The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-09-15

which served as a knocker. This bold
entry was not destined to 60 unresent-
ed, however, for q huge mastif appear
ed, coming from an inner room, and
growled ominously. At a word from
the squire the dog assumed less hos
tile demeanor and prowled about the
party, shifting at their persons as
though to make their acquaintance.
When he reached Lewis, who was the
last to enter, he raised himself up on
his hind legs, and, planting his fore
paws on his breast, tried to lick him On
the face. Lewis resented the animal S
familiarity and seemed much annoyed
as he brusquely pushed him down with
an exclamation Of impatience.
"Why, Mr.. Lewis, said the squire,
.sthe dog acts as though he knows you.
Can it be possible that he remembers
you? know that your father Brought
him here when he first came, but that
is years ago, and he was a mere puppy
then. -
81 remember him we'll enough now,
but I doubt if his recollection spaus the
interval between now and the time
when l gave him bread and milk in his
puppy days. I receive that kind of at
tention from nearly all dogs. Some CT
the fercest have favored me at sight.
Once at q bench show in London I bet
that could pat the head Of any dog
there. I won the wager, though the
animal selected was ferccious looking
bulldog, over whose kennel was con-
spicuously displayed the warning pla-
card: Dangerous. Do not handle. ,
They say that dog knows friend in
stinctively, and I am certainly friend
of the canine species, ranking dogs next
to human beings. But let US seek my
father. I am anxious to meet him. .
"Well, come in here said the
squire, leading the way into a room on
the left of the hall. 9'This is the parlor.
Remain here while hunt up Lewis. .
The squire had barely passed the
doorway when ne uttered a cry of alarm
and hurried across the room. His CON-
panions FASTENED after him and beheld
the PROSTATE form of man lying upon
the rug in front Of the fireplace. The
squire leaned over the body for q mo-
ment and then Jumped Up, with horror
depicted on every feature.
'sThere has been a terrible accident, .
said he. "My friend Lewis is here,
deadn'
The others pressed forward. They saw
the motionless body CT man. He lay
on his side, with his head near the fire.
place, in which were the remains OF a
log fire. This fire r01st have been hot
one. as the face of the dead man, which
had been covered in life with a heavy
beard, was now scarcely more than a
mass Of charred flesh and therefore en-
tirely unrecognizable. In spots there re-
NAMED the burned stubs Of the hair on
the face and more On the head, but in
many places it was burned entirely
away, exposing the flesh, blackened
human charcoal.
Lewis gazed in a dazed and semi
conscious way at tie awful sight and
in low, hoarse whisper asked:
SIS this my father?''
The squire started at the question,
and at once realized all the horror OF
the situation. He did not reply, but
beckoned to the two detectives to follow
him ard quietly LETT the room. Accom-
panied by them, he led the way across
the hall into the library, and then re-
peated what he had exclaimed at first
sight of the body-that it was that Of
John Lewis, in whose interest they had
come to the house.
"But, continued he, ST cannot un-
derstand how it is that we find him
dead and in such a position. 1t looks
at first sight like heart disease CT apo
plexy. How terrible that he should have
fallen into the fire and have been so
dreadfully disfgured!''
'sDid you ever fancy that your friend
had any physical ailment of the kind?:"
asked Mr. Barnes.
tWhy, no. I always considered him
! the stoutest, heartiest man of my ac-
quaintance.''
els it not singular, then, that he
should be taken away SO suddenly as
this?''
sNow that you suggest the idea, it
does seem so. The whole thing has been
so startling and SO unexpected that l
have not collected my thoughts sufh-
ciently to analyze the situation. I find
my friend dead on the floor Of his own
house after having seen him alive and
well only last evening, and suppose I
have adopted the first theory which pre-
sented itself. -
"You say you saw your friend last
EVENING" asked Mr.. Barnes in quiet
voice, keeping his eyes steadily fixed on
the squire.
Something in his tone or in his man
ner of askin the question attracted the
squire, and he turned and faced his in
terrogator as he replied:
eyes.
"Where?''
s.There-in the very room where we
now find his corpse. l came to talk
about this business once more and to
try to dissuade MIN from pursuing it