Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1882-09-27

waterworks, thought that there might
not be another watercock open in the
whole city at that time, aud that the
great pumps might be working for me
alone in the silence of the night. | did
not shut of the water, but looked at
my watch, which indicated ten minutes
past y. aud then got into bed again
without turning OUT the gas.
l remember thinking Of some Of the
many incidents with which meant TO
lortify my position aud arguments with
reference to The increased acuteness OF
the sense of hearing during some
dreams. Then 1 slept, and dreamed
again. dreamed l stood in the pump
ing-works and watched the ponderous
machinery move. Only there was no
regularity now, as there had been in
the daytime. The great piston which
watched would make now long
sweeping stroke. and again a stroke
like flash of light. And the loug and
short strokes, translated into da.heS
and dots, said over and over, and over
again, Help! Murder! Help! Murder
Help! Murderv y
[ could see the movement as l haC
seen the flashes of light and as 1 had
seen Arnold's hand, but this time
copld hear it. TOO. A murmur or pulse
not unlike the noise made by stean
eneine running almost silently, no"
short, saying 10 the ear what the grace
ful movements of the piston said TO the
eye: Help Murder"
I started wide-awake in a moment.
I hope no one will be cruel enough to
Joke when 1 say seemed TO be all
ears. 1t is certainly no joking matter
The storm had come at last, and was
dashng in fury against the window and
wall. Iput the real dash of the rain Tor
the movement of the piston | had heard
in my dream.
But l heard dozen mice in the
walnscot in different parts Of the house
l had not heard them before, and the
noise of the storm seemed dealenlng
Over in the next street could heal a
man walking. l could not have heard
him on a quiet day. Despite the thick
walls between. l heard something fall
in the next house. And above the
noise of the storm-no, above it would
be wrong-but in spite of the noise OF
the awful tempest there was SOUND
like q breath "a so5-or the thought oi
a sob-iDtangible almost, dreamlike
almost, but real for all that. Now like
a memory of a long-drawn breath
caught quickly, it pulsed on and on.
was never wider awake in my lie. My
mind was never keener. But l could
hear, With my waking ears this time, ,the
pulses and pnfTs which spelled Help
Murder!'
For one terrible moment my hear
seemed to stand still. After that
never failed IN courage and sense dur
ing the whole Of that terrible night.
sprang from bed and dressed with
rapidity of which l should have
thought myselfincapable, and that ter
rible message was repeating itself IL
my ears all the time. | dropped my
revolver into my pocket, took my heavJ
cane. put on my waterproof coat, shu
off the water from the watercock, ant
sounds stopped. l opened it, and th'
message began again: Help! Murder
Help! Murderp
| bent over and looked at the wate
as it fell into the basin. l half ianced
that the stream was no: steady, that it
diminished a little, and then increased
again. 1 could not tell positively any
thing about it. [ could not say that th'
plssh it made lessened and strengthen
ed. nor could say it did not. toun'
by several trials that the message cam
willie the cock was open AID stoppe
when il was closed. That was all
found out then and it is all l know now
I passed downstairs, noticed that th
clock in the hall pointed to twenl
minutes past -, and stepped out. Il
T was a terrible night. The wind wa
a gale. The rain was torrent. Tn
lightning was over aud the sky wa
, blackness.
A livsry.stable was within two BLOCK
a police-statlon a block behind That.
was n terrible walk to the stable, but
cot there at last. The owner knew me
but said l could not have a team @
' such night; no driver would 50 Q
' such an occasion. l was desperate
? and asked him to name some Price, an
: nr,ce. for which he would furnish me
= team and driver for the rest OF Il
t night. had no theory, no detinl
G thought; only knew that l must an
q would know why Arnold Percy was n
= home yet. l gave him tweniy-hv
D dollars the moment it was demande
a and l put ten dollars into the hLnd
the driver when 1 ordered him to th
e police station.
1 did not tell anything a. the static
I more than that Mr.. Percy had not r.
turned, and that wanted to 90 10 tt
q bank and find out why. l could n
relate a series Of dreams as a reason iC
sending a police officer three miles in
d terrible storm, and as for the messag'
q 7 knew | had heard who would belley
4 il? And where did it come from
l intended 10 make little or no in
7 pression on the officer in charge,
q was disappointed. l asked for a polio