, 1897-04-03


l entered what had been the kitchen. Al
b left Of This was the cellar, into which
1t was said the wife had been thrown
after being murdered. .
There, standing quietly in the centre
OF the kitchen, was a typical English
man, dressed in q hunting-suit. He was
about five feel 10 inches tall, was q
blonde with blue eyes, and his face was
full and covered with a beard OF prob
ably a couple OF months growth. He
looked to be about 80 or 80 years old.
BY his side was a little dog, and in his
left hand was a single barreled, old
fashioned gun. l knew then that the
sight OF this man with a gun must have
been the cause of my mothers fright,
and l thought that he would conclude
that l vas frightened also, so l stepped
to the door and said: How do you do,
sir?" My nephew did the same, and we
passed right by him into what had been
the dining-room Of the house.
But he never moved. never spoke,
never even smiled. When we went in
there, my mother motioned me from out
side, and l nodded to her to show that
l understood, but wondered why the
man remained there instead Of walking
about the premises. When l looked
again, he had turned his head to the left,
locking right at me. l turned away and
looked about the room for some mo-
ments, when my nephew said, Let's go,
auntie." My mother also urged me from
the outside to go home, so | went to the
door, and when l reached it. l said,
This seems to be a very queer old
place." but the man made no reply.
We'll" l said, IF you are hunting, l
don't think you will find any game
here"
He still remained silent, and took no
notice OF US whatever. Then, as / was
anxious to have him speak, l thought l
would be ~sociable, and ventured: Gould
you tell me to whom this house be-
longs?"
He looked intently at me all the time,
yet he made no answer, but stood still
in the same position.
l became disguised, and my nephew
wanted to &c As l went out. 1 turned
and said: We'll, If l we're a man, l
would be gentleman enough to answer a
lady when she addressed de, | hone
my nephew will never act like that"
Il should hope not" said nv nephew.
Still the man did not answer me. The
little dog beside him seemed lust as un-
sociable as his master and did not move.
81 declare, what a pretty dog!" I said.
and approached to touch 1t, when some
thing made me afraid that II would bite
me. and 30 l did not do it.
At this time my mother was at the
corner of the house, where Law a tree
that had been blown down. 7 beean
helping her to pick up some cones which
lay upon the ground, and az I glanced
toward the basement window. I saw the
man, with his head turned to the right.
standing in exactly the same poeitioo
looked at me through the window. I
remarked to nv mother that the man
acted yerv~ stranpe,v
well, don't want to have ANYTHING
to do with him, she said: 81 am afraid
Of him."
The place where she had waited for
on the outside was so situated that
no n could approach without beine
seen, as 1t was on a rise of ground, How
ever, she had not noticed his approach
until he was right in front OF her. He
passed by her without a word and went
around the corner of the house, and 1t
was that which frightened her and u
cd her to call to me.
When we had finished pickinR up the
cones, we walked back along the little
path that led from the driveway nv
which we had entered the grounds, and
lust as we reached the driveway. a gun
went of in the house. 1 looked at the
kitchen window a second time. and
could not see the hunter. Then we heard
a terrible shrek. like the scream of a
woman. 1t was a most heart-rendins
sound.
MY mother and the boys were greatly
frightened and began to cry, and for a
few moment l was paralyzed with fear.
But l rallied my courage, and said to