The Holly chieftain., 1898-02-25
CHAPTER !.


The milkman left can OF milk on the |
front veranda and drove on to the next
touse in the street. The iceman came
licng half an hour later. looked curious
ly at the closed door. as he unfastened
the hooks from block Of ice, and
raped loudly on the step, but no one
came to answer his call.
An hour later young man sleeping
in the front room downstairs awoke
suddenly and sat up in bed. He was
astonished to note that the sunlight on
the carpet extended from the window
far into the room. indicating that the
sun had risen above the tall buildings
across the street. He felt a strange
heaviness In his head. and Il desire to lie
down again. but he shook off the feel
ing and rose aAd began to dress.
What could be the matter? The lit
tie clock on his dressing case pointed
TO ten. What had caused him to over
sleep? Why had MIR. Strong not walked
him as usual? The old man was always
up with the sun. and had never allowed
him TO sleep later tbnp eight.
The young man hurriedly put on his
trousers. thrust his feet into his slip
pers. and drew aside the portiere that
hung between his room and his uncle's.
Strong's bed was in the righthand
corner of the room. and WILDLY could
see the back part OF his head and one
side of his gray whiskers.
WILDLY called to him softly. but
Strong did not stir. WILDLY called
again. and stamped his foot. but still
the old man remained motionless.
"That's queer" murmured WILDLY.
RS he approached the bed. Strong's face
was towards the window: his eyes were
open: ghastly smile was on his face.
He was dead. Wildly saw that by the
awful pallor of his face. which made
each hair Of the beard stand out us If
under a mngnifying glass. For mo-
ment Whidhy stood as if turned to
stone: then he drew down the sheet.
which had been drawn up closely under
the old mans chin. and saw the long
deep cash in the throat and the dark
clots Of the blood which had soaked into
the mattress.
WILDLY was strangely calm. In nn.
instant he had decided on a course of
action. He stepped to the telephone
across the room, and looked over the
directory; then he rang. and held the
receiver to his ear.
"Hello.~ he said. that's the central
Office. isn't It? Well. all right; one
seventy-six on four eighty-two, please"
swell. what is it?' presently came
from the telephone.
ais that police headquarters?
ayes"
II am Alfred WILDLY. 2Ts Leighton
avenue. a horrible thing has occurred
here during the night. ! have just dis
covered that my uncle. Mr.. Strong
Richard n. Strong. the banker-has
been murdered. Come and attend to
it,
There was n silence. broken by low,
indistinct murmuring as II people were
talking at the other end of the wire;
then the reply came:
"All right: as soon ns we can get
there
Then Wildly hung up the receiver
and rang the bell. He went back into
his room. put on his shirt. collar and
necktie. and brushed his hair. His
head still felt heavy and ached little.
The electric cars were whirring past the
house. and blind man was playing an
accordion few doors away. There
was crunching step on the grnveled
walk near his window. WILDLY raised
the sash and looked out. It was Mat
thews. the gardener.
Seeing WILDLY. he touched his hat,
stopped. and asked after Mr.. Strong.
WILDLY made no reply. but sat down on
the window-sili and stared ut the old
man. He was wondering If the police
would prefer for him to keep the news
from the gardener. It was the look of
thews' eyes that made him decide what
to say.
"Matthews," he said. something has
happened; can tell you that much,
but that is all. have teiephoned the
police; you'd better not come in till
they get here. If were you I'd go on
with my work; the rose bushes near the
fountain need trimming"
Matthews stared and started to speak,
but WILDLY Withdrew, sat down on the
side of his bed and tried to collect his
thoughts. Suddenly he was reused BY
a sharp ring Mt the door bell. Wild
by's heart sank. and he was oil in q
quiver. but he rose calmly and went to
the door. 1t was boy with the MORN
ing paper. He held also a bill in his
hand. and wanted to collect the money
due to him for delivering the paper for
the month past. but WILDLY sent him
nway. and stood for several minutes in
the doorway watching the crowd pass
ing in the street. Then be closed the
door. and went into his uncle's room
and walked restlessly to and fro at the
foot of the bed. Suddenly ne stopped
at the telephone and rang the bell.
"One seventy-fve on four eighty-two.
please" he said.
Hello there" was the reply.
''Well?" said WILDLY.
"You nre one seventy-six instead Of
one seventy-five. aren't you?"
"Yes. Did ! say one seventy-fvc? !
meant one seventy-six."
IAN right; there you are, Mr.. Wild
BY"
.Whidby!" thought the young man.
II wonder how be knew my name. All,
he must have overheard me speaking TO
the police"
The beiI rang.
Hello ssId WILDLY. I'll that police
headquarters7s' r
~yss. What y it7- Ss y