Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-09-21
gun restfully.. had slept but little the
night before,

mo. You have done well. want to
ask you, before forget it, why did you
have the cellar off Of the old store
room walled up?"
A look of perplexity came over his
face, and, as he did not seem to COM
prehend my question, went on more
explicitly:
'There were two doorways, one lead
ing to the storeroom and the other
leading to the outside. Both these door
ways have been built up with solid
masonryto correspondence the founda-
ton walls. I simply ask out of curios-
ity what your reasons were for having
it done-not that have any objection"
My question was simple enough
one. Mr.. Sonntag seemed to think it
necessary to ponder over it, however.
"Let me see. The cellar you have
reference to is directly under the room
you proposed in your letter of instruc-
ton to me to occupy" he finally said.
YES and there used to be two doors
to"
"And they have been built up?" he
broke in.
Eyes. Do you not know about ?"
asked, in surprise.
NO." he replied, shortly.
Then you did not have it done?"
Certainly not. I had nothing to do
with it. Know nothing about it," he
answered, decidedly. "If they are
built up, it has been done within six
, weeks. For when received your letter
announcing your intention to occupy
the house for time, went all through
the place, and those doorways were not
built up then. even went into that
cellar. It was damp, musty hole, and
l intended to call your attention to it
and ask what you wished done about it,"
"Well, that's strange! Who could
have done it'll" I exclaimed, thoroughly
perpleSed. Glow did you get into the
storeroom? had to kick open the door,"
"Oh, had a key to the outside door,
and got in that way. HIM! is, as you
say, very strange, indeed. But resume
your seat, Mr. Conway"
Again the thought occurred to me
that had met Mr.. Sonntag, OF at least
seen him, somewhere before.
'Did l 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 1? 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 in
terested in your property?" he asked,
in brisk, business-like manner.
mo one" I replied. IT am the last
of my race-a lonely man, and one
who is sick at heart, 1 was about to
add"
Mr.. Sonntag's face became serious,
and thought there was touch of pity
on it.
"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, them" 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
a 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 I was young one
was with me, and also Mrs. Snyder, the
widow who takes care of the house."
"Yes, I know. I 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 a child, and
now devotion for me seems to have
been augmented in proportion to my
stature. Sarah is wholly trustworthy
and if requested her not to mention
the matter she would have her tongue
cut out rather than breathe word
of it."
"Thats good. The discovery had best
be kept secret" the old lawyer said, re-
fectiyely.
"Thereis another thing wish to men
, ton, though perhaps it is hardly worth
dwelling upon. Mrs. Snyder thinks
there is something strange about the
: house. And she has so succeeded in
: ilnpressing 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-"
Indeed! What do you mean when
you say there is something strange:
You mean mysterious the old lawyer
asked, in the manner he would have
used in cross-eXamining witness.
eyes; Mrs. Snyder claims to have
!. seen mysterious lights at night, and
heard strange noises"
Mr.. Sonntag's eyes lost their shrewc
l expression for few moments; he re
9 lapsed into deep thought.
J. "Have these mysteries any relation
to, or any connection with, the sealed
1 cellar?" he finally asked.
THE woman said nothing about the
3 strange events being located in any par
ticular place, and did not think to ash
$ her." replied. The old lawyers ques
}. ton opened up new train of thought
1 Could it be possible that the strange
: voice had heard proceeded from the
sealed cellar?
. "Ah! I suppose the women are SUI
!, perstitious and think the place il
i haunted. Such ideas generally gel
: abroad about old. long vacated houses
y-s~-~- r---f-'- ----.-.se