The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-20
CHAPTER II.

noyed at oversleeping myself and aston
ished that Francis had not called me
earlier. / knew how anxious he was
about the proposed meeting with his
brother and fancied that his impatience
would have drawn him to my room at
dawn. Apparently he was less curious
concerning the interview than thought.
Yet leaving him out Of the question, l
ought certainly to have been reused by
Strent or his daughter and determined
to reproye them for such neglect. After
all, an inn is an inn, and one has a
right to attentions for which one pays.
Judging from enc landlords looks, Ibid
not think my bill would err on the side
of cheapuess.
These thoughts passed through my
nina as / hastily dressed myself. Open
ing the window, l looked out on the
marshes golden in the sunshine. A keen
wind was blowing from the sea, and
the smell Of brine struck into the heavy
atmosphere fmy bedroom. An absolute
stiffness prevailed both inside and out.
| felt as though | had awakened in the
spellbound palace of the sleeping beau
ty. An inn OF al places should be full
of hustle and noise, but there was some
thing uncanny in the silence which
reigned in this marsh locked hostel. 1t
hinted trouble, and / felt uneasy.
In no very good temper l descended
to the dining room, with the intention
of apologizing to Francis for my tardy
appearance and of rating the landlord
for his negligence. Tony astonishment,
neitker Francis nor any one else was to
be seen, and the room was in precisely
the same condition as Gn the previous
night. The fire was unlighted, the table
not set out for breakfast; even the win
dow blinds were down. For the moment
/ was sick with apprehension, as it was
impossible to conjecture the reason of
this neglect and absence Of human life.
The stiffness was as absolute as had pre-
vailed up stairs, and when rang the
bell it echoed through the house as
though mocking my efforts to summon
landlord, maid or friend.
Twice, thrice, pulled the bellrope
without result; then, somewhat I'M
nerved by the silence in which / found
myself, went to the back part Of the
premises Here the condition of things
was the same as in the dining room
The kitchen was empty, nor were there
any signs Of fire or Of food. | explored
the whole of the ground floor and found
nobody The conclusion forced itself
upon me that Strent and his daughter
had left the inn during the night
What was the meaning Of this sudden
fight? What reason could be sufficient
ly powerful to force them to vacate the
premises? Asking myself these ques-
tions, entered room after room, but in
none Of them did | find any answer
The front door was bolted and barred,
the back entrance was in the same con-
iition, and there was no key in either
lock. l considered the features of the
case and saw that the air was full of
mystery, perhaps of-Sut, no; in that
lonely house could not bring myself to
utter the terrible word.
knew not what had happened dur
ing my sleep, but felt certain that some
event had taken place. Otherwise there
could be no reason for this state Of
things. Almost against my will
searched the house again, but could dis
cover neither Strent nor his daughter
Rose. / was alone in the house. But
Francis
Francis" said l, repeating my
thoughts aloud, "aye, Francis. won
der if he has left the inn also or whether
he has oversight himself and is still in
his room. To make sure went uI
stairs to his bedroom. Pray observe that
all this time had not connected these
things with crime. 1t is true had q
faint suspicion that there might possibly
be some foul play, but as there was moth.
ing to confirm such belief / abandoned
the idea. ! declare that when / knocked
at the door of Briarfelds room had
no more idea Of the horrible truth than
the babe unborn. My premonitions
pointed to mystery, but not to murder.
Yet from the conversation of the previ
Gus night | might have guessed what
had happened The house was as ac'
cursed as the palace Of the Artid9, anG
Ate bided on the threshold stone.
Not until had thrice knocked with
out receiving any answer did my sus
picions begin to form. Then they tool
shape in an instant. / tried the door.
1t was locked The ominous silence
still limited at umspeakable horrors. My
knocking echoed jarringly through the
stiffness. At that moment there flashed
before my eyes the picture Of two fig
ures flying across red horizon against
which blackened the beams Of a gal
lows 1t was the shadoy4,of theSuture
knocked, l called his name, and finally
in desperation at the continued silence
set my shoulder against the crazy door
1t yielded with tearing sound, and
entered the room amid a cloud of flint
dust
He was lying on the bed stiff and cold
! had no need to call, to touch his shoul
der, to place my hand on his heart. HI
was dead. With the clothes drawn vi
smoothly to his chin lay the man will
whom 1 had conversed the previou
night The right arm lay outside tn
oounterpane, On the hand glistened
pearl ring. | looked at that bauble
glanced at the waxen face. The matte
was beyond all doubt Francis Briar
field was dead.
Before ] could further examine tn
body or the room / was forced to ru
for my brandy flask. For the moment
was deadly sick, and it needed lonI
draft of the fiery spirit to speed the stag
mating blood through my veins. TIL
strange circumstance was suflicien
apology for such qualmishness. Thi
lonely inn set on handbreadth Of liv
ing ground amid qualring bogs, thi