The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-16
CHAPTER Ii.

CHAPTEh II.
Ipassed a restless night. The feeling
uppermost in my mind, was that had
allowed man to leave the house in the
square who, 1 was more and more con-
vineed, was there for nefarious purposes,
and i blame myself more than can
express.
Atan early hour the next morning,
I started for town. All the superstitious
feelings of the previous night were dis
sipated by the sunshine and the fresh
morning air, and, as neared the studio,
quite laughed at myself for the flights
had allowed my Imagination to take.
On arriving at the door, met Middle
ton, who came from another direction;
Duncan, who lived at no great distance
from the square, was already in his
room. Asking Middleton to accompany
/ ME, I went in to Duncan, whose rooms,
as have already explained, were on
the ground floor. thought it better to
confess my oversight of the night before
without delay, and to institute careful
search mp stairs, to ascertain il
anything were missing.
''I am afraid I did very foolish thing
last night" said; 81 happened to look
in here very late, an d saw man come
dawn stairs and go out Of the door in
rather suspicious manner. Thinking
l. 1900 f-o,,, ono &c The ,,Dor rooDoc
I let him pass unquestioned. IN fact,
was thrown off my guard by his very re-
spectacle appearance; but have since
thought L ought to have ascertained this
object of his visit. I want you both tC
see if there is anything missing II YOU
rooms"
"There could not be from mine," re
Joined Middleton; "for locked the dool
and took away the key"
"Nor from mine," added Duncan
"for did the same 1t must have beer
some one belonging to Howarth o.
Miss Rehden. IT'S odd, too, for they
are both in the country; I don't SCI
why they should want to send any on
here at that time of night. Besides" h
added, "no one could get into thei
; rooms, for happen to have the key
in my desk. They asked me to TAX
care of them when they left"
A sudden thought flashed through m,
mind as Duncan finished his sentence
the recollection of the door had hear,
slam the previous night.
"You must be wrong, one of you,"
answered; "for distinctly recollec
hearing heavy door slam up stairs
Just before the mysterious stranger mad
his appearance. 1 know l locked m
own door, and you say all the othe
doors were locked; but this could no
: have been the case, or, at any rate,
they were, the man must have had
key" a'stsfs 2i.tt-5 f-E -.t.
"Ohi that's impossible" rejoine
: Duncan. "None of the doors have du
: plicate keys. If he had been in one {
the rooms, he must have picked tn
n lock. 1t certainly seems suspicious
: What sort Of looking fellow was he?
e "Well, that's the provoking part of i
! He was such deuced goOd-looking fe
6 low that he excited no suspicion. il
& was perfectly well dressed, had mo-
7, Intellectual conntenance, and the con
d plete bearing of agentleman. The onl
:, thing that spoiled his good looks wi
d the loss OF the sight of one eye. Il
+ had what should call wall eye"
Ia Duncan had been sitting in a listle
d position in an easy chair during Il
D. foregoing conversation, bat at the me
'g tion of the wall eye he suddenly look'
ID mp.
ie "That's rather an odd coincidence
he said "Poor Heseltine, who died
a your room, had what We always used
j. call a wall eye"
n The words were spoken in musi
~ kind of tone, "a if the speaker did n
n. attach much importance to themi b
J." they were no sooner uttered than aga
hit felt that supers.itious thrill which b
er come upon me 90 strongly the night
N, fore. Duncan went on as II he were
q tent on tracing some imaginary liken