Show 0 V I L J V The House of ot the In b Whispering Pines By Anna Katharine Green 1 PUTNAM'S SONS Copyright 1910 1010 by I I oP P. P London ANNA KATHARINE w York and CHAPTER TER continued dI d. d I i I if ft I had only died that night with wih his eyes upon the tie floor f tere shock of with the tho T- T muscle tense tenso mu lh ce P ho Ji last t calamity Dr crr I wed we'd d suddenly st stretching out one on hand land handt handI clutching nt at tho the table labia and entreaty n t rt at nn with the tM other let Iet mo me go f for ort wit Cr l ht Let Lt mo me think My ty brain Is all aU alli i whirl 1 Ill I'll In try tr- to answer tomoro tomorrow even ven as he spoke ho he realized tho the f fu- fu ti- ti a request His had fallen talen his eye and in It Its shape shapo and andI the tho bottle In iton On on So I label th he beheld a 8 witness bound bund testify against him If I he kept silent lent self t answer answer he w went nt on holding to 10 tho the table but bul lolling his ot other er erd d I 1 was always a tool fool fool 1 im i'm m but a fool tol now I ma may as IS well wel fJ truth troth and be b done wih with I. I It I Inthe In the e clubhouse I did rob the wine IM J MI off tho the bottles to havo O a K- K I did carry car of bottes I and it was to somo some place on road ad I I went wont But when I Ive I've Ive ve 60 SO ra much Ive I've Ive admitted al all I s pt nothing of m my sisters sister's murder saw sw ot what went on In tho rooms tooms n I c crept pt in b by tho the open window She he e r top of the tho kitchen stairs stirs and I 4 out b by the same I only wanted the theM M- M Mand and when I got it It I. I I slid out as J th y as a I could and made mado made my wa way the links golf to the tho road iping the sweat from his bro brow beI he be hed d trembling There was as something in I silence surrounding him which seemed 0 o h heart t l for tor or his free tree rl right ht hand unconsciously to his breast and Sweetwater began to wish self f a million of or miles mies away awny from this J the tho enjoyable part This was not ito work work This was wa the tho part par from l h be always alas shrunk with wih overpower overpower- distaste district attorneys attorney's voice sounded he made mado this piercing as irk Ik b window Why by an nn open Y II go in b by the tho door t the key I had only onty ab- ab b- b tied tim the one which o opens ns the wInet wine winet t t The Tho rut rest I loft left on th the ring It I the te sight eight of ot this ke key lying Ing on our table which first gave mo me the Idea Idoa tl hile a a. cad cd when t 2 think of or It It but bul t no account now All AU 1 I really ral is I for tor you OU to believe bellevo what I Ir you roll abut I 1 wasn't want mixed mie up In that mat mat- r sisters sister's death I didn't know kno 1 t U I wish sh I had h. h Adel Adelaide e might 1 I V been saved we might all al have havo been it I was Q not to be silted bed he slow slowly sank back Into his 1 iNo o complaint now of ot being In a asor Kor sor No or of ot his anxiety to regain his sick lk if I bedside e. e He Ho se seemed med to ha have hae e for for- eth fears ter in the perturbations of ot ment His mind and Interest wore everything else had ha grown dim w with th ee you U try tho to front door dor t ws was the use I knew kew it to be beit bet it t was U the use ule of ot trying tho win win- It I also presumably locked locket tired red mounted hot and feverish te to ok Ir think me no better than tha a st street streetor t or something worse wone ho exI ex- ex 1 I 1 ke knew that window I had heugh gh It I before You con can c move o k with your our knife I haddon had hod hodon don on entering that wa way story stor receives T commented tho the district attorney t lu suddenly dely toward towar the coroner coroners vs s that ho found this window un un- un when he approached it with the f escaping that wa way ur Cumberland rem remained unmoved s 5 district attorney wheeled back iere tere r were wera a number of ot bottles taken the te wine vault vaul some ome halt half bai dozen left ef on tho the kitchen kichen table Why y did trouble yourself to carry earo up so sor sorY r rY Cu o my greed geed outran my U I thought I could I lug lUf away an armit arm- arm it ut t there ther are ar limits to ones one's ability I Ith led ed this th when I 1 remembered how far go g. g and so s left lert tho the greater gater part partem partem em era behind r rhy rby when you had ha a a team rad ready to toI tor I I had no n ten team 4 But the denial him something His Hi cheek chek lost Its Is Iness and took tok on a a sickly white a it did not leave It again t I aln as 1 long as interview lasted Jated ou had hd no team 7 How then did you youG igo go G to reach rech home In time to make maker 11 way r back tac b to Cuthbert road rad by half half- didn't go 10 home I went went straight Ji Vs the tho links golf ir U I fresh snow hadn't i. i you would have seen my tracks la eway eny way to Cuthbert road i fresh snow had hd not fallen we weid id le V have known the whole story stor cf of night before an hour had passed did you ou cat those bottles ln y overcoat pockets These pock pock- pk- pk ibo blurted out clapping capping his hands ither ther side of him ad It begun to snow when you ou left len leftO O 0 o. o a as ru it dark guess ts not the were bright as asor a or rl I shouldn't have got over them as I did Ho How quickly Tho dis- dis attorney stole a glance glanc at nt tho the coro coro- coro Which made Sweetwater r advance a avance from his hi corner dont don't know I understand these ioas lion was wu the sullen Rulen reply thes 31 didn't tu U walk walked d quickly Do Does Des that mean look back ow ow look lok back our elster sister lit a a candle In the small where her coat cat was found This should have hav been visible ble from rom the ln links didn't tee see eo any I light was wa almost rough In these answers t r t I showing himself himsel now at his very ver few more mor questions followed but were ue of or minor