The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-10-20
THE wAuoHMAN AND soUTHRoN. OCTOBER 60 1897

entered the room on that side OF rne
house. thinking that from that direc
ton had come the noise which had dis
turbed his slumbers Looking about
him, it seemed evident that nothing
had been disturbed, or else it had been
yearranged.
He was about to prosecute his search
farther, when he fancied he heard foot
steps. Listening attentively, he could
almost have sworn that they came from
the direction of his bedroom. Hurrying
back thither, he found everything just
as he had left it. What could this mean?
The first sound might have beer in a
dream, but surely he was awake the
second time. Nevertheless, though &c
had apparently heard some one. walking
in his chamber, when he reached it it
was as vacant as when he had left it.
There was the supernatural possibility
that the ghost of the corpse in the ad
joining room was promenading in the
moonlight, but Burrows was above en-
tertaining such an idea, and, as it &C.
cured to him for moment, he smiled
as he thought "it is not midnight. y
However, if the footsteps had been ip
that room, whether of the living or Of
the dead, be could not discover, for the
doctor had taken away the key. Was it
possible that Lewis was up and walk
ing about down stairs: This seemed to
promise an explanation, and Burrows
at once went to the floor below. He en-
tered the chamber which he knew had
been assigned to Lewis. It was empty,
and the bed bore no evidence Of having
been disturbed. Was his last surmise
correct, then, and was it Lewis whom
he had heard? IF so, what was he doiHg
prowlipg about at such an hour, and
where was he at the present moment?
This last question he would endeavor
to answer, for, if he had just heard him
walking, he must be in the house. But
Burrows went into every room except,
of course, Virginia's, only to find them
all empty. Determined to solve the
mystery, he replaced the lamp in his
bedroom, and, again descending the
stairs, seated himself on chair in the
hall, where it would be impossible for
! Lewis to pass him unnoticed. To de-
/ tective long vigils of patient watching
become almost habit but sleep will
oyerpower a man even though he be
detective. Burrows kept awake for four
hours, occasionally striking match to
note the passage Of time. Finally, when
it was nearing the hour Of 8, he would
start up every little while from doze.
Finding at length that he must sleep,
with commendable perseverance he still
resolved not to abandon his self imposed
task. In his dilemma he decided upon
bolo plan, which was to lock the door
of Lewis room and tip his chair back
against it. Thus he might sleep, rather
uncomfortably, but yet with the knowl-
edge that Lewis must disturb him to
pass him. When he awoke again, 1t was
once more with the consciousness Of
loud noise near him, but this time it
continued after he had jumped up. 1t
was now day and quite light. AS he
stood rubbing his eyes, trying to collect
his senses, upon recollecting what had
occurred be was astonished to find that
the noise, which still continued, was oc-
casioned by some one within the room
shaking 2 the door which he had locked.
In wonder he turned the key and was
amazed to see John Lewis standing be-
fore him. They looked at each other
moment in silence, and then Lewis said:
Good morning! What was the mat
ter with the door: could not open it. F"
Burrows recovered himself at once, and
replied:
ssI don't know. I was just coming
down stairs and heard you trying to get
out. Seeing key in the door, turned
it, but as I turned it more than once l
don't know whether you were locked In
or not when I commenced. I"
81 hardly think that, for who would
want to fasten me up: This is the only
exit, as the other door leading into the
library is locked" "
"I suppose it could not have been, .
stammered Burrows, little confused.
What could he think? How was it that
Lewis had come out of this room, when
he was sure that he had found it empty
the night before and had subsequently
kept guard all through the lonely hours
Of the early morning? He left Lewis
and went into the library. Going to the
door which opened from that room into
the apartment which Lewis had just
Quit, he found that it was locked, as
he had stated. Moreover, the key was
in the lock On the library side Bur-
rows unlocked the door and entered, Gu
rious tc determine whether Lewis had
slept in the bed or not, and upon inves-
tigation decided that he had. More
than ever puzzled, he regretfully con-
cluded to await until Mr. Barnes should
arrive and seek his assistance In solving
tbic >,,vcterv A : If yy3S Tet early he