Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1877-09-20
From tho New York Frcside Companiohsl
W WMlMWn,
THE DETECTIVE
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BY TONY PASTOR. ID
CHAPTER III.

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An hour passed. "i me
The French clock upon tho mantel in
low, silver tones repeated tho hour, when,
from behind tho draperies was .protruded
the head covered by tho foz cap.
An instant later tho strange object stepped.
forth. l4o
If over human movements suggested
some fearful crime, tho actions Of this odd.
ly-clad monstcr did.
No human eye was upon him: os with
stealthy step he crossed tho room and stood
beside tho bed. arte y
Woll had he detected his victim, as it
was toward tho side where Lucy slept that
he approached.
He raised aloft tho glittcriug knife
which gloanfcd codly in the dim rays Of
light. .nH h"'
An instant it was poised in the uir, when
suddenly tho stiffness was brokon by a
strange, startling sound.
The loud, quick nervous bark of q dog
was heard, followed by inpatient scratches
upon tho room door.
With u scream both girls sprang from
their pillows, and the room rang with shril
terrified screams.
AS Lucy lcapcd from tho bed she behold
dark shudowy object standing upon the
centre Of tho floor
In tho excitement Of the moment, i'm
pollcd by courage for which she could not
afterward account, she sprang toward the
strange figure to seize hold Of it.
Like disso!ving shadow it fed from her,
and to the girls horror aud amazcment
disappeared with noisclcss plunge through
the window.
The next moment voices were heard at
tho room door,
1t was locked on tho inner side.
A voice which Lucy Recognized as her
fathers called for admittancc.
She staggered across the room and opened
the door, 9N". i
AS she did so favorito pet terrier lcapcd
into tho room, and sprnging toward the
window through which the strange appari-
ton had disappeared, commenced to bark in
q most vociferous manner.
The dog was an intelligent little animal
and it went straight toward the window.
Luoy's father was quick to observe this
movement, but for the moment paid atten.
tion to another matter.
hlr. Palmedo was cool brave man, and
he at once set about calming and soothing
the affrighted girls, before asking what had
occurred.
At length he asked: HE4h
"What frightened you, my dcars?"
"There was some one in the room" an.
swered his daughter.
"Nonsensc, my child, your door was
locked on tho iuncr side; if any one had
beon in your room they would bc here now"
"Fherc was some one in tho room. l
distinctly saw human form f
"And where did it retreat to, my child?"
"It flew through the window"
The father laughed as ho said: ~
"You have been dreaming, my daughter;
that window is forty feet from the ground ;"
81 do not care; was fully aroused and
awake and saw human being standing
on the centre of this floor, and saw it dis.
appear through that window"
"Poor child, you think that you were
awake, but you were surely dreaming"
"Sec!".cxclaimcd Lucy, "thc window is
still open, and it was closed whom We re-
tired"
"You may think it was closed, but it must
have been open"
The father stepped toward the window,
when cry from his daughter caused him
to glance toward her.
Upon turning, Mr. Palmcdo saw Lucy
standing beside tho bed with startled eyes,
and in her hand sho held poniard, the
handle Of which glttercd with diamonds.
The father sprang toward her.
"Whero did you fnd that wcapou?"l ho
asked, for the first time exhibiting tokens Of
real alarm
ri found it right here beside the bed"
answered the girl, adding: "Papa, this mur.
derous knife is not the product of dream"
Thofather directed the two girls to 80 to
an adjoining room.
In the meantime male servant had ar
rived, and was standing without the door
The millionaire sent tho man down to
his own room to secure brace of pistols.
Whom the servant returned the master Of
tho house closed and locked the room door,
and also low wercd the window.
Placing cooked pistol in tho hands of
the servant, and retaining one ready for in.
slant use himself, Mr.. .Palmcdo commenced
thorough search Of the room. siu ,.I.
Every clocst, nook, and corner, and ovcry
recess behind every piece of furniture in the
room was thoroughly examined, without
finding any person. p
Tho servant, who was a bravo Irishmnn,
had been in Mr.. Palmcdo's service from
his boyhood, assisted his master in the
search, and after ovory possible hiding place
had been examined, said: @ a
"By tho powers, master, there is no ont
in this room now besides oursclvcsw
"You are right, Markcy, and yet there
must have been some ono here, else whcr.
GOULD that murderous knifo have com,
from?" 'h'
The 1rishman, while standing at tn,
door, had overheard Lu.p'a statomcnt [,