's embarrassment, that had
been less noticeable while his mind was
bent upon a description of Elsie's In
Jury, once more asserted Itself. Brenda
observed that his face was flushed and
his forehead moist and she was puz
zled.
"Have you told her that I am here?'
she asked. "Docs she wish to see me?"
"Wo have not mentioned It" he re
plied, "but you need have no hesita
tion. We have given her a very nice
room," he hurried on. "You'll flnd
that everything in tbe world is being
done for her. Shall we go In?"
The other physician then came for
ward, and Brenda gave him her hand,
though Kendall, In the extremity of his
embarrassment, forgot to utter the
form of presentation.
A straight and long corridor, the
longest, as It seemed to Brenda, that
mortal architect had ever designed, led
rearward to the part of the building in
which Miss Miller had been sequester
ed. Kendall led the way, and his col
league walked behind. For the third
time that day Brenda experienced the
sensation of surrendering her volition.
The hospital became a prison she was
being marched to some deep cell be
yond the reach of rescue or the light of
day. Then, in a moment, she saw Dr.
Kendall open a door and step back that
she might pass before him.
Brenda's first glance happened to fall
directly upon the face of the patient,
and she caunot truly be said to have
seen anything else lu the room. The
bed was only an indistinct splash of
white. The bare walls, the plainly
curtained window, the nurse in profile,
motionless as a figure on tapestry, en
tered into the feeling, but not Into the
view of the scene. She beheld only
that sweet and sad little face, so pret
ty, so maidenly and tender. And the
real essence of this despicable crime,
the Inconceivable inhumanity of it,
seemed to speak straight to Brenda's
heart In that language of nature which
Is without words.
Elsie's brown eyes opened wide.
They had been half closed, and she
had beeu looking at heaven knows
what nothing In that room surely,
nothing that ever had been anywhere
perhaps. They "turned to Brenda with
utter surprise.
"Mlss.M&cl&ne!" she cried in a weak
voice but distinct as the tone of a little
6UVer bell. "You have come to see
mql How kind Of you!" Then sudden
ly^Why did yofiTdo it?"
Brenda sank upon her khees beside
the bed and took Elsie's hand.
"It was an Impulse—a mere Impulse,"
she said "but 1 am very glad came.
I am so Borry for you. I am a good
nurse. I have been taught Will you
let me stay here with you until you are
well?"
Two tears gathered In Elsie's eyes
nnd glided slowly down her cheeks.
Her lip quivered like a child's.
"I shan't get well," she said. "I dou't
want to."
And then the tears came very fast.
CHAI'TElt VI.
AN AHOI'MKNT
FOIt
THE
DEFENSE^
VJTi
iyyjHEN one is in the val
j,.y
0f
tlio shadow,
age and experience
m:y furnish many
reasons for desiring
to go farther In pref
erence to returning.
As a rule, however,
these reasons are swallowed up In the
Instinct of living and lu the Interest
pne takes In one's own struggle with
:be dark angel. A physician will hear
many people say that they do not
tvisb to recover, but most of them will
wait until after the danger Is over be
fore giving utterance to words which
the supernal powers may take too seri
ously.
Dr. Kendall was not In the least pre
pared to hear such an expression from
this particular patieut. He would have
said that she was one who enjoyed
life, every minute of it. Certainly she
was as full of natural vitality as a
young fawn In the woods. Plainly
Brenda was at least as much surprised
as Kendall, and the physician awaited
her response with critical interest. If
she should ask an explanation or offer
an argument, it would show that she
had not the Instinct of the nurse. It
was in the nature of an examination,
and Brenda passed it with great credit.
"If you will tell me I may stay," she
said, "I will do something that will
make you feel much better."
"You know that I want you to stay,"
said Elsie. "It was very, very good
of you to come, and 1 thank you tru
ly."
"Such being the case," replied Bren
da, "I am going to fix your hair. One
moment, while I make myself ready.
And now," she added, "don't move
not a muscle. See, 1 can reach it with
out the slightest trouble."
