West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1877-09-08

Talking IN low tone, as they called
one anothcr's attention To various spots
where possibly the burglar might he con-
ceaicd, they went slowly from corner to
corner, probing every recess with the
sword, and in AN attitude of strained at
tention to every sound. There faces,
grotesquely Int 10y the mingled fire and
the lamphght, showed a fierce hunters
look that made Bob fairly sick.
lie did not dare 10 look at them long
lest the magnetism of his gaze should at
tract their involuntary attention. Nay,
he even made a frantic effort not To think
OF them, from the fear that some physical
current might have the same oflcct-for
he believed strongly, though vaguely, in
the mysteries of animal magnetism, and
had notion that a person sensitive To
such influences might detect the presence
of his victim by the very terror the lat
ter had of him.
He could scarcely believe his fortune.
when moment later, the two brothers
passed again beneath him back into the
dining
From there they went on through the
rooms beyond, and the sound of their
footsteps died away entirely.
Perhaps five minutes after, they re-
turned, that is, as far as the dining-room
and Bob gathered from their conversa-
tion that they had found one of the fast
cnings in the basement i'm condition in
dicating that the burglar might have es-
capped there.
Mrs McLane and Angie, having salts
fled themselves that the coast was clear.
descended To thedining-room and lively
discussion of all aspects Of the problem
ensued, which was highly edifying to Bob.
Then the conversation became still
more interesting, as il turned on himself.
He heard Mrs McLanc saying:
He must be a hard sleeper, for |
Knocked several times on his door"
Then one of the brothers grunted
something contemptuously, and he heard
Angles voice eXcusing him on the
ground that he must be tired after his
long journey.
Are you sure YOU looked everywhere
in the library T' wac Mrs. McLane's
next question, at which a cold sweat
started out on Bob's face. He had Just
begun to feel quite comfortable.
John and George, however, declared
that they had looked everywhere.
Did you look under the sofa?"
Behind the window curtains?"
In that dark corner by the book
case ~ asked the ladies in succession.
Ingenious cruelty of fatel Even
Angie was racking her brain TO guess his
hiding-place. What il il should he she
who hit upon il!
Bob drew breath of relief as John
replied, with some asperity, To all these
questions, that he had told them once
that they looked everywhere.
This silenced them, but Angie said, a
moment after
Just let me ask one more question
Did you look on top of the bookcase"
1t seemed to Bob that he died then,
and came to life again to hear John re-
ply, contcmptuOusly:
Over the bookcase? There's no room
there; and if there we're, nobody but a
monkey could get up"
There's room enough" persisted
Angie, "and ! have often noticed, when
sitting in the library, what nice hiding
place il would be. What if he should
be up there now, and hear what Pm say
iDg! she added in an agitatcd whisper.
Nonsense ~ said John.
Well, there is no harm in looking
anyway" said Mrs McLane.
" Come along, then" grumbled John.
You shall sec for yourselves"
At this Bob shut his eyes and turned
his face to the wall The ostrich instinct
is the human instinct of despair. He
tried 10 fly away from himself and leave
his body there as a dereict. The effort
was desperate, and seemed almost sue
ccssful. But he could not quite sever
the connection, though his soul appeared
to be lowering over his body, only
attached by single thread-but a thread
which, alas! would not break.
a moment after they all passed
through the door directly beneath him.
and, going TO the other end of the library.
stood on tiptoe, and peered at his hiding
place. There seemed to be eyes i'm his
back, which felt their scrutiny. But the
lamp they carried did not suffice to bring
out hiA figure clearly.
I'm sure see something" said
Angie, getting up OH n chair.
" It's only the shadow of the freight"
replied John.
" Light the gas and let MS make sure"
said Mrs McI1ane.
George stood up on q chair under the
chandelier and lit one Of the burners.
An inarticulatc ejaculation fell from
every mouth a human. figure was
distinctly visible, reclining on the top
OF the bookcase, with his face toward the
wall. The ladies would have forthwith
run away but for the fact that one door
of the room was directly beneath the
bookcase, and the other close TO il. Upon
Bob's paralyzed senses fell the sharp
words of John:
We've got you. Get down ?"
lie did not move, but at the summons
his soul with inexpressible reluctance
and disgust, began 30 return from the
end of It's floating thread, and reinhabit
the quarters for which IL could not quite
shake ~ responsibility.
Get up, or I'll shootp said George.
oh, don't shoot himW cried Mrs.
McIane, while Bob, still motionless
dimly hoped he would.
e Get upW reiterated John and he
did get up. His own will was inactive
and Johns was the force that moved
his muscles. He turned around and set
up, his legs dangling over the edge Of
the bookcase, and his wet, white
wrctched face blankly directed toward
the grOup-a most pitiabe figure.
jump down" said John: "and If
you try to escape you will get shot"
Bob let himself drop without regard 10
how he was 20 alight, and in consequence
was severely bruised against n chair and