The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-22

or coherent except: watch especially
| M moments OF cXultatlOn or Oh u'p
| sion 4 single word had been HIit.eH
and rewritten, and tnsn h oi,sr, s,oes 6y
! r. name OF -' but this name htH
| hecn too carefully cnaced for detection,
| though when i he'd me sheet sstlna' ~ -
| lamp ! seemed u Hdnv Jul
| capital letter. ....,,,. ~
! my researches into Uncle ADcl secret
| witch 1 made IN my lonely rooms lh thv
| old chapel between and Z O'CLOCK IN the
| morning 10 the mOnOtOnOus accoIhpAhi
! ment Of the bell ringers tread over. td, .
| Prom their obscure, yet tefFlhc, POI ~
! ioinrd with the nervousness which had
! Induced my Investigation, one wOuid req
sonably suppose that my disluiet|ls " 90
vastly increased. No such tnlhB ,asssd
pired. however ON the contrary, toshsn
The manuscript contemporary aslus
"Pish!" / sneered. the rot OF an olu
dotard." and stralghtway made pIepara-
tons for bed. Nor, on rene Lii
this change unnatural. Tor ndlteIy, VIZ -,
encourage soldiers far more than NnlshS
and gunpoWder. Ia fact, my uncie s-ue
scriptlOn of me as "a presIinptuouS aI ~,
skeptical youth, had eIhDOIueHSi ny
IL was cold. for the fire had died away.
] made haste, therefore, and soon put O4t
the light and sought my rest As u'J
so noticed that the footsteps oyer tau !.
ceased. and Ike the passage OF cIOu" r'iy
ouakings returned. My bedroom Vas
more a recess than n separate apartment l.
depefdeut Oh the study for air ana Hbut'
As I Law. unable to sleep. | could see the
reelection OF its window by the moon 80
on the wall. once more maI'e'eL -, "a.
the distinct and perfect tTdceFy' 'I.LN
more amid familiar details saw an ~"
ful anomaly prOtrude-the shadow OF d
great hand, reaching IN ana seehlhs
secure hold on the Sill. \ corneEtu l@s
will spring. In an instant was up Anu
across the floor. in an instant l had the
Intruder by the throat IT was thisn, u
was the bell ringer clinging to the SOY
lightning rod against the size or the QUIZ
ing 4 fierce. silent struggle ensued. !
had the advantage OF position, ana terror
made me ruthless. . /,
whose eyes l read the tremorsS Of my
face. and down, down he fell, IRON that
dizzy height. with a crunchine ehock, 20
the pavement! And out from the darh,
ness above me. broke wild, unnatuTI
peal brought "A rnerciful excess Of fears.
dropped prone and sensele5s. ana when
next ] knew. the bright warm sunshine
was streaming into my room. ! looked ont
Of the window. The body was not there.
There WAS no stain on the sidewalk, nor
trace Of recent washing. and yet what
scattering Of gore there must nave been
Then there settled over me, never 10 De
shaken away, "a sense Of doom. ! accept
cd my lot; am awaiting with resignation.
What more need I say? Everyone Is
familiar with the nine days wonder OF
Chauncey Chisms disappearance. Moth
ing has ever been seen or heard Of him.
held my peace. for I realized that the
truth would be pronounced incredible.
Little by little suspicious began to settle
on me The Waterman had heard the
peal of tho bell. and had tried In vain
10 enter the building. Evidently. the poor
bell-ringer had been in some stress, ana
from whom, If not from me- II was
whispered that l had shown dislike to-
wards the man. and had even made
threats No definite charge could be for
mulated, but l felt that | was shunned.
When even ROsalind grew cold and re-
served. ! left Person. and sought the So
cluslon Of my uncle's old house, where
| now write this uneNpiainable e&piana-
ton. impending death makes the limits
of reason seem narrow and trivial. per-
haps my death may bring proof to those
who read.
(Note. by Arthur Springer, Esq. executor:
The foregoing narrative l found among
IN. papers Of my poor friend, George Du-
ane. the cause Of whose recent death has
produced such a medical controversy |
presume the coroner's verdict Of apo
plexv." must be deemed conclusive. al
though there were undeniable hngcr marks
discovered on his throat As In him the
race Of Buanes becomes extinct, there
seems no improperly In publishing his
own evident views on the subJecL)