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TWUJNLJ LKUUUL
CHAPTER IL
j
1 All TKMPTKD
Somo 90 miles from here ill a more
or less inaccessible rogum thero is a
wnall but beautiful villago which has
been tho sceno of so many btraugo and
unacconntablo disappearances presum
ably murders that tho attention of tho
Now York polico has been at last direct
ed to it Tho town which is at least
nino miles from any railroad is ono of
those quiet placid little siot8 found
now and then among tho mountains
whero life is of tho simplest and crime
to all appearance an element w out of
rV
THE LIFE OF AMELIA BUTTERWOl
O
BY ANNA KATHAPINE
AUTHOR OFTHELEAVtMWORTH CATC
DtHIND CUVED tOOC THM f rAItt NtXT DOOfc
IB97 Bf AHUA K ROHUV E1C tlC
OIIAPTKU I
Kvor since my fortunate or shall I
nay unfortunate connection with tlmt
famous case of murder in Gramoroy
park I havo had it intimated to mo by
many of my friends and by innumera
ble acquaintances that no woman who
had met with such success in detect ivo
work would ever bo satisfied with a sin
glo display of her powers and that
sooner or later I would find myself again
at work upon somo other ease of strik
ing peculiarities
As vanity has never been my foible
nnd as moreover Inover have and never
would bo likely to forsako the plain
path marked out for my sex at any oth
er call than that of duty I invariably
responded to these insinuations by an
affable but incredulous smilo striving
to excuse their presumption by remcni
boring thoir ignoranco of my nnturo and
tho very excellent reasons I had for my
ono uotablo interference in tho polico
affairs of Now York city
Besides though I appeared to bo rest
ing quietly if not in cntiro content
ment on my laurels I was not so utter
ly removed from tho old atmosphere of
crimo and its detection as tho world in
general considered mo Mr Gryco still
visited mo not on business of course
but as a frioud as a man for whom I
had somo regard and naturally onr con
versation was not ulways confined to
tho weather or ovon to city politics
provocative as tho latter subject is of
controversy between all right thinking
men and women just now
Not that ho ever betrayed any of tho
secrets of tho office or oven any of his
own oh no that would have been too
much to expect but ho did sometimes
mention somo of tho outward aspects of
somo celebrated caseftud though 1 nev
er ventured upon advice I know too
much for that I hope I found my wits
moro or less exercised by a conversation
from which ho expected to gain some
thing without acknowledging it and 1
to give something without appearing to
bo conscious of tho fact
I was therefore satisfied iu my mind
mid was finding life pleasant and full of
interest when suddenly I had no right
to expect it and I do not blame myself
for not expecting it or for holding my
head so high at tho prognostications of
my friends an opportunity came for a
direct exercise of my detective powers
in a lino seemingly so laid out for mo
by Providenco that I felt I would bo
slighting the powers above if I refused to
enter it though now I seo that tho lino
was laid out for mo by Mr Gryco and
that I was obeying anything but tho
call of duty in embracing it
But this is not explicit Let mo tell
tho whole from tho beginning Ono
night Mr Grycecamoto my houso look
ing older ami more feeblo than usual
Ho was engaged in a perplexing caso ho
said and missed his early vigor and per
sistency Would I like to iiear about it
It was not in tho line of his usual work
yet it huil points and well it would do
him good to talk about it to a nonpro
fessional who was capable of sympathiz
ing with its baflliug and worrisome fea
tures and yet would never havo to bo
told to hold her peace
I ought to havo been on my guard I
ought to havo known tho old fox well
enough to feel certain that when ho
went so manifestly out of his way to
take mo into his confidence ho did it
for a purpose it would bo well enough
for mo to understand beforo placing
too great stress on his disabilities but
Jove nods now and then or so I havo
been assured by what should bo consid
ered as unimpeachable authority and
if Jovo has over been caught napping
surely Amelia Butterworth may bo par
doned for ono such inconsistency
It is uot a city crime Mr Gryco
went on to explain and hero he was
baso enough to sigh At my timo of
life that is an important and a far from
defeirablo consideration It is no longer
a simplo matter for mo to pack up a
valiso and go off to somo distant vil
lage way up iu tho mountains perhaps
whero comforts aro fow and secrecy an
impossibility Comforts huvo become
indispensable to my threescore years
ami ten and secrecy well if over
thcro was a caso whero ono needs to go
boftly it is this ono as you will see if
