Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-03-08
'can visitors to the houe,.


 from him, and turnedbac, to the door.
 Il can't even look at it," she said "That merclless marble face frightens me-"
 Henry put his hand cn the forehead of the agure.
 What is there to alarm you, my dear, in this conventionally classical face?' he asked, iestingly.
 Before he could press the bead inward, Az 1es liurrietlly opened the dcor.
 "Wait till am out of the room," she cried. The bare idea of what you may find there lorrifies mel" She looked back into the room as she crossed the threshold. q won't leave you altogether" she said; q will wait outside"
 She closed the door, Left by himself, Henry lifted his hand once more to the mar ole forehead of the figure.
 For the second time he was checked on the point of setting the machinery of the hiding place in motion. On this occasion the inter- "uption came from an outbreak of friendly voices ill the corridor A woman's voice ex- claimed: Dearest Agnes, how glad am to see you againr' mans voice followed, of fering to introduce some friend to "Miss Lockwood" A third voice (which Henry recognized as the voice of the manager of the hoteD became audible next, directing the housekeeper to show the ladies ani gentlemen the vacant apartments at the other end of the corridor. "If more accommodation is want sd," the manager went on, "I have a charm ing room to let here." He opened the door as be spoke, and found himself face to face with Henry Westwick.
 "This is indeed an agreeable surprise, sir" said the manager, cheerfully. "You are ad- miring our famous chimney piece, sec May ask, MT. Westwick, how you find yourself in the hotel this time? Have the supernatural influences affected your appetite againa'
 "The supernatural influences have spared me this time," Henry answered. "Perhaps you may yet find that they have affected some other members of the family" He spoke gravely, resenting the familiar tone in which the manager had referred to his previ- ous visit to the hotel. "Have you just re- tulned?" he asked, by way of changing the topic.
 "Just this minute, sir. I had the honor of travelling in the same train with friends of yours, who have arrived at the hotel-Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Barville and their travelling companions. Miss Lockwood is with them, looking at the rooms. They will be here be- fore long, if they find it convenient to have an extra room at their disposal"
 This announcement decided Henry on ex- ploring the hiding place before the interrup- tion occurred. It had crossed his mind when Agnes left him that he ought, perhaps, to have a witness in the not very probable event of some alarming discovery taking place. The too familiar manager, suspecting noth- ing, was there at his disposal. He turned again to the Caryan figure, nlaliciously re- solving to make the manager his witness.
 q am delighted to hear that our friends have arrived at last," he said. Before I shake hands with them let me as!. you a ques- tion about this queer work of art here. I ] for sale2"
 Certainly, MT. Wesuwick."
 Do you think the chimney picco is as solid as it looks?' Henry proceeded. "When you came ill I was just wondering whether this figure here had not accidentally got loosened from the wall behind it." He laid hi; hand on the marble forehead for the third time. "To my eye it looks little out of the perpen- dicular. almost fancy could jog tho head just now when touched it." He pressed the head inward as he said those words.
 \ sound of jarring iron instantly audible behind the wall. The solid hearth stone ill front of the fireplace turned slowly at tue feet of the two men, and disclosed dark cavity lselow. At the -same moment, the strange and sickening combination of odors, hitherto associated with the vaults of the old palace an:l with the bed chamber beneath, now foated up from the open re- cess. and filled the room.
 The manager started back. "Good Co.,, MT. Westwick!" he exclaimed, Hwhat does this mean2"
 Remembering, not only what his brother | Francis had felt ill the room beneath, but what the experience of Agnes had been on the previous night, Henry was determined to | be on his guard. q am much surprised as you are" was his only reply. 1 z... &1 manager. "I must stop the ladies and gen. tlemen outside from coming in.' | He hurried away-not forgetting to close the door after him. Henry opened the wip- dow, and waited there, breathing the pure air. Vague apprehensions of the next dis | covery to come filled his mind for the first time. He was doubly resolved, now, not to stir step in the investigation without wit ness.
 1 The manager returned with o wax taper in his hand, which he lighted as soon as he ,ntered the room.
 "We need fear no interruption now," he said. Be so kind, MT. Westwick, as to hold the light. It is my business to find out what this extraordinary discovery means"
 Henry held the taper. Looking into the cavity, by the dim and hickering light, tEcy both detected dark object at the bottom of it. 'I think can reach the thing" the r,,an- ager remarked, Eff lie down, and put my hand into the hole."
 He knelt on the foor--and hesitated, sMight I ask you, sir, to give me my gloves7" he said "They are in my hat, on the chair behind you"
 Henry gave him his gloves. "l do,st know what I may be going to take hold of. ," tAa
 manager explained, smiling rather uneasly as he put on his right glove
 He stretched himself at full length on the
 floor, and passed his right hand into the civ' 1 ity. "I can'5 say exactly what l have Got hold off," he said. But have got it." Half raising himself, he drew his hand out The next instant he started to his feet witl a slrielz of terror. A human head dropped from his nerveless grasp on the floor, and rolled to Henry's feet. It was the hdeous head that Agnes had seen lowering above her. 1n the vision of the night!
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