Daily camera., 1897-08-27

OF being able to change from one apart
ment to another just as the whim seized
it.
Like the voice which had sounded
downstairs, the tones were intermit-
tent; in the present instance they al,
ternated with the rappings.
After standing motionless, with hear
ing strained to the utmost, | noticed
that at no time did the voice and the
rappings sound together.
The few detached words l distin-
guished had no possible reference TO
myself; nevertheless the voice seemed
to follow me. | was unwilling to at
tribute the sounds to supernatural
causes, for I was not a believer in the
supernatural. 1t might be that the par
ties who had walled up the cellar found
some of their plans, whatever they
may have been, upset by my advent,
and had taken this way to frighten me
and cause my departure.
On Second thought the idea did not
appear tenable. For if the purpose was
to frighten me, fercer and more ter
rifying demonstration would be used.
Was there only one voice which in
some way sounded both in my room and
in the attic, or were there various voices
all over the place, each independent of
the other?
| fastened downstairs, but when
reached my room no sounds were heard
there.
While in my bedroom, I had no way
of knowing if the voice in the attic was
still sounding.
The remainder of the evening | spent
in rushing from my room to the attic
and back again, and quietly stealin,~
through the vacant rooms, in the hop
of laying hold of some explanation OF
the slraIge voice. I did hear it agar
il the attic, but there was no sound IL
nv room, though I had Immediately
fastened there.
Finally I gave up the quest for the
time, and, thoroughly fatigued, I'M
dressed and went to bed
My head had hardly touched the pill
low when the report of pistol reached
my ear. The sound was muffled, as
though coming from distant apart
ment. Indeed, it seemed to come fron,
underneath, as had the sound of the
slamming door: but yet not directly be
meath; it would undoubtedly have
sounded much palmer had the shoot
ing taken place in the walled-up cellar
below my room.
There was no answering shot, and no
more unaccountable noises, though I
hearkened intently.
. All through the night I lay vainly
trying to find repose, but sleep would
not come. / was resolved to leave no
stone nnturned to unravel these mys-
teries. For the events, trivial as they
seemed and as they probably would
prove when explained, were certainly
irritating, and threatened wholly to de-
stroy the rest and peace had expected
to find in Nelsonville.
1t was eNasperating that, besides be-
ing burdened with load of guilt which
rightfully belonged on other shoulders.
| should also be subjected to petty an
noyances which promised to make my
stay in Nelsonville anything but peace
full. True. | was my own master. [
could leave the old house on the NOR
row. But to be utterly routed and
driven from the field by a few harmless
though inexplieable happenings was
contrary to my nature. Then, too.
Florence; how could l leave the place,
now that | had found my love abiding
here?
When the first rosy tints of dawn
showed in the east, slumber closed my
weary eyes.
AS on the previous morning. Mrs.
SNYDER was compelled to arouse me for
breakfast On the present occasion she
announced rather testify that the morn
.ag meal had been waiting for over an
hour.
I could not resist the desire to begin
Investigations Immediately. and there
fore after hastily dressing walked all
around the house, keeping at such dis
tance from it that every part OF the
roof could be seen.
There was line of wire running
along the side of the road, which, as l
afterward ascertained, belonged to a
telephone circuit embracing half a
dozen towns and villages in the vicin-
itv. This wire crossed the roof of the
house, but was not fastened to it in any
way, swinging at least three feet clear
of the ridge-pole. Within few inches
of the wire was section of lightning
rod The air was still, and the wire
hung motionless. On the previous
night strong breeze had been blo~-
ing, as l remembered from the mourn
full cadences it produced up in the
attic.
Here was one mystery which could be
very reasonably explained. The wind
had swung the wire, causing it to strike
against the perpendicular portion OF
the lightning rod, thereby causing the
series of gentle vibratory raps l had
heard.
Satisfied that the other mysterious
events would also give up their secrets
upon investigation, I went to break