And with cool and steady hands she
arranged the brown masses in which
there lurked a Btrauge glow like red
gold In the sun. It was cleverly done.
Elsie felt the caressing bands, but they
were so deft that not a tremor reached
the wound. Dr. Kendall, observing
closely, nodded bis bead as one who
considers a question satisfactorily set
tled.
"Such beautiful hair!" said Brenda.
"You must be very vain of It"
But Elsie averred that she did not
care for dark hair it was so common.
She would much rather have Brenda's.
"The entente cordiale is now fully es
tablished," said Kendall. "Miss Mac
lane, the patient is in your hands. I
shall expect her to be playing golf In
about a week. It won't be necessary
for you to assist me any further. Dr.
Johnson," he coutinued, addressing his
colleague. "I will Join you In my
"Johnson' uowea—mav r-
Dr. Kendall took a seat by the bed,
and without appearing to do anything
particularly important lie determined
with great thoroughness the condition
of his patient. Not all that he observed
would be comprehensible by a layman.
The most conspicuous feature in the
case was the improvement of Elsie's
spirits. She spoke cheerfully to Bren
da and seemed to have ucquired In so
short a tluie a certain dependence up
on her. Then, almost as she was speak
ing, her eyes closed, her bauds upon
the white coverlet relaxed, and she fell
UBleep.
Kendall and Brenda watched her In
silence for a moment while the profes
sional nurse, who had remained In at
tendance, adjusted the shades upon the
electric lights.
"While she sleeps," whispered Bren
da, "I would like to telephone to my
father. Dr. Johuson told me that Mr.
Alden is probably still held at the sta
tion. He must be or he would be here.
My father must try to secure his re
lease. By the way, of course Miss Mil
ler asked for him?"
"For Mr. Alden? Yes," replied Ken
dall.
"What did you tell her?"
"We said that he had sent all sorts of
kind messages and that he received
constant reports from us, but that she
must not ask to see him before tomor
row."
"Did she plead to see him at ouce?"
asked Brenda.
Kendall hesitated for a moment while
they were passiug silently out of the
room.
"Miss Miller is a very obedient pa
tient," be said. "No one could give
less trouble."
"Well?" rejoined Brenda. "Please
proceed."
"I don't quite understand."
"You have something more to say."
"It occurred to me." said Kendall
slowly, "that she exhibited less anxie
ty to see Mr. Alden than 1 should have
expected."
This statement seemed to furnish
Brenda with abundaut food for
thought. She said nothing as they
traversed the long corridor, and Ken
dall also was silent. After Brenda
had sent the message to her father
she conferred with Kendall in regard
to her remaining in the hospital us
Elsie's nurse aud then dispatched her
maid under .lames* escort for such
things as she would need.
The departure of the servants left
Brenda and Kendall alone in the re
ception room.
"I wish you would tell me more
about Miss Miller." said she. "I can-
1
not understand why she should not
have wished to see Mr. Alden."
I "I did not say that," responded Ken
dall. "It wai her mauner that struck
me as peculiar."
"She seems as uuaffected and impul
sive as a child," said Brenda. "I can
Imagine her asking for Mr. Alden as
naturally as if he bad been a drink of
water."
"That is precisely what she did not
do," said the doctor. "Let me tell you
just what happened. When she was
brought to the hospital, she was uu
COUBCIOUS. For certain reasons we
took her to the room where she now
is, though that would not have been
the ordinary course. While I was
making my first examination of the
wound she began to revive, nnd I be
lieve that she regained the full com
mand of her faculties within a few
mluutes. It is not always possible to
say just when a patient's mind be
comes effectually clear, but I am per
fectly sure that Miss Miller's was wide
awake some little time before she
chose to let that fact appear.
"You must remember that we over*
estimated the gravi.y of the wound
and iDdeed were the worst
at any moment. Couriering the na
ture of the nsp. !i \us Important to
question her luiur '.lately. I asked
her who hail InfiirteJ the Injury, nnd
I know that she heard nnd understood
mc ns well as yon lo now, but she
made no slcn. After her first view of
the place, which she must have recog
nized ns room In a hospital, she
closed her eyes, and I think It must
have been a matter of five minutes
before she opened them."
