The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1893-11-09


consider the moderation of my de-
mands That alone should convince
you of my desire to turn over q new
leaf. ask for months trial; if, at
the end OF that time, don't suit you
shall say 50, and I'll march from your
door with nothing i'll my pocket but
but when l reflect on the amount
you'll have to pay to get me Co face
tonight storm again you seem TO be
getting off dirt cheap" cried I, slap
ping my palm on the table.
We shook hands on our bargain,
and catching up candlestick, he led
the way from the room.
Picking up my boots, followed him
along the passage and down the silent
staircase. III the hall he paused to
stand on tiptoe and turn up the lamp,
which was burning low. AS he did so
found time to fling n glance at my
old enemy, the n.astIff. lie lay AL had
first seen him-a stuffed dog, if ever
there was one. Decidedly" thought
/, ''my wits are to seek to-ni!ht," and
with the same sudden suspicion made
me to turn to my conductor, who had
advanced to the left-hand door and
was waiting for me with a hand on
the knob.
Zone moment" 1 said; "this is all
very pretty, but how am / to know
you're not sending me to bed while
you fetch in all the countryside to
lay me by the heels?"
'I'm afraid, was his answer, "you
must be content with my word as a
gentleman that never, tonight or
hereafter, will l breathe a syllable
about the circumstances OF your visit.
However, we will return upstairs"
mo; Pll trust you," said l; and he
opened the door
1t led into broad passage, paved
with slate, upon which three or four
rooms opened. He paused by the
second and ushered me into a sleeping
chamber, which, though narrow, was
comfortable enough q vast improve
ment, at any rate, on the mumper's S
lodgings | had been used to for many
months past.
"You can undress here" he said;
"the sheets are aired"
"Sir, you heap Goals of fire on me-"
Now it might be supposed was only
too glad to toss off my clothes and
climb into the bed had so unexpect-
edly acquired a right to. But, as a
matter of fact / did nothing of the
kind. Instead 1 drew on my boots
and sat on the beds edge, blinking at
my candle till it died down in its sock
ct, and afterward at the purples square
of window as it slowly changed to
gray with the coming of dawn. l was
cold to the heart, and my teeth chat
tered with an ague. Certainly never
suspected my hosts word, but was
even occupied in framing good resolu
tions and shaping out ali excellent
future, when l heard the front door
gently pulled to and man sfootsteps
moving quietly to the gate.
The treachery knocked me in n heap
for the moment Then, leaping up
and flinging my door wide, | stumbled
through the uncertain light of the pas
sage into the front hall.
There was a fans haped light over
the door, and the place was very still
iand gray.
The light no longer shone out into
the left-hand passage; but, cropping
down it, found the study door open,
as before, and passed in. A sick light
stole through the blinds-enough for
me to distinguish tie glasses and de-
canters on the table and find my WAY
to the curtain that hung before the
room where the light had first at
tracted me.
pushed the curtain aside, paused
for moment, and listened to the v!o-
lent beat OF my heart, then felt for the
dOOrhandle and turned it.
1 L., l..
chamber Was small; next, that the
light patch in a line with the window
was the. white coverlet of bed; and
next, that somebody or something lay
on the bed.
| listened again. There was no
sound in the room, no heart beating
but my own. | reached out q hand
to pull up the blind, and drew it buck
again. dared not.
The daylight grew minute by min
ute, on the dull parallelogram of the
blind. and, minute by minute, that
horrible thing on the bed took some
thing OF distinctness.
The strain beat me at last.
fetched veritab BILE yell to give my
self courage, and reaching for the
cord, pulled up the blind as fast as it
would go.
The face on the pillow was that OF
an old man, face waxen and peace
full, with quiet lines about the mouth
end eyes, and long lines OF gray hair
falling back from the temples. The
body was turned little on one side
and one hand lay outside the bed
clothes in very natural manner.
But til, re two dark spots on the
coVerlet.
Then | knew / was face to face with
the real householder; and it flashed
on me that had been indlscreet in
taking service as his butler, and That
l knew the face his ex-butler wore.
And, being by this time awake to
the responsibilities OF the post, l
quilted it three steps at time, not
once iOO<ino behind me. Outside the