Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-03-31
Old GLORY IN NEW FORM.

would simply say that he suspended ms
Judgment upon this deeply interesting
case. ,..,.ord
II was not till six months after"aIu
that any further light was thrown upon
The mystery. At the beginning OF Sep-
TENDER DR.. Hatfield was asked down,
to bed Well, that story was wrlllhs
was in all essential details of the story
that subsequently occurred during the
hours of that terrible night. In my
story the bride was smOthered IN pea
by a rival for her lovers hand. Inc IN
cident occurred on the night before her
marriage. The murderess was a ser
want maid. More than this, many trl-
fling details in my story found their
exact counterpart in reality; and can
not put the thing more strongly tnan
bv asserting this-that ii, with cnahge
of names. my story had been printed
in the newspapers in place OF the re-
ports which did appear it would nave
been practically as true an account OF
the awful tragedy.
Il may just add that this eXtraordin-
arv experience does not rest upon my
mere assertion. I was so naturally I'M
pressed by the inexplicable confidence
if confidence il were-that. within
quarter of an hour before poor
Oueenie's murder was reported to me, l
had handed a sealed envelope to Dr.
Hatfield. requesting him TO keep it safe
and not open it until the mystery was
cleared I'D. That envelope contained
the manuscript of my story; it consist
ed os about four thousand words, and
obviously implied not less than three
hours rapid work. This fact itself dis
POSES Of any suggestion that | may have
written the story subsequently TO the
events.
OR. fairfield will bear me ont in
what I have told you. and will l am
sure. allow me 10. say that I selected
as usual to Barclay for the partridge
shooting. The brilliant novelist, Mrs.
Mango Marks. also, as usual, formed
one of the house party.
UpOn DR. Hatfeild's arrival his hos
tess took the first opportunity Of draw
ing him aside and saying to him in a
low vioce:-
Or. Hatfield we thought that YOU
would not mind-for we knew that you
were above empty superstition and
so. the house being very full. we have
put YOU in the red room-the one that
used to be dear Queenie's. 1t has not
been occupied since that dreadful night
Eighteen months ago. But you will
not mind, will your"
Mind, my dear Mrs. Jackabyw ex.
claimed the Doctor. Indeed, no.
Haunted rooms do not exist nowadays.
Besides" he added with a tender ring
in his voice which brought tears to
Mrs. Jackaby's eyes "even if it were
otherwise. the apparatiOn of that pure,
sweet angel would be a true delight to
me. | only wish that the laws OF ma
ture could permit her temperance.
When DR.. Hatfield went to bed that
night the room was shining brightly.
Following his usual healthy practice
he threw up the blind and threw open
the window, letting in a fresh rush Of
cool night air. He then sprang into
bed and was soon fast asleep.
How long he had slept he did not
know, when he was suddenly awakened
by a slight noise, as of his door latch
being turned He sat up in bed and
rubbed his eyes. The moonlight in the
room made it is bright as day. He
was not deceived the door was being
slowly opened. Into the room, with
q slow and stately movement, walked
a white figure. 1t was a lady in her
nightdress, and the lady was Mrs. Man
80 Marks. Dr. Hatfield could see her
face with perfect clearness. From its
fixed tense expression, from the
straight, staring look of those wide
open eyes, he at once detected the
truth. She was walking in her sleep.
She advanced to the centre Of the
room, stood there for a moment or two,
as if irresOlute. then moved, with quick
ened steps to the side of the bed. Or.
Hatfield watched her with the Keenest
interest. A sudden idea now flashed
in a moment across his percepuye
mind
She stood at the side of his bed.
She took up one of his pillows. Dr..
Hatfield slipped steathily out on the
other side. Holding the pillow aloft
with her tv7o hands, she spoke. The
words were familiar to DR.. Hatfeild's
ears. He had read them dozen times
in the manuscript OF that remarkable
story
you shall not have him. You shall
not take him from me. Yes, smile
on. baby face. Sleep On-sleep on for
ever. Thus-thus!
With savage energy she dashed the
pillow down upon the bed and held 1t
firmly there. She pressed upon 1t with
her whole weight. For fully five min
utes she never moved or relaxed her
heavy pressure. When at once she
did so she turned rapidly away ana
glided noiselessly from the room.
DR.. Hatfeild's keen intelligence had
already taken in the truth. The eXpla-
nation of the mystery now stood re-
vealed. It was her hand, beyond
doubt. that-in the Inconsistencies Of
the sleep walker-had caused poor
Oueenie's death. The story she was
writing that night must have so worked
upon her overtired brain that il drove
her. in her hours Of slumber, TO enact
in practice the tragic scene which was
wildly revolving in her mind at the
time when she fell asleep.
Tonight il was evident that the re-
currcnce Of the same local surroundings
acting on an Imaginative nature lad
caused a reproduction Of her former