"Thinking," suiii Uremia, "thinking,
thinking. Poor child:"
"Tliun^li t:Ue is obviously abnormally
sensitive to pain." Kendall continued,
"she bore what had to be done with the
fortitude of a Christian martyr. I
mcde up uiy mind after awhile that a
minn le had protected her and that she
had a chance to survive therefore I
ceased to ask questions, deciding to let
her take her own time. When she
spoke. It was not In reply to me, a:nl
she seemed to nddress no one. 'I a,n
going to die,' she said, and then she be-
Kendall and Brenda watched her
Icncc for a moment
gan to.cry very softly, as you saw her
a few mluutes ago. I replied that I did
not think so, but she shook her head,
murmuring something about the grief
of her mother, who could not come in
time to see her. 1 asked for her moth
er's address and was Informed by a
police sergeant who had just been ad
mitted to the room, coming under or
ders from Captain Neale, that Mrs.
Simmons, the landlady, had telegraph
ed to Mrs. Miller.
"The sergeant then came lumbering
up to the side of the bed armed with a
notebook and a pencil. Without wait
ing for him to put a single question
Miss Miller told her story of the crime
as I told it to you. She had stepped
out upon the veranda and had almost
Immediately re-entered the room by
the eastern wiudow. She neither saw
nor heard auy one. Beyond a confused
memory of a sharp and terrible paug,
sudden, unexpected and probably mean
ingless, because the mind Is darkened
before it can comprehend, Bhe can re
call nothing. There was very little for
the sergeant to put down in his note
book."
"Did he believe her?" asked Brenda.
"Yes I think the sergeant did," re
plied Kendall, with a slight emphasis
on the noun. "At least the only indica
tion of doubt he gave me was to ask
me In the corridor afterward whether
iha -mauml-^iQHlfl Imi'o self inflict
ed. I told him to dismiss the idea, anT
he seemed to have no difficulty In do
ing so. It is not, at the first glance, a
physical impossibility, but practically
It is precisely that."
"Suppose she should say that she did
It," said Brenda.
"With apologies to Miss Miller," re
sponded Kendall, "I must tell you that
that would not affect my opinion in
the least. If she has any desire to
shield the guilty, she cannot do It In
that way."
Breuda's keen gray eyes searched the
physician's face.
"Do you believe that?" she demanded.
"Frankly," said Kendall, "my opin
ion is that Miss Miller knows perfectly
well who did this deed."
"And her motive for coucealment?"
"I leave that to her own heart," was
the reply. "Yet It would seem that
there could be but one."
"A motive of the heart," said Brenda.
"Do you realize that this amounts to
an accusation?"
"Then let us uot spea': of It auy
more," said Kendall. "Let us get back
to Mr. Alden."
"We have already done BO," she said
but the doctor would not be drawn
Into such an admission.
"After the police officer had gone."
he resumed. "Miss Miller asked mo
whether a note addressed to her had
been found In her room. I answered
yes, and then she inquired whether
Mr. Alden had been informed of her
misfortuue. Fearing to excite her, 1
substituted tor the truth the fiction
that I Just outlined to you. aud my
poor little patieut merely sighed. She
did not ask when she could see Mr.
Alden nor mention his name again
in any connection."
"From whlcli you Infer"—
"Nothing whatever," Insisted Ken
dall.
"You do uot trust me." said Brenda.
not without bitterness. "You believe
Mr. Alden guilty of this frightful crime,
and you dare uot say so in my pres
ence for fear that 1 may uot be dls
creet aud you may be put Into an un
pleasant position."
"I could scarcely be put into a posi
tion more unpleasant than this oue,"
said Kendall earnestly. "1 waut to
tell you the exact truth about—about
everything that I kuow or imagine,
and It Is deadly hard to do It when
you look at me as if I were an enemy.
