A CRUEL WOMAN.
Katherine, Hazel, Ernestine and Azalia found it no easy task to pick
their way through the dark timber more than half a mile to the Graham
cottage. Several times, finding themselves hopelessly entangled in a
thicket, or stumbling over disagreeably uneven ground, and fearful of
losing their way, they made use of their flash lights until able to
continue their journey satisfactorily.
But after they caught their first glimpse of the light in the Graham
cottage, they made no further use of the flash lights. Guided by the
illuminated windows and their memory of the surroundings, they made
their way over the intervening space until within a hundred feet of the
house, where they halted and looked and listened for about fifteen
minutes.
First, they wished to make sure that there was no dog on the place. They
were reasonably certain that the Grahams kept no watchdog, as several of
the girls had been careful to check up in this regard when passing near
or calling at the cottage. But as additional precaution, they made a
careful inspection from a safe distance on this scouting expedition
before venturing close to the house.
The night was clear and warm, but no moon was shining. There was a
stillness in the air which alone might have been expected to cause a dog
to howl for very lonesomeness. Even while the four scouts were waiting
for evidence of a canine guard at the Graham place, far away in the
distance there came a mournful howl from a mournful hound in a farmyard.
The sound was repeated several times, and although there were two or
three echoing responses from as many neighboring sources, none came from
a kinship kennel of the Graham premises.
At last Katherine and Hazel decided that it was safe to advance nearer
to the house. Leaving Azalia and Ernestine at the edge of the timber to
watch for any condition or circumstance that might prove unfriendly to
their venture, the two leaders advanced across the clearing.
As they neared the building, a sound, which they had not heard before
reached their ears and drove from their minds all thought or fear of a
watchdog. The sound was like the plaintive cry of a child and seemed to
be muffled as if coming through two or three thick walls.
There were two windows on the side of the house nearest the advancing
girl scouts. Through the drawn shade of one of these came the rays of
incandescent bulbs which lighted the room. The other window was dark.
The advance of Katherine and Hazel was guided now by the seeming source
of the muffled cry. As they started for the house, their initial impulse
was to direct their steps toward the lighted window. But as they
approached the building, almost unconsciously they veered gradually to
the right until they found themselves standing close to the unlighted
window at the rear.
Without a doubt the muffled sounds came from this part of the cottage. A
whispered conversation between the girls resulted in the following
procedure: Hazel stood guard at a distance of ten or fifteen feet while
Katherine stood close to the window, almost pressing her ear against the
glass in order the better to hear the sounds that interested them. For
two or three minutes the listener continued in this attitude; then she
went to where Hazel stood and the latter advanced to the window and did
likewise. She also tried the sash to see if it was locked, succeeding in
raising it slightly, so that the sounds within reached her ear more
distinctly.
Several minutes later both of these girls returned to the edge of the
clearing and rejoined their two companions stationed there. A low-voiced
consultation was held, at the close of which Hazel said:
“Well, all this means that we’ll have to return to the cottage and stay
there until we find out something more. Let’s see what we can discover
in the front of the house.”
She and Katherine accordingly went back and directed their inspection as
Hazel had suggested. The shade trees did not cover the lower pane to the
full limit and they were able to look in and get a fairly good view of
the room.
Mrs. Graham and “Jimmie Junior” apparently were the only members of the
family at home, if we may disregard as one of the family, little Glen,
who undoubtedly was the author of the muffled sobs. Mrs. Graham was
reading a fashion magazine and her son was playing solitaire at a card
table.
Almost the first view acquainted the girls with the fact that the woman
was much disconcerted over something, and it soon became evident that
the cause of this nervousness was the sound of weeping that reached her
through the closed door of an adjoining room. Presently she arose, with
a hard look on her face and determined manner, and moved in the
direction from which the offending noise came.
Katherine and Hazel did not take the additional precaution this time of
alternating as watcher and guard. They stood together at the window, and
as they saw Mrs. Graham open the door they moved quickly to the window
next toward the rear. By the time they reached it, this room also was
lighted.
Fortunately a similar condition existed here also with reference to the
width of the window shade and they were able to get a fairly good view
of this apartment. Mrs. Graham evidently was disposed to lose no time
and to leave ground for no misunderstanding as to her purpose. She threw
open a second door, this time a closet door, and the girls beheld a
sight that fairly made their blood boil.
There sat little Glen on a chair with a rope wound around his body,
arms, and legs, securing him so firmly to the article of furniture on
which he was seated that he could scarcely move a muscle. His face was
wet with tears and a picture of suffering.
For the first time the watchers observed that the woman had a leather
strap in her hand, and they were still further horrified when they saw
her swing it cruelly against the bare legs of the quivering child.
Once, twice she struck the boy. Hazel and Katherine could hardly contain
their indignation. Indeed it is not at all to be doubted that they would
have attempted to interfere on the spot if an interruption had not come
from another source before the third blow could fall.
There was a disturbance in the front of the house. Somebody had entered
and was talking in a loud voice. Mrs. Graham let her arm fall without
dealing the third blow for which she had raised it as a man entered the
room in anything but mild and pleasant manner.
“What are you doing, Mrs. Graham?” he demanded. “What did I tell you
about this conduct of yours? Do you realize that you are bringing things
to a climax where I’ll wash my hands of the whole affair?”
The speaker was Pierce Langford.
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