Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-01-03
PIE CLOCK STRUCK ONE.
BY FERGUS HUME,
0 OF Ihe Mystery of Hanson Cab, MADAME Midas, "Ihe
Chinese JAR" 'The Carbuncle Clue"

And since then?
HE has shut himself up in his room,
and has neither eaten nor slept. He re-
fuses to see me or speak 70 me. Sew
eral times l have been TO his door TO
inquire if l could do anything, but he
will not ret me enter; he refuses ad-
mittance even to Mr.. Joad. And all
the hours he PAGES UP and down, talk
ing to himself
What does he talk about?' asked
Scott curiously.
Il cannot say, as he speaks too low
for me to hear. But caught the name
of Laura Burville twice. Alarmed lest
he should fall seriously i'll, l wrote to
YOU Yesterday, making this appoint
ment. and waited at the bridge to eX-
plain. What do you think OF 1t,
Allen ,"
Scott shrugged his shoulders. L
can hardly say until l see Mr.. Elder
mont. At the present moment l can
be sure only of one thing-that the
sight OF Lady Burville upset your
guardian in the church, and vice
versa.
But why should they be upset at
the sight of one another. They are
strangers
HIM! we cannot be certain OF that,
replied Allen cautiously. Ihat ne
should mention her name-that she
should ask about him-these Facts go
10 prove that. whatever they may De
now TO one another, they were not
strangers in the past"
Then the past must be twenty years
ago" said Dora thoughtfully, FOR Mr.
Fdermont has not left the Red House
ali that time. But what did Lady Bur-
Vile say when you told her about my
guardian
she said-nothing a wonderfully
self-Dossessed little woman, although
she looks like a doll and talks Ike a
fool. Dora: therefore the fact OF her
fainting yesterday in church is all the
more strange. I said that Mr.. Eder-
mont was ayerse to strangers. that he
dwelt in the Red House, and that he
was a good friend TO me-
You did not mention my name?'
Dora As though I should converse
abOut YOU TO q stranger. No, my dear.
l merely told so much about Mr.. Eder-
mont. prescribed for the lady's nerves,
and informed her host and Mr.. Pallant
that she would be all right to-mor-
row.
and who is Mr.. Pallant?"
Did not mention his name? oh, he is
another guest Of Sir Harrys. He left the
message that I was to call and see Lady
Burvile."
Indeed Why did not Sir Harry ell in
his own DOCTOR
Faith. that is more than I can say,
replied Scott 'Au the better for me that
ne did not. But how this Mr.. Pallant
found me out I do not know. 1t is my i'm
preston that. hearing he was riding into
Canterbury, Lady Burville asked him pri-
vately TO send her a doctor, and as he
CHANGED on my door-plate first he called
o. ne a lucky accident for a struggling
practitioner. Ell Dora?'
NO doubt-if it was an accident" said
she dryly what is this Mr.. Pallant like,
/ Allen?"
"A red-haired. blue-eyed, supercillious
beast. disliked him at sight. Rather a
| shame on my part. seeing that he has done
me a good turn"
BY this time they had arrived at the
( outskirts of Chillum. and alighted before
/ a massive gate Of wood set i'm high
/ brick wall decorated at the top with bro
ken glass. The green spires of poplar
/ trees rose over the summit of this wall,
and further back could be seen the red
tiled gable of a house. Opposite the gates
! ON the other side of the dusty white road
/ there was a small cottage buried in a
/ plantation of FIR trees. An unt;dy garden
extended from it's front door TO the quick
/ set hedge which divided the grounds from
the highway; and the house had a DESC
late and solitary look, as though rarely
inhabited
Does old Joad still sleep in his cottage?"
asked Allen, with a careless glance at the
tiny house.
"Of coursei You know Mr.. Edermont
won't let anyone stay in the house at night
but myself and Meg Canoe"
"That is the cooke"
"Cook. housemaid. general servant, and
al the rest of it, replied Dora gaily; "she
and between us manage the domestic
affairs Of the mansion Mr.. Edermont is
too taken up with his library and Mr. Joad
TO pay attention to such details"
"He is always in the clouds" assented
Allen. smiling. "By the way. who is NIr.
Joad?"
Dora laughed and shrugged her Shout
ders. I'm sure I can't tell you that"
she replied carelessly; he is an old coll
iege friend Of my guardians. 10 whom he
gives house-room."
"But not q bed?'
NO. Joad has to turn out at nine
O'Clock every night and return to his cot
tase 1 believe he passes most of his
evenings I'm the company OF Mr.. Pride"
pride PRIDE" said Allen thoughtfully
-"oh. that is the chubby little man who is
SO like your guardian"
Gle is like him i'm the distance" an
swered Dora, but a nearer view dispels
the illusion. Pride is. as YOU say. chubby
while Mr.. Edermont is rather lean. But
they are both short. both have heads OF
silvery hair. and both rejoice in patri-
drchal boards Yes. they are not unlike
one another"
While this conversation was taking
place the young people were standing pa
tieutly before the jealously-closed gate.
Dora had rung the bell twice. but as yet
there was no sign that they would be ad-
mittcd. The sun was SO hot. the road so
dusty that Allen became impatient.
Haven't you the key of the gate your
self Dora"
NO. Mr.. Edermont won't allow any
one to have the key but himself. l don't
know why"
Let MS so around TO the little postern
at the side OF the wall" suggested Allen.
Dora shook her head with laugh.
Locked my dear locked. AR Edermont
keeps the postern as firmly closed as these
gates"
a most aNtra nrairar, mn, >, ratnrtal