Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-06-07
The OLD MILL, MYSTERY.
By ARTHUR W. MARcHMoNr, B. a.
vhoseu Hand 'Isa."& c..S
y DO

/ through the keynote, ms rave me n
| bit of start, can tell you, for ! didn't
know what the dickens 10 make Of IL.
| | waited bit, listening like cat, and
| couldn't hear a sound. All was still a3
a tomb Then remembered the glass
| door between the two Offices, and
crcpt 20 the door Of Gorringc's room.
| This was shut. hut all seemed dark a.
death inside; 80 opened IL and went
In. II was empty, and | crept on tip
toe and pceped through into the other
I room. and when saw what was there
I you might have knocked me down with
n feather"
"Whnt was it?" asked Mary, breath
lcssly, ds the other paused n moment.
"Old Coode was at the table sitting
in his arm chair, with his body doubled
forward, aud his head resting face
downwarls on his left arm, which lay
on the table. The table itself was lit
tered with papers and books. except in
one space near him, where there was
any amount of money In gold and sill
yer and notes, which he seemed "a have
been counting when he had dropped
asleep The sight of that money Just
and glarcd at II and at the man. till |
swore | would have some Of II, no mat
ter what the consequence might be-
Mary shot swift and questioning
look at him at this.
Wait" he said, noticing IL. Don't
be in n hurry to suspect ! told you
this was no murder. / waited long
time; don't know how long. lie never
moved SO much Us lngcr-nail, and
this gave me an idea. ! was dcspcr-
ate, and ready 20 risk his waking. liut
first hit ON plan TO make sure he
was asleep. scrnpcd my foot and
made enough noise 10 have attracted
his attention II he had been only
thinking; but not enough to wake him
from sleep. lie never moved. and
was glad. didn't want to hurt him;
but meant having the money.
"Wcll, ! turned the handle Of the
door between the two rooms, where
was standing, and to my Joy IL was Nm
locked. opened II, and keeping my
eyes rivcted on the motionlcss figure,
ready lest 10 should wake and catch
me. crcpt mp 20 the table. The nr,t
So that II lac should wake IL would bu
less difficult to identify me. Then
made certain that tho other door waa
UNDECIDED, and left IL ajar to render
my escape the easier. Then turned
again to the table, and my eyes Float-
ed over the rich haul | was Coing 70
make. ] took some gold and silver
coins. and crnmmed them into my
pocket, and then. ~ some clumsy way,
touched the right hand which was
lying among Somc pnpcrs. The c3,Ct
Of this frightened me nearly out Of ny
breath. The hand and arm slid slowly
off the table, and hung llNlcsaly uai
ncrvclc5sly at the mans side, while
some pnpors and coins which the hand
had dragged down In falling, clattcrvl
and rolled over the floor In why that
made me start with terror and put my
self in defensive position, expecting
each second that he would awaken and
discover me-
"DId he not?" asked Mary.
mo; and the strange unnatural still.
ness made Inc think there must DC
something wrong. ! went 10 his side,
and bent over Film to listen 60 H.,
breathing. But heard nothing. Thea
vcnturcd TO take the hand that hung
by his side and laid u finger on his
pulse. IL was motionless. thrust my
hand then on to his heart II had
stopped. lifted tho mans head, ga2cd
into the face. IL was set and rigid and
white; and the eyes were fast glazing
with the dullncss OF death The man
was as dead rs a stone ! dropped the
head in horror, and IL fell back into
the same position ON the left arm. |
was alone In the place with dead
man; and 1t flashed ON me that II
caught robbing the place, they would
say had killed him grew cautious
instantly, aud taking only fcsy more
gold coins and as much silver as
could easily carry, turned to creep
from the place OF death, Then my
blood seemed to freeze within mo, for.
when reached the door, heard foot
steps coming through the mill toward
the Office"
lie stopped and tremblcd rs II in
memory of that spasm of fear.
"Go on said Mary, whose interest
was intense "Who was it?"
II didn't know what to do for tho
minute, but with n big effort managed
to creep back into the dari, room-Gor-
ringc's oilice-and just got the door
shut and locked, when some one came
into the room where the dead man was.
lie stopped dead ON the threshold, as II
in surprise vt seeing Mr., Coode there,
and as he stood staring at the still
figure by the table, | recognized Reu-
ben Gorringe."
"What2" cried Mary. "Reuben Cor
ringer
"Reuben Gorringe. Listen. lie evil
IDENTIFY didn't know what to make of
matters, but after moment he went
up TO the figure and touched the Shout
der, calling his name. ] watched him,
and then | saw in him the change,
which had no doubt shown In me, as Il
dawned on him gradually that the man
was dead. lie felt the pulse, laid his
hand ON the heart, and looked into the
eyes, as had done, and then rushed
from the room, as | thought, to get as
sistance."
"Well?" said Mary.
sit flashed on me then that was In
n worse fix than ever. II he brought a
lot Of people there | was sure to be
found, and then should be safe to be
convicted OF robbery, and perhaps of
something deal worse, opened the
door and ran out after Gorringe, in
tending to escape the way had come
In, but | had barely crossed the room
when heard him coming back as
quickly as he had gone, ran back
again like cat lie had changed his
Il l. l. Z