The Holly chieftain., 1898-07-08

You think you Will enJo4 youI1eH In
Nelsonville?'' he asked, Aashing an In
quiring glance at me.
"Oh. yes. 1 hope to have absolute
rest and peace. at any rate" replied.
some what hesitatingly. fof my sojourn
at the old house had certainly not be-
gun restfully. had sleptbut little the
night before.
Nothing about the arrangements
have made for your comfort to prevent
it, is there r. he asked.
sNo. You have done well Iwant to
nsk you, before forget It, Why did yon
have the cellar on Of the old store
room walled up?"
A look Of perplexity came over his
fnce. and. as he did not seem to COM
prehend my question. I 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
masonry to correspond with the founda.
ton walls. simply ask out Of curios-
ity what your reasons were for having
1t done-not that have any objection"
My question was simple enough
one. Mr. Sonntag seemed to think II
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-
tion to me to occupy" " he finally said.
'sYes, and there used to be two doors
to-" fs
.And they have been built up2" he
broke in.
Eyes. Do you not know about it?" i
asked, in surprise.
"No." he replied, shortly.
''rhen you did not have It done?"
Certainly not. 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 n time. I went all through
the place, and those doorways were not
built up then. I even went into that
cellar. 1t wns 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 i'll" exclaimed, thoroughly
perplexed. "How did you get into the
storeroom had to kick open the door"
"Oh, I had key to the outside door,
and got in that way. HIM! It is. as you
say, very strange, indeed. But resume
your seat, Mr.. Conway"
Again the thought occurred to me
that I had met Mr.. Sonntag, or at least
seen him. somewhere before.
did ever meet your l asked, voic.
ing my thought.
He glanced quickly. at me. and then
smiled as he said: Look like some one
you know. do I? 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.
''No one" replied. II am the last
of my race-a lonely man. and one
who is sick at heart. 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 md desponden.
cy." the old lawyer said, cheerily and
hopefully; perhaps sooner than you
have any idea of. Now, then," he con-
tinued, returning to his brisk, business
like manner. ''some one has walled up
those doorways. Who was 1t. and for
what purpose? II 1t was done with the
idea Of hiding-place. what was the
thing to be hidden? Sonething which
was never again to be reproduced, evi-
IDENTIFY. OF the room would not have
been wholly sealed. Perhaps there was
a secret entrance provided. But then
why should your properly have been
selected? We're you alone when the
discovery was made?"
mo, SIR. A woman who used to act
as nurse girl when wss a.young one
was with me. and also Mrs. Snyder, the
widow who takes care Of the house."
"Yes, I know. / believe the old
widow can be relied upon to say moth
ing about the circumstances If she ID
| told not to. How about the other, your
old nurse?'
''She would do anything possible for
me. was her idol when . child, and
now devotion for me seems to have
been augmented in proportion to my
stature. Sarah is wholly Trustworthy
and II requested her not to mention
the matter she would have her tongue
cut out rather than breathe word
of It."
'That's'good The discovery had best
be kept secret" the ldlawyer said, re.
fiectively.
There is another thing Iwish to men,
tfon, though perhaps it IL hardly worth
dwelling upon. Mrs. Snyder thinks
there is something strange about the
house. And she has so succeeded in
impressing my old nurse with the idea
that Sarah Is quite concerned about my
staying. She seems to be imbued with
an inexplicabie fear that something
harmful threatens me"
"Indeedl What do you mean when
You say there is something strange?
You mean mysteriow?" the old lawyer
asked, in the manner he would have
used in cross-examining witness.
Yes; Mrs. Snyder claims to have
seen mysterious lights at night, and
heard strange noises"
| Mr.. Sonntag's eyes lost their shrewd
expression for few moments; he re.
lapsed into deep thought.
FRO BE Continued
"
Exit George.