The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-25

the room SIM Tnil of charred. burned
u ne nt - md in front OF IT, silent WI VIZ.
ou. e''' - Great blood STAN 10 snoM
Inc xpot Were Anton hoiio"'V
breathed his last .. rod been removed
-. vi ~ tabie and there was no -
a. ,,vsterious footprint, nor sisn u % "a
csr-mark. nor stray scrap OF padi,,i,,ee
give the leading cue p9 "''0
go often ferret out cIlih'' 80 until, four
nv. ,con, was a corner one, WIN ~.
large windows in IL. the TWO M.n M in
at The side looked out over VIA. va" IN
summer a pretty suelch VI -, a., walk
a,n.afh the window ran a mas N.'in. .
Irat,{ns. down at 81, / saw that S"oit
man could have easily reached up 10 TAP
upon the WinuoW., III, ,,.i,doxue there
AS examined these sl1e Winuy"s 49,.
,,.ae something about one OF lheul ~
- tbet had been tapped upon by NhC
short stout man that night-that s s.,,.
TO my searching eyes y nv. -
from the other EXAMINING J. 80,
cow a deem crack I'm the Wood-Wofh a.
- lido ,'he crack reached 10 the moor
and mn as high as ! could see. S 80,
rnon "a footstOO which was coiNeiltnt
ana followed IL higher, and as my hlseis
reached the top OF the Wlneo" '"'S 0'''''0
I'm contact with a small bolt. .. a.
/ pushed the bolt gently. ana IL new
noiselosslv back / stepped down ana
pulled the window scat win y sndIp y tin'
and Immediately the Whoie NihuoM 80,
hinge II swung inward from cellhg 10
floor. leaving a large open door. step
ped ont upon the walk Then 1 re-ehieteu,
closed the door window exactly az l had
found IL. and covered up the cideN "s"'"
with the long pOruere- ....
wont over the entire window very
carefully. looking for marks or traces
of those who had last opened IL. Bul
all / could find was FAINT, nasty scrdWl
uDon the glass. done by "A sharp instru-
ment. long since. The scrawl was an
attompt AZ a monogram. And / dcciph-
cred the letters II. g.
Now. said J. for my search Tor TINS
eyorr stout man who was on such
friendly terms with Anton HOLLYWOOD
that ne taps upon the library WINDOW
for admittance. And who was not un-
expected guest. for he has private en-
trance cut for him.
Hearraueing everything in the library,
1 went back 20 the drawing-room and
sent up my card TO Mrs HOLLYWOOD.
you wish 10 see Adelaide alsoY said
Ms. HOLLYWOOD, greeting me with a hand-
clasp. You must come up 10 her Doudolr
and ] ask you TO spare her; she Is very
H."
TO Adelaide's houdoir 1 was shown,
and / must say here that the room was
model Of beauty, luxury ana Iciihe-
mcnt. I'm all my professional experience
i'm the homes of wealthy women ! have
never beheld such another. Great sums
of money had been spent upon IL ana It's
mistress had made IL very gem or titls-
tie beauty. The entire ceiling and walls
were frcscOcd with white lotus flowers
tinted with pink pale blue ana delicate
green. Their foliage was mass OF
WOOd-cOlored leaves. and all seemed 10 be
growing from a great Oriental Jar I'm
niche at the side OF the fireplace. Inc
furniture of the room was pale PINK ana
green. and SO luxurious that not an lhch
of COdwOrk appeared ln TIE cntife room
Everything WAS cushioned didpth OF
Hrf a. am tf a. nos
Like many other young ladies, MISS
Adelaide had "a rad, for 1 noticed as 4
crossed the room mat great crystal
globe hung in the centre Of the room,
ard into IT'S Oriental depths were reflected
tie images of other crystal globes thdt
hung ia front OF the llVaus and over
brightly polished tea stands. The air Oh
the room was romantic with Eastern
lilies.
Miss Adelaide's fad for Oriental things
and the power of so fully gratifying II
was explained later by the entrance OF
d dark-skiuncd woman servant, whom
remembered 10 have heard that Miss flol-
lOWOO1 had brought with her rom Indla.
As / walked across the bOudOlr, tread
ing upon the thick rugs, l could hardly
realize that i was I'm the heart OF my
own city and not in some distant East
eru hOulOlr.
Mamma spoke Miss Adelaide. indi-
eating her stcp-mOth o. with a gentle look
tells me YOU desire 20 question me about
poor papa 3 death. Yet can add nothing
10 what YOU already Know. Mamma has
told me of-Of the missing bonus and
money. 1t is very distressing terribly
So" she added with shudder, covering
her face with one Of her thin hands.
1t is not about your fathers death
shat / wish 10 ask YOU i said, but
about the short. stout man who accom-
panied your father home on the night OF
his death. Had he any friend who an
swci "a that description
Us tI a.
his name, and ne has long been a Mys-
terry to me. 1t is certainly very peculiar.
i seldom saw him come or 80, but 1
would hear a strange voice in the library
and then catch sight Of "a short, thick
set man walking away from the house.
! think be must have had a latch-ney
or that papa Jet him ia. / know tnat
his visits annoyed papa greatly, for he
was absent-minded and irritable after
them. once, some years ago, / questioned
papa. bat be became so angry that i
never referred 10 him again."
Here Miss Adelaide was seized with
coughing, and at a sign from her step
mother / withdrew. Mrs HOLLYWOOD fol-
lowed me from the room. Il vii not
question her again." l said as ! departed.
| resolved now 10 so To Baltimore and
make the acquaintance Of Charles HOllO-
wood. Taking the address given me by
Mrs. HOLLYWOOD l reached the Baltimore
clearinghouse that afternoon and was
ushered into very nicely furnishe~ par
lOr Charles HOLLYWOOD was not at home,
the maid told me, but / could see the
landlady. Tell her i come from his
sister" l said
She came into the parlor bristling with
Importance and eagerncss TO be Of ser
Vice. I'm just plumb sorry Mr.. Homo
wood amt ter home But as his room
ia the back parlOr you can set here an
wait fur him. He's got cOmpany-a man
as went out with him.
A sudden inspiration seized me. twas
# short, stout MANI" / asked.
Yes. IL was said she. Hes been
calling on Mr.. HOLLYWOOD regularly now
for weeks, and ! never see a poor young
man so upset as Mr. HOLLYWOOD is by
them visits. / tell YOU she said, drop
ping into a confidential whisper IF we're
from his folks in New York, as We say We
are, yes better warn them just a leefle
against the company he's fallen in. Mr
HOLLYWOOD amt any too Study at the
best. an lately what with his fathers
death an the company of this foriHidin'
lockin' man. I'm worried about him. an
no mistake"
AT cinn,r-tmc my loquaci0us hostess
invited me downstairs 10 the dlning-room
a1d / accepted her hospitality. The short
stout man would return with Mr.. HollO-
wood. the landlady told me. and would
stay TO dinner as he had for many
nights.
When / returned TO my post Of waiting
] was surprised 10 hear voices I'm the
back parlOr There were broad folding
doors separating the two rooms. And
at sound of the voices l opened the con-
Meeting doors slightly
The young man was speaking.
Vow get out" he said Here's $50
and it's the last youll get out Of me-"
But suppose ! tell the story?"
ssk[oul1 Won eNuoef any on. 20 balto,ro