you will allow mo to give you tho facts
of tho caso as known at headquarters
joelay
I bowed trying not to Bhow my sur
priso or my extremo satisfaction Mr
Uryce assumed his most benignant as
pect always a dangerous ono with him
aud began his story
accord with every other characteristic
of the place as to seem a complete anoin
uly Yet crime or some other hide
ous mystery almost equally revolting
has during tho last five years been ac
countable for the disappearance in or
about this village of four persons of
various ages and occupations Of these
three were strangers and one a well
known vagabond accustomed to tramp
tho hills and live on tho bounty of
farmers wives All were of tho male
sex and in no caso has any clew ever
come to light as to their fate They
were seen in town or near it and then
suddenly were not seen or ever heard of
again That is tho matter as it stands
before the police today
A serious affair I remarked
Seems to mo I have read of such things
in novels Is there a tumbled down old
inn iu the vicinity where beds are made
up over trapdoors
His smile was a mild protest against
my flippancy
I have visited tho town myself
Thero is no inn there but a comfortable
hotel of tho most matter of fact sort
kept by tho frankest and most open
minded of landlords Besides these dis
appearances as a rule did not take place
at night but in broad daylight Ining
ino this streot at noon It is a short
ono and you know overy houso on it
and you think ovory lurking plaeo
You seo a man enter it at ono end mid
you expect him to issue from it at tho
other But suppose ho never does
Moro than that suppose ho is never
heard of again and that this thing
should liappeu just bero on tins ono
street six times during fivo years
I should move I responded dryly
Would you Many good peoplo havo
moved from tho place I speak of but
that has not helped matters Tho disap
pearances go on and tho why and the
whero aro just as much a mystery as
over
You interest me I said Come
to think of it if this street were tho
sceno of such an unexplained series of
horrors as you havo described I do not
think I would move
I thought not ho responded cm t
ly But sinco you aro interested let
ino bo more explicit in my statements
Tho first person whoso disappearance
was noted
Wait I interrupted Havo you a
map of tho place
Ho smiled nodded quite affectionate
ly to an ohlfriend of his on tho mantel
piece but did not produce tho map
That detail will keep said ho
Let mo go on with my story As I was
saying madam tho first person whoso
disappearance thero was noted was a
peddler of small wares accustomed to
tramp tho mountains On this occasion
ho had been in town longer than usual
and was known to have sold fully half
of his goods Consequently ho must
have had quito a sum of money upon
him Ono day his pack was found lying
under a cluster of bushes in a wood but
of him nothing was ever again heard
It mado an excitement for a few days
whilo tho woods wero being searched
for his body but nothing having been
discovered ho was forgotten and every
thing went on as before till suddonly
public attention was again aroused by
tho pouring in of letters containing in
quiries in regard to a young man who
had been sent thcro from Duluth to col
lect facts in a law caso and who after a
certain dato had failed to communicate
with his firm or show up at any of tho
places whoro ho was known Instantly
tho villago was in arms Many remem
bered tho young man and some two or
threo of tho villagers could recall tho
facjt of having seen him go up the streot
with his hand bag in his hand as if on
his way to tho mountain station Tho
landlord of tho hotel could fix tho very
day at which ho left his house but in
quiries at tho station failed to establish
tho fact that ho took train from thero
nor wore tho most miuuto inquiries into
his fato at that timo or afterwaid oer
attended by tho least result Ho was not
known to have carried much money but
ho woro a very handsomo watch and
chain and a ring of moro than ordinary
value none of which has ever shown
up at any pawnbrokers within the
knowledgo of tho police This was
threo years ago
Tho next occurrence of a like charac
ter did not take place till a year after
This timo it was a poor old man from
Hartford who vanished almost as it
wero before tho eyes of these astounded
villagers Ho had como to towii to get
subscriptions for a valuable book issued
by a well know u publishor Ho had been
moro or less successful and was looking
very cheerful and couteuted when ono
morning after making a sale at a cer
taiu farmhouso ho sat down to dine with
them it being closo ou to 12 oclock
Ho had eaten several mouthfuls aud
was chatting quito freely when sudden
ly they saw him pause olap his hand
