Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1884-06-05

y
incrcdIlously. Il was in bed by .
O'Clock and was up this morning at 6. -
"Surely you must be mistaken, Ste
phcn, for | met you or your double ut
the top of the avenue last night as
was returning to the house.
"Impossiblc!"
"Indccd, | did. Iwould have spoken
to you but you hurried away, and |
thought you had seen me and wished
to be alone
at could not have been me. | was
never out of the house aftcr7 o'clock y
All that day | was haunted by the
recollection of what had seen on the
previous night, and of my brothers
denial. | had heard singular stories Of
Stephen being II Somnambulist before
| had left England, and could not help
wondering if he was still addicted TO
freaks of that kind; but rs had never
seen him walk in his sleep, and as |
had only half believed the tales | had
been told, | was not inclined to accept
this explanation as II solution of the
problem. However, | was determined
to solve the mystery.
As soon as all were in bed, therefore,
on the night following that ON which |
had arrived at Stanley House, | again
went outinto the grounds, determined,
If met the mysterious person whom
| had seen on the previous night, Ia
follow him and discover who he was.
The moon was shining litfully from be.
hind the stormy clouds that now and
again obscurcd her disc, and Il breeze
of wind stirred and whistlcd in the
brar chcs of the trees. | paced upon
the grass beneath the tall Gins that
pointed their fOliaged branches to the
frowning sky. had taken up my
point of observation Just in front oi
the west wing of the house. which had
been so long shut up and left to fal
into decay. So great indeed had beer
my brothers horror lest any portion
of it should be touched by human foot
that not only had he boarded up every
window and door that had communi
cation without, but he had also causeC
to be built up every door that had givcr
access from it to the main body OF tn,
building.
My head was full of thoughts o
my boyhood, as walked to and fro.
remembered many happy days spcn
in those rooms, for they had been my
fathers favoritcs; and it was not with
out pang of regret that looked Il
them, deserted and ruinous, simply be
cause Il false woman had also lovcC
them.
had waited until past midnight anC
had almost given up my quest as hope
less, and was about to return to tn
house, when | heard foOtstcp on tn
damp gravel walk approaching,
drew back into the shadow of the tree
and pccred forth into the darkness, TO
at that moment thick cloud shut on
the light of the moon. Nearer an,
nearer the footStcp came, and at lcngtI
the glmmering of lantern shOnc on
on the darkness. The man bcarin,
the hight went up to the principal en-
trance of the west wing, where h
paused, and moment later heard
key shoot back the heavy lock; tn
next instant the light and the man dis
appeared as the door closed benin
! them.
Animated and excited, | stcppe
, quickly but softly across the grave
, walk to the door, where for momcu
, paused and listened. A footstep wa
ascending the creaking staircase.
waited until | heard it on the Sccon
flight before tried the door. foun
it open, and entered softly, closing tn
door behind me. Before procccdin
, further, | cautiously took off my boot
= and then | assembled the cold clamm
: stairs, that smelt of the tomb.
From the second landing ther
= opened q suite of apartments, which
D remembered had been called the stron
, rooms, because they were in the ver
heart of the building, had few window
| and only one door for ingrcss or cgrcs
4 The heavy oak door that opened int
| these rooms | found was aiar, and
l bright light streamed out between ii
G opening. To my great astonishmen
= when | entered this room, | hear
| voices in the apartment beyond. !
( first was so amazed that | could n,
distinguish n single word that W;
h spoken; but us | became calm, an
h after drawing close to the door of II
S room from which the sound proceedC
i | distinctly heard woman's voice
o fearful accents saying:
n 40, if you love me deliver me fro
4 this place! What have | done that
f should be forced to bear this punis
mcnlP Have | not loved with trl
c woman's lovcP Speak to me, Do n
r look at me with eyes so CLASSY that tn,
c seem to see not. Give me one wor
: that may hear you as the same Steph,
+ that you were before this fearful mi
# ady overlook you. Let me again S
It the light of heaven and the faces of II
g friends"
j crept softly nearer the door ~
= got into position from which | cou
j partly distinguish the occupants of d
" room and their surroundings, 1t W
IS a handsomely furnished apartmer
If half boudoir, half drawing-room. Eve
i luxury which the heart or brain cou
o desire was scattered about in endlc
/. variety. In the centre of the flo
20 stood my brother, but with such
| strange, wicked, frenzied expression
r. his face that, had | not known his fe
% lures well, l should have thought
g could not be he. Before him knelt
1t woman whose face was buried in h
d hands.
d "You shall not leave me thus" S
% ciied, as he turned to 60. 81 must
d will have my liberty"
1 She had started to her feet and +
d to the door, But Stephen, still wit
y out any change in his fixed, start
| countenance, seized her roughly by
ID arm and pushed her from him, a
walked quickly towards the door,
n had hardly time to draw back into t