Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-07-26

or laboring under some extraordinary
delusion; but how can I help you, AL
fred ?" asked Heathcote.
"By sitting up one half the night in
my room, whilst [ sit up the other,
and keeping strict. lookout for the
delinquent, whoever he may be-"
" Most willingly will do SO, or any
thing else," returned his friend.
/" Which watch shall take?"
"I'd rathe1. that you took the last
half of the night, if it's the same to
you, Frank, as it's during that time I
suspect the shirts are removed"
So, after snatching an hour or two's
sleep before midnight, Heathcote pro-
ceeded to his friends room to take his
watch, when Jackson, without chang
ing the shirt he had on, went to bed,
and was soon fast asleep, leaving his
companion comfortably settled in an
arm chair, and reading novel by the
aid of night lamp which stood on
small sable beside him, the light of
which was screened from the sleeper's
eyes by the thick curtains that were
drawn around his bed.
Absorbed in the interesting story he
was reading. Heathcote had taken no
note of time, and had well nigh forgot
ten the nature of the mission on which
he was employed, when his attention
was suddenly diverted from his book by
hearing a rustling sound as of a person
turning in bed, and the next moment
he saw Jacksan standing at the foot of
the bed, and in the act of divesting him
self of his shirt; this he then carefully
folded up, and having slipped himself
into a pair of drawers he opened the
chamber door, and with the shirt under
his arm he descended the staircase in
the direction Of the hall. Surprised
and startled by there strange proceed
ings Heathcote followed softly on the
sleeper's steps, and reached the hall
door just as Jackson, after christening
the bolts, had passed out into the open
air; darting after him through the half
open door, Heathcote pursued him
across the lawn into an adjoining flower
garden, at one end of which was
small building used for keeping garden
tools. Entering this Jackson took
up spade, and walked straightway
with it to distant quarter of the gar
den; here suddenly pausing he COM
menced turning up the ground, and
after a few minutes he drew forth from
| the excavated ground large white
bundle, which, having unfastened, he
deposited within it the shirt he had
brought away with him from the house,
then closing the bundle again, and COM
mitting it to the earth, he returned to
the Toulouse, put back the spade he
had taken from it, and retracing his
steps to the house, re-entered the hall,
closed and bolted the door, mounted
the stairs to his room, and quietly got
into bed, whe Heathcote thought he
better leave hum whilst he took counsel
of himself in his own chamber as to
how he should act In consequence of
the unpleasant relation of which he had
SO unexpectedly become tho eye wit
ness. 8aI aa
Frank Heathcote loved his friend
Jackson with feeling something
stronger than that of a mere schoolboy
friendship, but he loved his sister Julia
still more, and though he had looked
forward with the greatest pleasure to
her marriage with the former, still af-
ter the discovery he had just made he
| felt he could not reconcile it to his
conscience silently to permit her to
ally herself to man whom he had
! found out to be sleep-walker;f he
therefore decided to give his sister a
circlmstantial account of what had oc-
CURED on the previous night, leaving
it to her to determine, on learning the
nature of the disclosure to be made to
her, whether the match should 90 on
or not, but before speaking to her he
thought it would be right that he should
see Jackson and give him also an &C
count of what had happened, Having
thus sketched out his plan of operations,
Heathcote undressed himself and went
to bed, it being some hours yet before
any one would be likely to be astir, but
his mind was too mnch excited by the
occurrences of the night to admit of
his sleeping. and as soon therefore as
| he thought his friend might be awake,
he hastily dressed himself and pro
ceeded to his room. a93 u.
Jackson was seated on his bed as
Heathcote entered, looking the picture
of despair. cts gone, Frank, it's
gone" he exclaimed, with saddened
OIL, CAo SuC 1dUbC1 duNduCcu1 GOWdTOS
him, they've actually taken it off my
back without my knowing it! but tell
me-" he continued, in accents of sor-
rowful reproof, chow could you of all
men have had the heart to for
sake me in the hour of my greatest
need?"
II did not forsake you Alfred, as
Heaven can bear Witness" returned
Heathcote, with an air of unwonted
gravity.
"Nor fall asleep in your watch?"
"Not for single moment"
"And you saw nobody enter the
room?"
"Not a soul, on my honor"
"And you can form no idea then of
what has become Of the shirt I had on
my back when [ went tc bed?"
!" Netso, Alfred. Alas [ know too
well what has become Of it and of all
the others ALSO"
"Good Heavens can this be true?"
exclaimed Jackson, starting to his feet
his whole cOuntenance radiant with