The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-11-12

naf an hour was discoverable. Nothing
mat might have caused the cats uneasineSs
supernatural agency was at work? Mr..
wheeler. was too hard headed a man to en-
tertain That idea for a moment. So he final
~ tried TO satisfy himself with the expla-
nation that he had been taken ill in the
hrSt few minutes Of his slumber; that The
sleep and this oe vioIent uneasy uneasy az al b ms b, h lIng
ana, asSociating the clock with his masters
movements, had regarded it as the cause Of
ing or the figure 1t might have been caused
by a fly or some other insect, and that this
counted for the cats unessiness. Mr.
Wheeler, forced to take that explanation
to bed with him. had an uneasy night in
He. was SO full Of the affair the next
morning. that he made a close examination
of the clock. and found it in perfect order.
Although he had no watch, he observed
that his clock was exactly in time with the
tower clock, which he could see from his
been. After puzzling over the whole prob
lem some time he decided that he could
only go on as formerly. depending upon the
future to solve the puzzle.
That day he went about matters as usual.
Loss of sleep and the shock to his nerves
had been injurious. but he might retrieve
orderly way until the time came fog him
to take his 100 clock nap In the evening.
Al nrst ne had thougnt or dlspensing with
for a repetition of the strange occurrences;
but after rejecting that It would be unwise
to break into the regularity of his habits
ne decided TO take his nap. Accordingly,
he composed himself in his chair, saw that
ThSophilus was sound asleep on the rug,
and in a moment (being tired he was SUM.
bering.
1t seemed to him that he had not been
asleep a minute when the same distressful
cry from .Theophilus reused him into
alarmed wakefulness. Again was Theophi-
lus gazing strangely at the clock. Quickly
turning his glance in that quarter. Mr.:
NNhaoiar CO " that tho hands q U1 in nninfod
to midnight, and that the little figure was
swaying as though it had but just fallen
wretched mans nerves could bear quietly.
He trembled, and a perspiration dampened
his forehead. These things, happening
once, made a situation strange enough; a
extraordinary elements entering into it
made a coincidence which was terrible. Mr..
fore; he examined the clock and saw that
il was in perfect order. He felt that he
had not slept two hours. but on a matter OF
that Kind he knew that no mans judgment
is reliable. He replaced the figure and sat
for a long time in deep thought and anx-
iety; az the end of everything he went to
bed. His sleep again was uncertain; but If
he had sleyt two hours how could he ex-
pect sound slumber?. Still. it seemed TO him
that if he had slept two hours in a cramped
position i'm a. chair. he would nave felt the
strain on his muscles, and yet there was
none whatever.
Mr.. Wheeler's two rooms were In a large
apartment house of the better. though not
the more expensive, kind. 1t was an I'M
commonly well-built house, the partitions
separating the suites being of brick. those
between the rooms of a suite lath and plas-
ter affixed TO studding. TIL floors were
deadened with plaster. Hence. when the
doors were closed, no sounds could pene-
trate the walls separating the suites or the
floors below and above. Mr.. Wheeler'S suite
being in a corner of the house. he had
neighbors only on one side and at the rear
of his rooms. He had never seen them and
knew nothing about them. Being some
thing of a solitary, he had made the &C
Quaintance of but one family in the house
"a widow with two children. The woman
was French, and as she was poor and he
had once relieved her distress when in
formed by Jenny that she was i'll, and. be-
sides, was a dainty cook. he had arranged
with her to take his meals at her table,
paying her SO generously that she regarded
him as = benefactor.
Should he confde in her? She was bright
and shrewd. and she might help hirn-he
could not bear TO think of bringing a de-
tective into the case. While he refused to
believe IL possible that any of his neigh
bors could have a hand in the occurrences
which disturbed him. he thought ii might
at least be well TO know who they We're.
Should he employ the -Erenchwoman TO
learn all that she could about them? 1t
looked silly and undignified. Should he
himself SPY. upon them, and thus keep his
BILE. He would wait awhile. AS for Jenny,
he could not bring himself to consult her.
and by that means establish confidential
relations with her. He determined 10 fight
1T out alone.
ON the third night he threw aside his
watch the cat and the clock. At 10 O'Clock.
anxious though he was. the habit of fall
ing asleep came upon him so strongly that
ne had to resort TO various articles to