to his pocket and rise up very much
disturbed I havo loft my pockotbook
behind mo at Deacon Spears said ho
I cannot eat with it out of my posses
sion Kxcuso mo if I go for it Aud
without any further apologies ho ran
out of tho houso aud down the roud iu
tho direction of Deacon Speura Ho
never reached Deacon Spears nor was
ho ever seen in that villago again or iu
his home in Hartford This was tho
most astonishing mystery of all With
iu a half miles dutauco iu a populous
THE NORFOLK NEWS THURSDAY SKPTEMBEK M 1800
country town this man disappeared as
if tho road had lewnllowcel him and
closed again It was marvelous incrcel
llilo and remained to oven after tho best
efforts of the county petlleo to solve tho
mystery had exhausted themselves
After this the town began to acquire a
bad name and one or two families mov
ed away Yet no one was found who
waswiliing to admit that these various
persons had been the victims of foul
play till a month later another caso
came to light of a young man who had
left tho village fertile hillside station
and had never arrived at that or any
other destination so far as could bo
learned As he was a distant relative of
a wealthy cattle owner in Iowa who
came on posthaste to inquire into his I than
nephews fato the excitement ran high
aud through his efforts and that of Mr
Trohm the services of our otllco wero
called into play Hut tho result has
been nil Wo havo found neither the
bodies of
these
n nor any clew to
their fate
I could not help casting an envious
glance at the pocket where 1 felt sure
that the map 1 had asked for lay
Yet you have been there I sug
gested
He nodded
Wondeifull 1 exclaimed And
you came upon no suspicious bouse no
suspicious person
The linger with which he was rub
bing his eyeglasses went round and
round the rims with a slower and slow
er and still more thoughtful motion
Kvcry town has its suspicious eet
ing houses he slowly remarked and
as for persons tho most honest often wear
a lowering look in which an unbridled
imagination can seo guilt i never trust
in appearances of that kind
What else can you trust in I said
whero all is impenetrable as in this
case
His finger going slower and slower
suddenly stopped
In my knowledge of persons said
ho knowledgo of their fears their
hopes and their individual concerns If
I wero 20 years younger here ho stolo
a glanco at mo in tho mirror xvhich
mado mo bridle did ho think 1 whs
only 20 years younger than himself I
would ho went on mako myself so
acquainted with overy man woman
and child thoro Here ho drew himself
up with a jerk But tho day for that
is passed said ho I am too old and
too crippled to succeed in that undertak
ing Having beeu thero once 1 am a
marked man My walk alone betrays
me Ho whoso good fortune it will bo
to get at tho bottom of these peoples
hearts must awaken no suspicions as to
his connection with tho police Indeed
I do not think that any man can succeed
in doing this now
1 started This was a frank showing
of his hand at least No man It was a
womans aid ho xvas after then I
laughed as I thought of it I had not
thought him either so presumptuous or
so appreciative of talents of a character
so directly in lino xvith his own
Dont you agree with me madam
I did agree with him but I had a
character of great dignity to maintain
so 1 only looked at him xvith an air of
marked severity
I do not know of any xvoinan who
would undertake such a task I ob
served
No lie smiled with that air of for
bearanco xvhich is so exasperating to
me Well perhaps thero isnt Any
such woman to bo found It xvould tako
ono ot very uncommon characteristics
I own
Pish I I cried Not so very
Indeed I think you havo not fully
taken in tho caso ho urged in quiet
superiority Tho peoplo thero aro of
tho higher order of country folk Many
of them aro of extreme refinement Ono
family 1 thought his tono changed
tho least iu tho xvorld hero is poor
enough and elegant enough to interest
oven such a xvoinan as yourself
Indeed I I answered xvith just a
touch of my fathers hauteur to hide
tho stir of curiosity his xvords naturally
evoked
It is in somo such home ho xvont
on with an ease that should have
cd mo that ho had started on this pur
suit xvith a quiet determination to xvin
that the clow will bo found to tho
mystery wo aro considering Yes you
may well look startled but that conclu
sion is tho ono thing I brought away
xvith mo from X let us say I regard
it as ono of some moment What do you
think of it
Well said I it makes mo feel
like recalling that pish I uttered a few
minutes ago It xvould tako a woman of
uncommon characteristics to assist you
in this matter
I am glad wo havo got that far
said ho
A lady I went on
Most assuredly a lady
I paused Sometimes discreet silenco
is moro sarcastic than speech