Import and aroused violent t feeling The Tho serious portion to Ie e examination If it i thus it ml might hl be bf a I O. O was wa over o and all al parties partes showed reaction which follows all ni unnatural nt aint or subdued excitement 4 coroner glanced glanc- glanc at al the let lt attorney who t tapping with wih his hison ri r o on the table hesitated for tor a mo- mo t before ho finally turned again upon ur Ut Cumberland ou Ott u wish to return to your sister are re re at liberty to do to so 0 I will wi trouble no more tonight Your sleigh is 18 at floor door or I presume Le Ie young man no nodded ed th then n rising ly IY lIOk V looked d first at tho the district titter titter- lt then n at the coroner with wih a glance which inquiry wh ch did not esthe esthe es- es I the watchful e eye of or ng nc In the tho n rear an There wa Wa no rot ang r. r scarcely of ot Impatience in Sn now nowr no If I ho he spoke they did old not hear tand when Wen he moved it was heavily Q a drooping head They watched I to 10 each ach as silent as he The coro- coro tried to 19 speak but succeeded edd no bet bet- i than than an the tho boy by himself himsel When the I under hl his hand they all cod tt relief but were startled back hack into r r forer Ot Tier er attention by his turning sud- sud lc n tho the doorway doray with this redid rei roW re- re W did you ea say pay about abUl a bottle bottlo with aJ i label on u It I being belm found In our se nev never r was as or lf It u it h I wa was some o been ben playing you a trick I led err er those two myself Ono One Onor I see O tere there the tho other S-J S cant can't 11 IsI r tel e but I 1 f didn't take It home That r can un bot t on wn ee i. i fl and OT look lok on k- k followed by a a heavy y hea t a a. a low ow g growling sound In his ch may mY havn been en his way 1111 f goodbye gOodbye nd and bo ho was won gone r r earns came r forward and shut hut the th en tho tho three men drew more ethor and the dl district attorn attorney 41 ii bettt at the house houle I l hadn't r It t on your account Dr Perry to matters futer than a corna com corn What a lout io ho he Is Paron Pardon me but what a lout ho lie Is to have havo o J had two such uncommon and attractive Q sisters And such auch a father Cather Interposed tho the coroner Just JUEt BO and so-and ond and such a n father Sweetwater Sweetwater Sweet Sweet- water r Hey what's the tue matter mater You dont don't look leek lok satisfied Didn't I cover the ground 1 Full Ful Fully sir so far tar na os I see now but but but- Well VeIl cI well out out out with wih It I. I I dont don't know knew what to out with Its It's Is all al right but but I I guess Im I'm Im a fool or tired or something Can Cnn I do anything more mor for you ou If I not I should like to hunt up upa a bunk A nIghts nIght's sleep will wi mako a aman aman man of or mo mc again alln Go then that Is Is If It I Dr Perr Perry has no orders order for tor you ou None I want m my fl sleep p. p too But nut Dr Perry Perno had not tho the aspect of or one who expects to get Get it I. I Sweetwater brightened ht ned A few more words somo some understanding as s to tho the moro morrow and he was gone one Tho The district attorney and the cron coroner r still sat but ve very ver little IU passed between th them m. m The Te clock block lok o overhead ad struck tho the hour both looked up but neither moved t. Another fifteen minutes minutes' then the tho telephone rang The coroner corner rose and lifted the tho receiver recel The Tho message could be heard b by both gentlemen in tho extreme extremo quiet of oC this midnight ht hour Dr Perry Per V Yes Im I'm Im listening He lie came In at a quarter of or twelve t ol greatly agitated and very Cr white I ran upon him In the tho lower hull bali hll and ho he looked angry enough to kno knock k mo ma down but he ho simp simply let letout out a n curse curo and passed straight ht up to his sisters sister's room I waited waited wait wait- rom ed till tl he came camo out then I managed ed to get Get hold of or the nurse nure and she told mcl methis mo me l this ls queer tale V He Ire was wn all ni In a 1 tremble when he came camo camon in In n but she declares decar ho had not been drinking He lie went Immediately Jo to tl the Bedside hut but his sister was asleep Jo and ho 10 didn't stay there ther but went over ocr the ho nurse nure was and began to hang about her till ti suddenly she sho t felt lt a R twitch at ather ather atler her ler side and looking lookinG quickly saw sw tho thc little Ittle Ito book bok sho she carries there thoro falling taing back Into nto place He Ito had lifted U It It and probably ably abl read what she che he had written In fn it during his absence She Sh was displeased but he laughed when ho saw raw that he had been ben caught and said boldly You arc are ke keeping a R record record record rec rec- ord of or m my ravings Well Vel I think Im Im I'm as ns Inter Interested in them as M you are and have hae as much right to read ns as you OU to write Thank Tank God Go the they ore are Innocent enough Even en you ou must acknowledge that She made no answer for tor the they were Innocent enough but shell she'll shel keep the book away ay from him after this this this-of f of that tat you ma may be b sure ure what is in he IK Is ho he And doing now 1 going gong go go- G- G GIn In ing ng Into his own room rom tonight there but to No No He lie wont went only bring out alcove his plo pillows s He lie le will wi sleep In the tho to Drink No not a drop Ho has ordered the whisky locked Joked up I hear him moaning sometimes Om to 10 himself lt as IS If I he missed It I awfully but no no a tt thimbleful her fu has ha I left r tho the decan decanter ter I i n I Good night Good night You heard This to tho the district at at- at torney I Every word Both went tnt for Cor their overcoats o Only Onh on an o. o leaving did tile thc they speak again and ROl then thon It I was wa to say ay At 10 10 o'clock tomorrow morning At 10 V t To be continued V |