, 1891-02-18

brussels carpet, the colors ana pattern VI
which l can recall rs well as todAy's break
fast. Under this staircase WAS set a stand
full OF walking sticks and a table Uttered
with gloves, brushes, q hAnd bell, a riding
crop, one or two dog whistles, and a bed
room candle with finder box beside 1t.
This, with one notable exception, WAS all
the furniture.
The exception-which turned me cold
was the form of a yellow mastid dog.
curled on a mat beneath the table. The
arch Of his back was toward me, and one
forepaw lay over his nose in a natural post
ure of sleep. I leaned back on the wains-
coting, with my eyes tightly fixed on him
and my thoughts flying back, with some
thing of regret, TO the storm | had come
through.
But a mans habits are not easily denied.
At the end of three minutes the dog had
not moved, and I was down on the door
mat unlacing my soaked boots Slipping
them of and taking them in my left hand,
l stood up and tried to step toward the
stairs, with eyes alert for any movement OF
the mastif; but he never stirred.
1 was glad enough. however, on reaching
the stairs to find them newly built and
the carpet thick. Up I went, with a glance
at every step for the table which now hid
the brute's form from me, and never a
creAk did / wake out OF that staircase till
was almost at the first landing. when my
toe caught a loose stair rod and ratified il
In "a way that stopped my heart, aud then
set it going In double quick time.
l stood still, with 4 hand on the rail.
Ny eyes were now or a level with the fioor
of the landing. out OF which branched two
passages-one by my right hand. the other
to the left-at the foot OF the next flight,
80 placed that wss gazing down the
length Of IT, And almost at the end there
fell a parallelogram Of light across 1t from
au 0peu door.
A man who has once felt It knows there
Is only one kline Of silence that can be dtIy
called dead" This is only to be found in
a great house at midnight, For q few sec
onds after / ratified the stair rod you might
nave cut the silence with n knife. II the
house held a clock It licked inAudibly.
Upon this silence, at the end of II min
ute, broke a light sound-the cllnk, clink
OF n ecanter on the rim OF a wine glass.
1t came from the room where the light
was.
Now perhaps II wa the very thought OF
liquor put warmth into my cold bones. 1t
Is certain that all OF a sudden Strengthened
my back. took the remaining stairs at two
strides. and walked down the passage as
bold ~ brass, without caring a jot for the
noise | made.
In the doorway l halted. The room WAS
long, lined for the most part with books
bound in what they call divinity calf
and Uttered with papers like a barrister's
table on assize day. Before the fireplace,
where a few Goals burned sulklly, WIS
drawn a leathern elbow chair, and beside
t., on the corner OF a writing table, were
set an unlit candle and "A pile OF manu-
scripts. Al the opposite end OF the room a
curtained door led las / guessed) to the
chamber that | had first seen Illuminated
All this | took in with the tail OF my eye
while staring straight in front, where. in
the middle Of a great square Of carpet be
tween me aud the window, was a table
with \ red cloth Upon it. On this cloth
were a couple OF wax candles lighted, In
silver stands. "A tray and n decanter of
brandy.
And between me and the table stood a
man.
He stood sideways, leaning a little back,
as II to keep his shadow off the threshold,
and looked at me over his left shoulder
a bald. grave man. slightly under the com
mon height, with a long clerical coat OF
prcposterous fit hanging loosely from hts
shoulder. "A white crnvat, black brooches
and black stockings. His feet were loosely
thrust into carpet slippers. Judged hts
age at fifty or Whereabouts, but his face
rested in the shadow. and / could only note
a pair Of eyes, very small and alert, twin
king above a large expanse OF cheek.
He was lifting a wine glass from the
table at the moment when 1 appeared, and
IL trembled now in his right hand. 1
heard a split drop or two fall on the car
pet, aud this was all the evidence he
showed OF discomposure.
Setting the glhss back, he felt In his
breast pocket for a handkerchief, failed TO
find one, and rubbed his hands together TO
get the liquor of his fingers.
You startled me- he said in a matter
of fact tone, turning his eyes upon me, as
he lifted his glass again and emptied 1t.
How did you find your way inf"
by the front door" said !, wondering
at his unooucern.
He nodded his head slowly.
"Ahl l forgot to lock 1t. You came to
steal, l supposer"
~ cane because I'd lost my way. I've
been travelling this God forsaken moor
since dusk''-
with your boots In your hand'" he put
in quietly.
81 took them of out of respect to the
yellow dog you keep"
He lies In a natural attitude. ehI'
you don't tell me he was stuffedr'
The old mans eyes beamed with con
temptuous pity.
You are indiderently sharp, my dear
SIT - n hbuh1bAtAhGls SoAhd III ctk
down those convicting boots, and don't
drip pools Of water in the very doorway, of
all places. II ! must entertain a burglar /
prefer him tidy"
He walked TO the fire, picked up a poker
and knocked the Goals into a blaze. This
done he turned round on me, with the
poker still in his hand The serenest gray
ity sat oil his large. hale features.
"why have | done thist" he asked.
"Isuppose TO get possession OF the poker"
Quite right May l inquire your next
mover"
Why" said !, feeling in my pocket. 81
carry n pistol"
(which l suppose to be damp"
"Ry no means. l carry it, as you see, in
an oilcloth case"
He stopped and laid the poker carefully
in the fender.
THAT is n stronger card than 1 possess.
| might urge that by pulling the trigger
you would certainly alarm the house Inc
the neighborhood and put u halter around
your neck. | say l might arg this, and
assume you to be au intelligent auditor.
But it strikes me as safer to assume you
capable of using a pistol with effect at
three paces. With what might happen
subsequently | will not pretend 10 be con-
cerned. It Is sufficient that / dislike the
notion Of being perforated. The fate of FOUR
neck he waved a hand. We'll, / nave
known you for just five minutes, and feel
but a moderate inc rest in your neck. As
for the inmates OF this house, IL will re-
fresh you to hear that there are none. !
nave lived here two years with a butler
and female cook, both OF whom i dismissed
yesterday nj n minute notice for conduct
which ! will not shock your ears by ex-