Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1897-08-26
your scar, MIR. Conway"

Agnln the thought occurred to me
that ! had met Mr.. Sonntag, or at least
seen him, somewhere before.
ibid ever meet you" asked, voic-
ing my thought.
He glanced quickly at me, and then
smiled as he said: "Look like some one
you know, do i? One often meets peo-
pie who put them in mind Of some one
else Now, regarding this cellar affair.
Is there anyone you know who is i'm
terested in your property" he asked,
in brisk, business-like manner.
"No one" replied. 81 am the last
OF my race-a lonely man, and one
who is sick at heart, was about to
add"
Mr.. Sonntag's face became serious,
and thought there was a touch of pity
on 1t.
"Cheer up, Mr.. Conway. The tables
will turn some day, and you will for
get the time of trouble and desponden-
cy," the old lawyer said, cheerily and
hopefully; perhaps sooner than you
have any idea Of. Now, then" he con-
tinued, returning to his brisk, business
like manner, ''some one has walled up
those doorways. Who was it, and for
what purpose? If it was done with the
idea of hiding-place, what was the
thing to be hidden? Something which
was never again to be reproduced, evil
IDENTIFY, or the room would not have
been wholly sealed. Perhaps there was
secret entrance provided. But then,
why should your property have been
selected? Were you alone when the
discovery was made?"
mo, sir, A woman who used to act
as nurse girl when was young one
was with me, and also Mrs. Snyder, tho
widow who takes care of the house"
ayes, 1 know. believe the old
widow can be relied upon to say moth
ing about the circumstances if she is
told not to. How about the other, your
old nurse?"
"She would do anything possible for
me. / was her idol when child, and
now devotion for me seems to have
been augmented in proportion to my
stature. Sarah is wholly trustworthy,
and if I requested her not to mention
the matter she would have her tongue
cut out rather than breathe word
Of it,"
THAT'S good. The discovery had best
be kept secret" the old lawyer said, re-
Aectively.
"Thereis another thing wish to men
tion, though perhaps 1t is hardly worth
dwelling upon. Mrs. Snyder thinks
there is something strange about the
house. And she has so succeeded in
impressing my old nurse with the idea
that Sarah is quite concerned about my
staying. She seems to be imbued with
an inexplicable fear that something
harmful threatens me-"
"Indeedl What do you mean when
you say there is something stranger
You mean mysterious?" the old lawyer
asked, in the manner he would have
used in cross-examining q witness.
Eyes; Mrs. Snyder claims to have
seen mysterious lights at night, and
heard strange noises"
Mr.. Sonntags eyes lost their shrewd
expression for a few moments; he re-
lapsed into deep thought.
"Have these mysteries any relation
to, or any connection with, the sealed
cellar?" he finally asked.
"The woman said nothing about the
strange events being located in any par
ticular place, and did not think to ask
her." / replied. The old lawyers ques'
ton opened up new train of thought,
Could it be possible that the strange
voice I had heard proceeded from the
sealed cellar2
"Ahl I suppose the women are SUI
perstitious and think the place is
haunted. Such ideas generally get
abroad about old, long vacated houses.
But you do not mind their talkP
You are not afraid of ghosts, are you"
The old fellows eyes twinkled merrily.
swell have never come across any
of those shadowy beings. 1 could tell
better after met one. / hardly think
talk alone could brighten me" replied,
somewhat shamefacedly, remembering
how nearly had been unnerved the
night before by my own reflection.
II will be over some time tomorrow,
and will see if anything can be done re-
garding the mysterious cellar" Mr..
Sonntag said, as I rose to leave. Sand
pardon me for referring 70 the unfor-
tunate affair-have you heard of any
new developments in the robbery case2"
"Whatl" exclaimed, "you know of it
too2"
Certainly. lived near Philadelphia
at the time and / read the papers" he
replied, smilingly.
ut seems | cannot escape hearing OF
that terrible affair" / said, bitterly.
"And l acted the part of fool, too, in
the matter Instead Of putting forth
every effort to find the perpetrators
let the thing go; let others, who could
not possibly have had the interest in
the case that | had, undertake inVesti-
cations. am rightly served for my
supineness, for l have heard nothing
about it at all. ! know what ! knew
the morning of its occurrence, not bit
more. Others have failed; ! intend to
see now what ! can do"