The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-04-17

may have even burned the will on the evening
on which he died. Was there any appearance.
Mrs. Crawford, of his having burned any pa
pers?"
81 heard the housekeeper say he had been
burning some papers; butt Of course, they
might DO some auld letters or things O. no con-
sequence"
"Quite possible We will not assume that t
is burned yet, till we see. There goes IL
o'clock. Another 20 minutes and we will have
finished. What's that2"
1t was a noise like the faint creaking Of q
door, distinctly heard through the stiffness of
tho house, seemingly coming from one of the
rooms on the floor Immediately above. Mr..
Barnett and Mrs. Crawford both strained their
ears to listen. For the space of nearly min
ute they heard nothing.
Perhaps Miss Ashley or tho housekeeper
looking out to see if the hall gas is still lit
if we are up stairs" Mr.. Barnett said. az hope
1t Is not that brother spying about to see what
we are after If he had happened to be outside
this door little while ago he might have heard
us talking of the will. There it is again. Some
one is certainly awake upstairs"
Listening intently, they now heard slight
sound, as of footstep coming slowly down the
stairs step by step. Tho footstep seemed too
light to be that of Henry Monkton it must be
either Miss Ashley or the housekeeper Mrs.
Bolding.
They're taking their Draw time, whoever it
is" said Mrs. Crawford in whisper. They
have got to the foot Of the stair now. They 70
coming in here. The Lord preserve us; it's
Mr.. Monl1ton himself -
The door had opened, and tall figure in
white walked slowly into the room. Mrs. Craw-
ford, almost fainting with terror, covered down
on the floor and chung TO the tails of the solicit
Or's frockcoat. Both were on the opposite side
of the desk from the apparition, which adj
vanced with noiseless tread into the center of
the room, aud there paused, regarding them
with fixed stare. 1t held something In its
right hand like a long blue packet. Mr. Bar
nett his blood freezing In his veins, stood lit
orally paralyzed and incapable of motion. He
felt his hair rise on his head. For the space of
one dread minute he actually believed that the
spirit of his dead friend stood before him.
Then came wild feeling of relief as he recOg-
nized the appartion. Ii was not the dead man
in the spirit, but his brother in the flesh, whom
no bebeld. IL was Henry Monkton in q fit of
somnamhulism.
There he stood, clad In nothing but his long
nightshirt, his feet bare, his eyes wide open
aud unseeng. utterly Unconscious of where he
was or in whose presence. IL was the first
time in his life that Mr. Barnett had bchcld
anyone thus walking in his sleep. The sight
was TO him something ghostly and terrible-a
sort of life In death. What was the sleeping
man going to do? What was that which he
held in his hand
Mr.. Barnett stopped down and whispered his
discovery of who the appartion was into tire
ear of the terrified Mrs. Crawford, who speedi-
ly recovered from her fright, and both to-
gcthcr watched the movements of the somnam-
bulist, who seemed uncertain what to do next.
First he laid down the blue packet lac carried
on the desk, which the solicitor now saw TO DO
long envelope. evidently containing some
thing. From this envelope tho sleeping man
drew forth a document, which he opened out
and seemed TO glance over after which he re-
folded and returned ii TO the envelope. This
he laid on tho desk. left il there, and walked
forward TO the fireplace. where he stood for a
minute or two4eaning against the mantlepiece,
apparently wTapt in thought. Struck by sud
den thought, Mr.. Barnett bent across the desk
took up the envelope, drew out the document
inclosed, and hastily scanned itover single
glance was sufficient. II was the missing will!
Quick as thought he snatched up tho will
found by Mrs Crawford, which was lying beside
him, thrust IL into the envelope and slipped
the newly discovered ono safely into his peck ct
Next he leaned over aud softly placed the en-
vciope with It's new Enclosure back where il had
lain IL was but the work OF a second or two
Mrs Crawford watching him the while with
batod breath, haltsusFecting what the envelope
had contained
The somnambulist. after standing in the
same position at the fireplace for some seconds
longer, returned to the desk, took up the will,
went again To the fireplace, and held the en-
velope and It's contents above the now burned
out FIRE, ms though about To drop them into the
flames which he imagined he saw Then he
turned hnrriedly and glanced toward the door,
| put bis hand containing the will behind him,
as If wishing TO hide 10 from ffie gaze of some.
| ono, stood for minute in that position, aud
then slowly walked ont of the room, closing
| the door behind him. Mr.. Barnett darted
after him and followed him cautiously up stairs.
| He watched him until he saw him go along the
| corridor aud enter bis room in safety; after
| that the solicitor returned 10 tho room below
Mercy on as! Did ever any mortal see the
! like o. thatf" This exclamation burst from
| the lips of Mrs. Crawford "a Mr.. Barnett re-
! Joined her in the library. Tho good woman
| had recovered tho use Of her tongue and was
| Inclined TO laugh at her recent fears. q really
| thought 10 was the dead man himself" con
| tinucd she. Eh, but he was awlu' like him,
| though! What paper was that ye took2 Was
| IL tho WILL aud bad lac got 10 sltor AZ"
| Yes 1t was the will Here It u.s. safe and
sound. lie may do what he likes with the one
be has got will take care this ono does not
| fall into his hands again"
" But how would he come to got It. think
| YEP"
THAT II quite easily understood, Mrs. Craw-
| ford. Mr.. Monkton must have had 10 beside
| him the night he died and it would be lying
| Hh4"hE tho ARpab papers oi inc uHak. Iilh
| brother, hunting among these papers on his
arrival here, had found the will. read it, and
| knowing that II IL were destroyed or put out
| OF the way he himself would BIO heir 10 every
| thing, resolved TO suppress IL. remember you
| said he seemed little confused when you en-
tered the room. You had probably disturbed
| him while perusing the viii. lie has had II in
| his possession ali along. The wonder Is that he
| has moi burned il before this Perhaps he could
not make up his mind whether 10 destroy il OF
| give IL up ! can understand now his non.
interference with things. lie knew that the
| game was In his own hand
II maun haze preyed on his mind TO n terri.
BILE extent though. That maun be what caused
him TO walk in his sleep"
No doubt. He seemed TO be acting over
| again what. occurred In this room when he
found tho will. You saw him look toward the
door, as if he heard someone coming, and then
put his hand behind him, apparently TO hide
| the will 2"
AYE, lie just looked something like that
when saw him tho first day standing by the
fire. I'll no forget what hao seen this night
In hurry. Ye're sure that's the right will
now?"
Yes there's no doubt Of it this time. II /.
dated 9Th August, 1881, exactly four months Il
day later than the other"
Mr.. Barnetts suppostion as to the manner n
which Henry Monkton had got possession Of
the will was quito correct. He had found il
on Mr. Monkton's desk among tho other papers