Well what lady xvould lend herself
to this scheme I asked at last
Tho tap tap of his fingers ou tho rim
of his glasses xvas my only answer
I do not know of any said I
His eyebrows roso perhaps a hairs
breadth but I noted tho implied sar
casm and for an instant forgot my dig
nity
Now said I this will not do
You mean mo Amelia Butterworth a
woman who but I do not think it is
necessary to tell you either xvho or what
I am You havo presumed Noxv do
not put on that look of innocence und
above all do not attempt to deny what
is so manifestly in your thoughts tor
that is tho ono thing xvhich you could
do which xvould mako mo fool like show
ing you the door
Then ho smiled I shall bo buro
uot to mako it I am not anxious to
leavo yet Besides xvho could I mean
but you A lady visiting frieuds iu this
remuto and beautiful region what op
portunities might she uot havo to probe
this important mybtery if liko yourself
bho had tact discretion excellent un
derstanding and an exjerieiico xvhich if
uot broad or deop is certainly such as to
give her a certain confidence tu herself
nnd an undoubted iuthieure with the
man fortunate enough to receive her
advice
Hah I I exclaimed It was ono of
his favorite expressions That was per
haps why 1 used It One would think
I was a member of your police
You latter us too ihoply was his
instant deferential answer Such an
honor as that would bo beyond our
deserts
To this I gave hut the faintest snltT
That he should think that 1 Amelia
Hutterworth could bo amenable to such
barefaced lattery Then I faced him
with some asperity and said bluntly
You waste your time 1 havo no moro
intention of meddling in another ailair
You had iu meddling in I ho first
he politely too politely interpolated
1 understand madam
I was angry but put a emb on eveiy
expression of it 1 was not willing ho
should see hat I could be affected by
anything ho could say
The Van Hummus aro my next door
neighbors I remarked sweetly 1
had the best of excuses for tho inteiest
1 took in their alVaiis
So you had ho acquiesced I am
glad to be reminded of the fact 1 xou
iler I was able to forget it
Angry now to the point of not being
able to hide it I turned upon him xvith
firm determitialion
Let us talk of something else 1
said
But he was equal to Iho occasion
Drawing a lolded paper from his pock
et lie opened it out before my eyes say
ing quito naturally Thai is a happy
thought Let us look over this sketch
you wen sharp enough to ask for a few
moments ago It shows the streets of Iho
xillage and the places where each of
he persons I have mentioned to you xvas
last seen Is it not xvhat youxvanted
I know that I should hao drawn back
with a frown that I never should havo
allowed myself the satisfaction of cast
ing so much as a glance toward tho pa
per but tho human nature xvhich links
mo to my kind xvas too much for mo
and with an involuntary Kxactly 1
leaned over it with an eagerness I
For two year now It has been called
liost Mans lane
Indeed cried They havo got
the matter down as close as that and
yet havo not solved its mystery How
long is this road
A half mile or so
I must have looked my disgust for
his hands opened deprecatingly
The ground has undergone a thor
oiigh search said he Not a square
foot in those woods you seo ou either
side but has been gone over
And the houses I seo theio aio
three bouses ou this road
Oh they aio owned by most respect
able people--most lespectable people
he repealed w ith a lingering emphasis
that gave me an iuwaid shudder 1
think I liml the honor of intimating as
much to you a few minutes ago
I looked al him earnestly and iire
sislibly drew a lit lie ueaier to him
ovei the diagram
lias none of these houses been visited
by xoti I linked lo you mean to say
vnu liae not seen tho inside of hem
all
Oh said he I have been iu hem
all of course bill a mystery such as
wo aie invest igal ing is not written up
on the walls ol parlors or hulls
You fieeemy blood I murmured
Somehow the sight of these homes
drawn out befme me seemed In bring
me into more intimate sympathy with
the affair
Mis shrug was significant
I told yon thai this was no vulgar
mystery said ho or why should I be
considering il with you It is quite
worthy of your interest Do you seo
that houso marked A
I do 1 nodded
Well that is a decayed mansion of
imposing proportions set in a finest of
overgrown shrubbery Tho ladies who
inhabit it
Ladies I put in with a small
shock of horror
Young ladies ho explained of a
refined if not ovcrprnspcrous appearance
They aro what is left of a family of
some repute Their father xvas a judge
I believe
And do they live there alone 1
yfeSiaft Miter
xr f jwt r t mdmmm i urn u in i w
SmkI m am --
u
ire r HI I lm9 tjSlzK
Kiin jihavukd dhacon svkaivs