This is as near as I can come to an
accurate expression: Miss Miller's man
ner convluces me that she Is shielding
the a^iassln, and there is uo known
reason why she should shield any one
else than Mr. Alden."
"But why not take the perfectly easy
alternative that she is telliug the
truth?"
"I will," said Kendall, "if you wish
me to."
"I am very serious," said Brenda.
"This Is a promise you arc makiug?"
"It Is," replied Kendall, his face
flushed and his voice uot quite steady.
"It Is my word of houor given to you,
and so twice sacred as the word of
a friend," he added. "You were good
enough to say that we were frleuds
two years ago."
[TO HE CONTINUED.]
Wbat'a In a Name?
Voltaire under a fictitious name of
fered to the Comedle Prancaise a play
entitled "Le Droit du Seigneur." It
was promptly rejected aB badly writ
ten and j)Oor lu rliyme. but \vlien lie
offered the name manuscript a second
time under the title of "L'Eeuell du
Sage" and signed wltli his own name it
was accepted with enthusiasm aud unl'
versally declared admirable.
Depend on yourself. A knowledge of
now to swim Is better than to expect
somebody will be at hand to throw you
a life preserver in case of accident
National Magazine.
Stop It.
A neglected cough or cold may lead
to serious bronchial or lung troubles.
DopVtake chances when .Foley's Honey
aud Tar affords perfect secusity from
serious effects of a cold. Denton «fe
Ward,
An old fool Is always more foolish
tban a young fool.—Chicago Daily
News,
Tbe prevention of consumption is en
tlrely a question of commencing the
proper treatment in time. Nothing is
so well adapted to ward off fatal lung
troubles as Foley's Honey and Tar.
Denton & Ward.
The swimming instructor is apt to te
Immersed in business.—Chicago Daily
News.
Pneumonia and LaQrippe
Coughs cured quickly by Foley's
Honey and Tar. Refuse substitutes
!pnton A Word.
Long sermons are sometimes referred
to as clerical errors.—Chicago Daih
News.
Fatal kidney and bladder troubles
cnnalwayRbe prevented by the use of
K"lej's Kidney Cure. Denton & Wsrd.
A convalescent patient 1B one who
has outwitted his physician.—Chicago
Dally News.
A Life at Stake.
If you but knew the splendid merits
ot Foley's Honey and Tar you would
never be without it. A dose or two will
t*reY?nt an attack of pneumonia or !a
irlppe. Itmayeave your life. Den
ton & Ward.
When American meets Greek the
chances are he can't read it.—Chicago
Daily News.
#i-
Children Poisoned.
Many children are poisoned and
made nervous and weak, if not killed
out right, by mothers giving them
cough syrups containing opiates.
Foley's Honey and Tar is a safe and
certain remedy for croup and
lung troubles, and
IBcoughs,
the only promln
ent cough medicine that contains no
opiates or other poisons.—Denton &
Ward.
Always do the best you can Qnd let
others think aB they will.—Chicago
Dally News.
In Bed Four Weeks With La Grippe
We have received the following letter
from Mr. Rey Kemp, of Angola', Ind.
"I was in bed four weeks with la grippe
and 1 trl*d many remedies and speut
considerable for treatment with physic
ians, but I received no relief until I
tried Foley's Honey and Tar. Two
small bottleB of this medicine curcd me
and I now use it exclusively in my
family." Take no substitute. Denton
& Ward.
Beauty is a delusion and a snare—es
pecially to women who lack it.—Chica
go Dally News.
The many frieuds of U. H. Huu
san, Engineer LE&W H, at pres
ent living in Lima, Ot will be pleased
to know of his recovery from threaten
ed kidney disease. He writes, "I was
cunrauj
uBTDfc ruicy-D-Kiaucj ru.*,
which 1 recommend to all, especially
trainmen who are usually similarly ef
flcted." Denton & Ward.
Improvtmer.t of Coin.
