The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-09

She was now so far recovered as to be left
alone at night, her sisters room adjoining and
opening into hers. Mr. Garston was of course
acquainted with these arrangements and it was
with an increase of surprise and curiosity that
he now saw his mysterious visitor pause at Min
ME Sterling's door then open it quietly and walk
in. The young man followed. Thestranger ap-
preached the bedside where the girl lay calmly
sleeping. undisturbed by the invasion of her
room. He paused for minute, then raised his
arm, and with one strong, steady stroke plunged
a long knife into the sleepers breaat!
There was a moment in which the Mortified
bystander saw nothing; then his vision steadied,
and he perceived that the murderer gone
that the sleeper still lay before him, but that
sleep had passed into death without a cry, with
out a struggle And then he was conscious of a
strange numbness of all his faculties, which
made it seem impossible to speak, or act, or
even think. 1t did not occur to him to give any
alarm or in any way make known what had hap
pened. He turned away and left the room, and
got back to his without shaking off this
numbness in the least; and So from kind of
horrible mental haze, he fell into deep but
troubled sleep.
He awoke in the morning later than usual
and as he awoke, the fearful experience of the
night returned to his memory. At first ne
thought it had been a dream; then every detail
came to his recollection with such perfect clear
ness that he assured himself it was not so; and
then came q dread of being summoned by the
Sterlings, as he certainly would be the moment
the tragedy was discovered.
He sprang up and dressed. The hotel was
already awake and astr, and he wondered the
murder had not yet been made known to fill the
cheerful house with horror and dismay. Every
moment he expected some cry of distress, some
hurried footstep rushing to tell him the fatal
news; but all was quiet. or, rather all was noisy
with the usual sounds of coming and going, in
that great caravansery.
At last he could endure the suspense no longer.
He went down stairs, and, though it was far be-
hOp Of dol vyx-icff hao had
with Undesirable anxiety the door of the Ster-
hngs' sitting room. just as he did so it opened,
and Mr.. Sterling came out
'Ah, Mr.. Carston," he exclaimed in his
CHEEKY voice and homely Northern dialect.
''Well met. My wife was just sending me to
ask you to speak to her before breakfast.
What could it meant The young man fol
lowed the elder into the room in the strangest
confusion of mind. Mrs. Sterling was there,
fresh and cheerful as the morning.
minnie won't rest, Mr.. Garston," she said,
unless 1 ask your leave for her to go out little
this morning. EARLY, she says, before the sun
gets too hot. | told her it would be time enough
to ask you when you came to see her. but she
is spoiled, you know. We must humor her ALT
tleb
Minnie; she was not dead2 Was it a dream9
1t was not a truth, at any rate-for she
there weak certainly, but bright and eager to
be in the fresh air. And from that day she was
allowed to move about and enjoy herself by
progressive steps more and more until, when the
Sterlings left Lucerne, there was scarcely trace
of her illness left
They were all very grateful to Mr.. Garston
for his of the girl, and several times during
the last days they spent together he was on the
point of telling them the singular vision he had
had, which he now believed to have been simply
a strange and horrible dream But a repugance
to awaken in them nything of the sensations
he had suffered made him keep silence, and they
parted without word having been said on the
subject.
The Garstons left Lucerne first. They were
going to prolong their tour for several weeks,
while the Sterlings were going leisurely home
ward. Warm expressions of regard and invita-
tons were exchanged when the brothers were
departing, and there, for time, all intercourse
ceased.
zerne, Mr. Garston, who had left his brother be-
hind him in Paris, arrived at Victoria Station
by the Continental train The station seemed
to be fuller and buster than usual, so, having
rescued his portmanteaa from the hurry burly,
he decided to carry it himself into the open yard
in front of the station and then get hanson to
convey it and himself home But as he emerged
from the station on to the long line of pavement
running from end to end of it in front of its
many entrances, he saw coming toward him a
man whom he instantly recognized. There
could not be shadow of doubt about it, There
were the thick, curly-brown hair, the singularly
bright blue eyes, the tall, well-knit figure, and
the very costume, with its noticeable tint and
was the man of his vision at Lucerne!
Whoever or whatever he might be, he was
now walking unconcernedly out of Victoria Sta
ton, carrying travelling bag in his hand and
evidently looking for cab In a minute he
hailed one, and got into it The crowd was at
one of its moments of crisis and it was impos
sible for it to move otherwise than slowly. Mr..
Garston determined to see whittier he went, A
hanson drewu e. >se to him.
'Do you see that cab9' he said, pointing out the
one. Follow it wherever 1t goes. and be sure do
not lose sight Of it"
He sprang in. The cabman unanswered so
ceverly that he followed the unknown closely
out of the yard; and then long chase began.
Through street after street, round corner after
corner they went, sometimes separated but
never far apart, or out of sight, until at last the
journey ended at the door of house in Regents
Park. The unknown alighted rang the bell
and paid the cabman 1t was evident that he
meant to stop at this house; was probably at
home there.
dir Garston hesitated what to do; but the
sight of the man in the full light of day, and in
London, was so linked with the recollection of
him as he plunged his long knife into Minnie
Sterling's heart that it seemed impossible to let
him go without some certainty about him.
After all, he could plead a misdirection, a mis-
take. To penetrate into that house. to clear up
the mystery of this identity, had become an i'm
perious necessity.
AS the stranger entered the door with the air
of one familiar and expected, Mr.. Garston
jumped from his cab and followed him. An as
tonished footman suffered the second visitor to
pass He pursued the man upstairs, him
open door, and heard EXPLANATIONS of welcome
Almost too quickly to recognize the voices, he
had also entered; and found himself in the
presence of the Sterlingsl
He thought afterward how fortunate it was
that in their warm welcome they forgot to be
very exactng in the matter of explanations
They took it for granted he had somehow
learned that they were living in this furnished
house" for few weeks to make preparations for
lucky he had not gone to Manchester to look for
thenip But when Minnie came to him and said
shyly that Fred did so want to thank him for all
his kindness to her at Lucerne, and he felt him
self compelled to shake hands with the man of
his vision, so strong horror thrilled all through
his frame that the remembered horror of his
dream was as nothing to it.