strove hard oven at that exciting mo
meiit to keep xvithin tho bounds I
thought proper to my position as a non
professional interested iu tho matter
from curiosity alone
This is what 1 saw
X si s
8
tV M
1
T I Kl
3
Mr Gryco this after a fow min
utes closo contemplation of tho diagram
beforo mo I do not suppose you want
any opinion from me
Madam said hi it is all you
havo left ino fre o to ak for
Receiving this as a permission to
speak I put my finger em tho raid
marked X
Thin said I so far as I eau
gather from this drawing all tho dis
appearances seein to luive taken plaeo
iu or about this especial road
Yemaro as correet as usual saiel
ho So true iu this that tho ieoplo
thero have already given to this xvind
ing way a special cognomen of iu own
asked two young ladies in a houso so
largo and iu a neighborhood so full of
mystery
Oh they havo a brothi r with them
a lout of no great attractions ho re
sDomhd carelessly too carelessly I
thought
I made a nolo of tho houso A iu my
mind
And xvho lives there I noxv iio
ried pointing to tho houso marked B
A Mr Trohm It xvas through his
exertions that tho services of tho New
York police we ro insured His place
thero is ono of tho most interesting in
town and ho eloe s not xvish to bo force el
to have it but he will be obligi el to do
so if the road is not soon rilieved of its
bail name and so xvill De acou Spe ar
The very chihlriii shun the road now I
do not know of a loueliir place
I sio a little cross markiel up here
em tho verge of the xvooels What dois
tliat mean
That is a hut it can hardly be
called a cottage whe ro a poor edel wo
man lives called Mother Jane Sho is a
harmhss old imbecile against whom no
one has ever elirecteel a suspicion You
may tako your linger off that mark
Miss Butterworth
I did so but I did not forget that it
Meiod very near tho footpath branching
oir to the station
You en I creel this hut us xvell as the
big houses I intimated
Four walls xvas his answer Just
four xvalls nothing more
I let my finger travel along tho foot
path 1 have just mentioned
Steep was his comment Up up
all tho way hut- no precipices Nothing
hut pino woods on either side thickly
carpetexl xvith needles
My finger Iamo back and btoppeel at
tho houso marked M
Why is a letter aflised to this spot
I askeel
Because it stands at tho bend of tho
lane jiibt as De aeon SjM ars guares tho
foot Any eme sitting at tho window L
can se oxvlioovcr enters or leaves tho lauo
at this end Aud some ono is always
sitting there Tho xvoman who lives
there lias two crippled children a boy
and a giil One of them is always in
that window
1 tee said L Then abruptly
What do you think of Doaoon Hponr
Oh said ho a xvell meaning
man none too Ino In his feelings lli
dues not mind the neighborhood like
quid ho says I hosi you will know
him for yourself some day said ho
At this return to the foibidileu sub
jeot I held myself veiy much aloof
Your diagram ls Interesting sabi
I but il has not iu tho least changed
my determination It is you who xvill
go back there and that very soon
Nol very soon said he Whoever
goes there on this errand must go al
once tonight if possible if uot to
moriow al the latest
Tonight Tomorrow I cried Ami
you llioiighl
No mailer what I thought ho
sighed It seems I had no gioundwoik
for it And lohllng up the map hit
slowly lose The young man we havo
left there Induing more harm than good
That is why I say some one of ical abil
it y must leplaeo him and that immedi
utely The delect ivo fioiu New Yoik
must seem lii have loll tho place
I made him my mot ladylike bow of
liMllisNll
I shall watch the papers I said 1
have no iloiibt thai I shall soon in
them some tnki n ol your success
He cast a mi fill look at bin hand
took a painful step towanl the door ami
doleful I v shook Ins head
I kept my sib nee unilisliirticil
lie took another painful step
lly the way beieiuarked as I stood
watching him with an uucompromiHinir
air I hae foigolteu to mention the
name of tin- town iu xvhich these disap
pearallees have oecuired It is ealleil
X and it is to be found ou one ol
the spurs of the Heikshiro hills Ami
being by this lime al he door he gavn
me a bow in which was concentrated all
the insinuating suavity of which he was
capable and iu another moment xva
gone Tho old fox was so sure of bin
triumph Huil ho did not oven wail ti
see it He know how I never have
thought il necessary to inquire tluitX
was a place I had often threatened ti
visit There was living there tho fain
ily of ono of my dearest friends Slu
had been a schoolmate of mine anil
when she died lhad promised myself
that 1 would uot lot many months chipset
belore making tho acquaintance of her
children Alas I had let years go byl
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