"Uucle Henry" Wallace,is devoting a
g«" deal of space In his paper, Wal
laces' Farmer to the improvement of
Iowa Torn. He calls attention to the
fact that while the Iowa Farmer has
been improving his live stock for twen
ty years and more he has given very
little attention to tbe great Iowa crop,
corn. Among the ninny articli which
have appeared in Wallace's Farmer ou
this subject has bten a ferlas I'rof.
Shame), of lllinolp, the coin e*p*rt,
and these are illoMrated by number
of photographs lowing dilfrrnut va
rieties of corn, perfect aud imperfect
ears, tbe IUOBC profitable to raise, etc.
The average Iowa farmer thinks l.c
knows as much about corr HB
^oes but wemiBH our guess if he' can
uot learn a lot from these articles in
Wallaces' Farmer.
In this contioetion visli to pay
that WallHceK' Farmer is ot.«* oi I he
bfl-i leriniiltunil papers that comes to
this ofiice. It i» handpomfiy printed on
jMp*»r of fine quality, filled with at
ractlve illuMrations,* er in addition
t'» its regular 'matures, its editorials by
4
Uncle Henry," its departments of
I'oirylng, Horticulture, the Hog and
Poultry, It8 Home Department, f»r the
women cootatn* full repotU nf the
leading fairs, ilv» stock shows, and
sales, aericultural meetings, etc. It is
I
ublished weekly a*
A Profitable Investment.
'1 was troubled for about seven yean
with ray stomach and in bed half
lime," say* E Demick, Somerville, lnd.
"I speft om Sl.UOO *ml never could
Hiiythiugto liblp me until 1 tried
Kodol Dyspe sia I'ure. have taken a
i»w bottles aud am entirely well." You
don't live by what you eat,but bv what
Y«u digest BDd assimilate. If your
stomach doesn't digest your food you
are really starving. Kodol Dyspepsia
'ure does the stomach's work by digest
''ar the food. You don't have to dirt
R*t all you want. Kodol Dyspepsia
Mire curee all stomach troubles.-Smith
IVos.
Tickihrg Vilnius Visit
The Old Battle Grounds
AND THE
NEW ORLEANS MARDI GRAS
Tbe surviving veterans of tho Campalgu ftbd
8'cgo of Vtckfcburff, uud liolr frlonds. will rejoice
to kuow that tbe 1 linois Ceut'-al I'ai'road Ctiin
my wlU run a low rate excursion to the New
.Vl-ans Mardt (iras, with a two night-* aud a
uy btopoverat VlckbburK. leaving Chicago at
U:io p. in. Tuesday
February 4th. Doth Stundard
I'uhinun and Excursion Sleepers will be run
(mm Chicago to Now Orleans, and the price per
double bi rth, whether occupied by o^e or two
people will be $8 COin the standard and fcUO in
the excursion sleepers.
Applications for berths should be made to the
undersigned at Dubuque, accompanied by tho
price of same, ou or before, Januat 28.
The railroad fare from Manchester to Now
Orleans aud return will be 929.46. tickets cood to
return until February 15th. and they may bo ex
tended at New Orleans until Kebniary '28th.
This will be a great trip, and every veteran,
every son and daughter of a veteran, and every
body else who wants a good tim-», should at
oaoe apply for their sleeping car accominodutlous
from Chicago.
The price of berths as quoted above Includes
the two nights at Vtokaburg. acid tbls special
excursion will arrive at New Orleans, Friday
morning, February 7th, In ample time to secure
r.Mtms at nominal prices, aud to tako in the at
tractions lu and about the olty before the Carol*
val of fun and frollo that begins Monday mor
ning. February loth. Write the undersigned at
ouce for a
copy of "Historical Vloksburg." "Sur
vivors of the Vlcksburg Campaign," and tbe
"Tourist Guide to New Orleans.
J. F.MERRY,
tieul PaM
Agent,
TDuhuquo,Iowa,
m. DONNELLY. M. D.
Physician and Surgeon.
