San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-08-25
CHAPTER XIX.
A MIDNIGHT MARAUpER.

as IuS was 1LSS ram VI
fog Detective Goringe decided to take a
ramble through Clayfelds and ruminate
upon the case which he had come to in
vestigate.
1t was 10 o'clock when he left the po-
lice station, and after wandering aim
lessly through several streets he found
himself in Crescent road, the principal
road in Clayfields. 1t was broad high
way, flanked with good houses and
plentiful sprinkling of trees.
The detective had no object in view
when he started from the police station,
except to get to Felspar road and sleep
there, or keep vigil there, for the
night. He now felt in no humor for
sleep, and walked quietly along Cries.
cent road until he came to the corner of
Felspar road, which stood at right an
giles to it,
Here he stopped for a moment and
then decided to continue his walk. As
he strobe along, glancing occasionally
across the roadway at the dwelling
houses, which were nearly all lit up
and looked bright and cheerful, his eyes
were attracted by the dull flame of a
doctors lamp. "Percival's house, of
course, T" reflected Goringe, standing op,
posite it. Sort of business / shouldn't
like to belong to. Patching up live bod
les, ripping up dead ones. Ugh"
As he stood gazing at the house, re-
fecting upon the hardships and ankle
ties of doctors life, he saw Percival's
hall door being opened Instinctively he
stepped back some PAGES until he was
completely Swallowed by large tree
which stood ON the edge of the pathway,
almost equally distant from two street
lamps.
"Umw said the detective, with a
low growl, as he watched young man
descending the steps of DR.. Percival's
house, the light from the hall envelop-
ing him in a vivid glow. "a sort of out
of the frying pan into the fire young
man! Shouldn't wonder if he'd do
something odd before my present job is
fixed. He knows he is no longer being
logged nor in imminent danger of being
run in. Hello! There he goes down
Felspar road. That's not his way home.
One would think that road would be
marked mo thoroughfare' for him. But
a young man in love is perhaps not
fair subject for dissection. You can only
have opinions about him, and they may
be all wrong The sort of thing my
friend Briggs would be delighted to
hear. Isuppose it is the old story of the
moth and the candle"
And growing like surly dog Cor
inge continued his walk along the Cres-
cent road.
He was now far away from the case
which had brought him to Clayfields.
His thoughts had wandered back to a
we'll nigh forgotten period of his life
when he, too, had been as young as Mau-
rice Leclerc and as deeply in love.
1t was close upon midnight when Cor
inge put the latchkey into the door of
IS Felspar road. He had determined to
get into the house and go to bed in the
dark. He was little tired. There was
no occasion for night watch. He could
do all he wanted to do next day.
To Goringe fear was unknown, and
as he stood in the hall of the empty
house no sensation disturbed him except
that he felt unusually tired.
Long walks evidently don't agree
with me" he reflected as he mounted
the stairs and made straight for Stein
worth s bedroom. He had little diff
Guilty in finding the right key, but he
soon discovered which it was, and un-
locking the door he entered the room
and then fastened the door from the in
side with the brass bolt. He placed a
chair near the head of the bed at the
side which was farthest from the door.
On the chair ho placed his coat and
waistcoat, and on the top of these his
watch and a loaded revolver. Then he
blanket over himself fell asleep quickly.
1t was broad daylight when Goringe
awoke. He jumped alertly out Of bed
and saw by his watch that it was close
upon s o'clock.
+ 81 must chance lighting fire in the
Kitchen" he thought as he stripped off
his shirt and proceeded to the wash
stand "Never thought could feel alb
solutely in want of hot cup of coffee.
Hello" he exclaimed, emo water in the
ever. suppose can have douche in
the scullery." He threw his coat over
his shoulder and proceeded down stairs.
The kitchen door was at the far end
Of the hall 1t stood wide open, and as
Goringe entered the kitchen he saw that
the kitchen window was partly open.
He was not an emotional man, but
the open window caused him to bite his
neither lip, and to stamp furiously on
the floor.
"There's no mistake about this win
dow anyhow" said he, with Il strange |
smile. as he proceeded quietly and slow |