Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1891-12-10


of things in general"
CHAPTER v.
When I met Sir Edmu nd in the MORN
ing, / told him that my partners had
agreed with me 10 alter the clause in the
agreement, though we had not yet de-
cided in what manner.
II am glad to hear il, he sail; "any-
thing will be better than that agreement
as il stands"
Edith came down late to breakfast.
She looked pale and said she had over
slept herself.
'For the irrst time in your life, be-
lieve," said Sir Edmund. "You did not
fall asleep quite so readily as usual
heygn he asked, smiling
81 could not sleep" she answered, but
so gravely that | saw it was not from the
cause the baronet implied-the love that
had kept me awake; and then she added,
IL have been terribly frightened"
We looked at her in sstonishment and
anxiety.
Il will tell you all about it," she con-
tinued, because you may be able TO ex-
plain what perplexes me, and that will be
great relief"
She paused, as if to collect her thoughts
and then said:
81 was nearly asleep when noticed a
sound coming from the window. Itwas
as il someone was rapping upon the glass
not loudly or quickly, but softly, as
though with the tip Of the finger. and at
intervals. might have counted twenty
or thirty between one tap and the next.
took little notice Of it at first, thinking
that as had left the window partly open
il might be the wind moving the Vene-
tian blind but after awhile, the persistent
tap--tap-tap irritated me. / rose add
lit the candle, then | went to the VIM
dow. The lattice was Just as / had left
il. The blind hung perfectly motionless.
l drew it up and looked out. There was
gray mist everywhere. Not a breath
of air stirred; the flame Of the candle
burned as steadily as though the window
had been closed. let down the blind,
and listened; there was not the slightest
sound"
"a moth on the ceiling" said Sir Ed.
mund; ''they have worried me in the
same manner. Then you get light, and
the thing stops"
Hold on, we amt heered the last on
it. kin see" said the Judge. looking al
Miss Lascelles intently, his shaggy brows
bent over his quick eyes.
II explained it as you do, papa. put
out the light, and tried TO sleep. heard
no sound for quite ten minutes, i think,
and then again that soft, slow tap-tap-
tap came from the window-the same
sound, with the same long interval be-
tween them. II was not Ike the beat Of
n moths wing. II was like nothing but
the touch of a human finger. But tried
TO think il was an insect in the wall-the
insect that is called the 'death-watch.'
And / did my best to take no notice Of it,
but | could not help hearing il; and after
a time | grew frightened, and the sound
grew dreadful in my ears. 10 became
uncomfortable. ! could not lie there listen.
ing passively. got up again. and struck
a match. The wick Of the candle was
slow to light. and during those moments
/ noticed that the sound had ceased. As
say. was frightened-very frightened.
And the unbrOken silence seemed more
terrible than the sound. There was
something ghostly and supernatural
about it, that brought back the old ter
ror | used 10 feel as a child in passing the
room that is said 10 I've haunted al night.
And just then the clock in the belfry
struck. ! dared not go TO the window.
My hand trembled so that l could not
take up the candle, but looked toward
the window. The first thing that struck
me was that the laths of the blind, in
stead Of lying fiat, as they generally do,
when down, and rs had left them, were
opened and turned edgeway-do you
know how / mean?'
She held her hands, that trembled with
the recollection Of her terror, one above
the other horizontally.
"But the next thing" she continued,
and then stopDed. with a little shudder,
wnlie we who listened held our breath
''the next thing l saw was two great
black eyes that caught the light from my
candle in between the lower laths Of ths
blind"
She paused, and then continued with
more firmness-
81 think fainted-I must have done
so, for / was conscious Of nothing after
that. until found myself upon the floor.
The light was still burning upon the ta-
BILE. As recollection returned TO me, |
looked toward the window. The laths
were no longer open, but turned fiat.
Then it occurred 10 me that all | had seen
was merely imaginative-that it was
merely a realistic dream-that had gone
through these experiences in my sleep.
My great terror was gone. / went with
out fear 10 the window to ascertain If the
night was as / had seen il. There was
did not flicker. Nevertheless. when /
looked down ard saw how impossible IL
was for anyone 10 have stood outside the
window, / felt convinced that at least
the vision Of the two eyes was imaginary
an outcome Of the fear | felt when /
looked toward the window. lay down
again. and though l could not sleep for
sometime, | heard no further sound
whatever. save the Ginning OF the clock"
''ls it not very probable, my dear, said
the baronet, "thAt the sound you speak
Of was also the outcome Of fearf'
81 had no fear when / went first to the
window. The sound was a reality. II
is that l wish explained"
"Do you know what time II was when
the tapping first began, Miss Lascellesy'
Van Hoeck asked.
1T was a quarter 10 one by my watch
when l recovered from the III"
MAY ! ask, Miss, without Offense, IL
thing Of this kind hes ever happened 10
you aforeE asked the Judge.
"As child was timid. but ! cannot
remember ever being 50 frightened"
you don't look as II a trifie would
skeer you, l will allow" and, rising from
his chair, the Judge added, ''if you'll ex-
cuse me, Ill go and prospect the place
straight off, for I'm lorth 10 say II looks
70 me like as If the Kid had been taking
a hand in the game"
by all means, said the baronet, "the
sooner the truth is discovered the better"
We all went out onto the lawn which
faced that part Of the building in which
Edith's room was situated.
On the way, Van Hoeck, who had taxi
en- my arm for guidance, gripped it tight
ly and whispered;
"What did tell you? This is the bo-
ginning Of the end"