Proprietor ot toe
Ryan Drug Store.
Dealer In
Drugs, Stationery, Etc
A N I O W A
Mill
STATE BANK
Manchester, Iowa.
CAPITAL $60,000
OFFICER8
WM. 0. CAWLEY, CHAS. J. BKEDst
President. Cashier
R. W. TIllRIL, C. W. KEAOY.
Vice President, Ass't- Cashier
DIRECTORS 3*?-
S^°ir8^"Y-
H'
ARNOLD.
W. t». KKN\ON. H, W TIKHILL
KDWAKD V. SER 0 \V IHJMIAM
CHAS. J. SEEDS. M. WIL\ 8*1ON
C. W. KEAUY,
Interest Paid on Time Deposits.
Prompt attention Riven to ail business. Pas
eenger tickets from aud to all parts oi Eur
ope direct to Mauchubter, for sale.
Long Time Mortgage Loans Made,
Bought and Sold.
SAFETY DEPOSIT BOXES
For the storage of valuable papers,
etc. for rent.
Banking
House
Henrv Hutchinson
HutchlMSn'i Building. Manchester, loin
CAPITAL, S7Q.OOO
JOSEPH HUTCHINSON, Cashier.
COLLECTIONS
Fxoaaptiy
DEPOSITS
on Time, Interest Al­
lowed and oiber deposits received.
DRAFTS
BOM OD New York, Chicago
ana iJuoui, if: niBoon Ureal Britain and Ire
land i\n bit rfsr-Ciilcs.
TICKETS—sold to ana from all European
ports via Cunard. or Allen or White Star Steam
ship Hues,
Compound Vapor and Sham
ooo Baths.
Most all dis
eases are caused
by poisonous sec
rotione, which
clog the wheels
of NATURE.
Bahts
Vapor
Tho name and
arl
,t the symptoms
*2 inuy bo different
Shampoo,
but
lho
cause of
dlseiisu can us
ually bo tracod
lo tin- notion ol tho millions
of pores of tho haman body. A bath In
accordance with scientific require
inunts the best pr.-vi-ntativo and
remedy known. Thi: methods employ
od by me are the scientific ever
invented or dlwovei. 'or dispelling
disease. Results tell i.tio Jtory. Give
me a trial. This is the Conant system
Office and bath rooms on Franklin
•treot, opposite Globo 0ou»l.
6,f
G. d. ©i\r^u,
Benr\ Ruiehinson
or re
Shc/thorn Cait?e,
JOSFI'H HUTCHINSt N
Manoboster, Iowa.
M.P.LEltOY rrest. II. A. Ult\i:sOKU Cashier
H, A. VON OVEV. Asst. COHhler i:
A. H. BLAK!\ isl. V. President-
II. 0. HAKBEKLE. 2nd. V. President,
BANK.
MANCHESTER. IOWA.
CAPITAL.
.... A
l)eB
Mofnes, Iowa*
'»i SI CO a year, nil pubsrriptions pay
able in advance and the paper stops
hen the time is out. we can send
Wallaces' Farmer and the Democrat
hot*- one yenr for only 2.25 and you get
•ue ot our nice premiums. Apply at
he Democrat office.
$50,000
Canerai
Banking
Business
Tmntuicied,
interest Paid on Time Deposits.
SAFETY DEPOSIT BOXES
FOH KENT.
P1RBCTORS.
it. h. Hoblnuon. M. F. LeRoy.
Al.Carr, M. Beehler,
A. Orange*. A. U. Blake.
II. A. von Oven, W. 0. Haoberie.
L. 1.. Iloyt,
CO£*£H563rCXT:DaS3H,XS.
First National Bank. Dubuque, Iowa
Ci-utral National Bank Now Yuri: City
Commercial National Hank. Chum&o- Ills.
J^
V- hen you want
Fine Furniture
AT
Fair Prices
GO To
Werkmeister's
•M'
AT
Earlville.
Undertaking Solicited.
F. WERKMEISTEK,
Earlville, Iowa