Telegram-herald., 1888-07-29


He had his profile toseard me.
and his head was even more shrunk within
his shoulders than usual, so that | could not
rightly distinguish his features; but his gait
aud dress were as familiar as they were re-
markable. About the cut OF that brown
coat, Us about the peculiar inclination OF the
head and body, there could be no mistake
But how and with what object had he come
thithers | had left him in his own house.
true, there was nothing 10 prevent him from
following me, but what could be his motive.
Was il possible / was the dupe after all Of a
madman, and that the traits l had regarded
as mere eccentricities ought, in reality, TO
have given me the clew 10 the truthi Was
it to be accounted for in this way, or was it
that the sarcastic humor, of which had seen
a good deal in my intercourse with him. had
prompted him 10 subject my boasted scepti-
cism 10 IN ordeal which, malicious though
it might be, was, perhaps, not unde-
servedi But this last hypothesis would not
hold water for a moment. Granted that the
old Dutchman had the will to conceive a
practical joke of this sort, he would as
suredly, were be in his right mind. have
chosen more convenient season for carrying
but one elucidation Of conduct so extraor-
dinary-my first conjecture was the right
one-Mr. Van Deckermann was not account
able for his actions.
1t is not an agreeable sensation, that Of
being tete-a-tete with mailman, even though
be be old and feeble, and you apprehend no
violence from him. In the moonlight, too,
things have a strange, uncanny look with
4 -s.,l I
keeping silence and pretending not TO be
awake, partly in order to see what my
visitor was about TO do, partly TO defeat his
insane malice; but was conscious, IN spite Of
myself Of a fascination against which | was
poweylesa To lie ana watch from between
my closed eyelids was all 4 could do.
Still with hands outstretched, still with the
sams totering gait, past the foot OF
the bad, and toward the fireplace
whore, turning round in the mid
stream of the moonlight, face and
figure alike stood revealed. The same and
yet not the same, mask rather than face
the lips parted, the eyes open and staring
fixedly before them, with terrible, unmis-
taxable stare of vacuity--the face of one
more dead than alive. Terrible as the sight
was, it brought with it a sudden and IN
parently sightless orbs and that expression
less countenance assured me that the old man
was as genuinely unconscious of his sur
roupdings as was endeavoring TO appear to
be Of mine Once before | had seen a man
walking in his sleep, and had not forgotten
that CHASTITY phenomenon.
He was still cropping about with his hands,
and it did not occur TO me at the moment as
altogether opposed to the theory had 50
readily adopted that what was in his normal
state only nearsightedness should be exag-
gerated in bis present condition into almost
if not total--blindness. Suddenly, while /
was still watching him, for my eyes had not
Quilted him for s moment, one wandering
hand found resting place on the arm Of tho
big chair had noticed upon entering the
room as having been put for my accommoda-
ton. The effect upon the frame Of the old
man was as though there were connected
with the wood galvanic battery Every
nerve in his body seemed TO be put In mo-
: ton, but though his teeth chartered and bis
+ ewes moved in their sockets, no sound escaped
4 hint was as though one had electrified a
I corpse.
4 So strong as that. and yet not strong
enough 70 awaken him. A chill that could
/ not account for. and that seemed 70 be numb
A., ing all my faculties. was creeping over une.
/ The face that I was staring at, with ewes
which refused TO leave il for the shortest mo
ment Of time. seemed more and more the dis
/ torted image Of that 7 was familiar with,
I felt as though break this unnatural silence /
must. but 10 words came 70 my stance.
Had I. too. been struck dumb and helpiessi
II only be would speak. rave. do anything
I Was scarcely conscious Of tie longing
that was upon me. before il was grarfed
the trembling figure erected itself. as II de-
terTniaedly getting the better II the shock il
had received. and once more. but this time
Sc II fixed purpose. the thin Eraspinz fingers
were str.fched out in The direction q the
char As they closed upon IT.. the whole
face changed. an expression II eaEeFuess ard
avidify took ths place 81 the vacant stare
had hitherto confronted. What looked Ike a
fash Of triumph seemed 70 quicken into life.
beneath their buShv h7ovs. tn e~es who's
power q vision ] hsd thought suspeuded
and with = strshge. uneartaiy Sand. bali
cry. half chuckle which made M hlood
creep. ire old mar f1nz himself ca his knees
hefore the chair
u this attitude. snd VIII his hsck - ne
Wat vas II n nss Dong. or ATTEMPTING
- 10
raised r1vsslf iit-is IN the hsi s7d - =
- ny incressed r1Tsflfcaf5os tAar BE- bad
tsksn hold = tne cbaiT-s pcr3e~r al
con-fvsncs. S-sfbed ia q loose cover ~ fseled
dsr,ask--sr6 ~ss apparently e-1lsarfrirg =
tilt Il - The chances reTe b. ~c--d 1ssse'
=, snd not escsVe ~ltaalt rao7s 81 lees 81
l1rv - ki1sef il dong - 1st hc- r
vlta6rar aizn frorn 81 V5shout s7rsksulr
hi1s. snd thas rouxhiV--s rnessar@ 7rsys
- I ksd been in<<ructet- r. - csrsfli J
svos.iez 81 --ses ~ sorrf 7tu 81
NJ. Fs1 Iserxsr-ssrn. / sd f-c11r
ny wcses e. hsxt u1h e. eE.-t. -car CIR.
snd hel1 rou
There wss skort sssrr s-a-1 ~ - sczre
thlzg fallilE bet t1srs rs Eo srE~er--s1r
wkers ~zz ~ 81 Ts~~e--rs@rnf
49, ed -~~,~ ~<x ses uens<~~-~-l