The Holly chieftain., 1898-07-29


correct one, does it flrnish you with
clew to the person or persons who did
the job?" asked.
-Perhaps," he replied, shortly.
AS he raised his held to answer, rec
objection flashed upon me. "Ah!" L
exclaimed. ~ have been cudgeling my
brain in the endeavor to remember
where I had seen you before"
He quickly turned toward me with .
half-smile on his face, but offered no
reply.
II have seen you in Philadelphia"
continued.
Possibly. used to live there before
coming to Twineburgh," he remarked,
indifferently.
"You have been in Twineburgh but
six months" went on. Il
Yes"
And saw you for the first time
about a year ago. l almost knocked
you over as / was coming out of the
presidents Office in the Safety security
bank. You were just going in, and l
ran into you"
"Ah, possibly. l have had business
dealings with that concern" the old
lawyer replied.
"And you knew Mr.. Perry, the presi-
dent:"
"Yes. slightly"
"Then why did you ask me at the
time if was the prcsident?" asked.
Sonntag gave twitch of the shoul-
der, and his shrewd sharp eyes
twinkled.
Did 1 ask you that?" he queried.
do you not remember"
Cant say that do" he replied.
sit seems strange you should leave
the city to engage in the practice of
law in a small town like Twineburgh,"
said, musingly.
why stranger" was his curt ques-
ton.
.'Oh, well, you are quite advanced in
years. and, with your long experience,
ought to have commanded larger and
more lucrative practice in large place
like Philadelphia than in small coun-
try town."
He did not reply for few moments,
but stood with whimsical look on his
face with his eyes turned toward the
floor.
II became tired of city life, he finally
said. Ihave no family depending upon
me, and SO am at liberty to follow out
any whim which happens to take pos
session of me. There is enough business
here to enable single man to live well,
besides allowing him more leisure l
was looking for such business, and
and found it in Twineburgh."
well, you certainly are an odd fel-
low, If you will excuse me for saying
So" I remarked, with laugh.
Eyes, / am rather odd"
When we reentered my bedroom,
Sonntag's quick eye caught sight of the
tools under my bed.
"Going to cut through the foor?' he
asked.
THAT is what intended to do. I'm
going to know what is down there"
replied. decidedly.
Then: told him about the noises !
had heard which had seemed to come
from beneath, the slamming Of the
door, and the pistol shot. also told
of the voices I had heard both in the
attic and in my room, and all had OBJ
served regarding them.
The old lawyer listened intently, and
when 1 had finished walked to the win
dow.
do you suppose that the sound of the
voices could in some way have come
from the telephone wirer finally
asked.
Not being an electrical expert. can
not say" Sonntag answered, turning
from the window.
1T seems impossible the voices could
be heard without the aid Of a receiver
I remarked.
perhaps there is receiver both in
your room and upstairs-not like the
ones we are accustomed to, Of course,
but one formed by nature. Certainly
there are possibilities in electric force
which we have not yet discovered. You
say the sounds occurred only when u
wind was blowing which caused the
wire to swing against the lightning
rod?"
THAT was surmise, for / have had no
opportunity to watch when the wind
blew. But it seemed the most natural
explanation of the rappings."
And you had no way Of ascertaining
whether the sounds in your room here
and in the attic were produced by the
same voice and at the same time, or
whether there were two voices indie
pendent of each other?"
why, you know it was impossible for
me to be in the attic and in my room
too," answered.
perhaps we may be given an oppor-
tunity to find out something about the.
voices" Sonntag said, with q gesture to-
ward the window.
"How do you meant asked
There is thunderstorm coming up.
It will undoubtedly be preceded by a
wind" the old lawyer said.
Eyes, yesl How fortunate 1t Is that
you are here!" exclaimed, excitedly,
for 1 comprehended his meaning.
'sNow you remain here, and I will go up
to the attic," went on. "Each Of us
must note the exact time the sound is
heard. We had better compare watches,
so that there shall be no difference in
each ones estimate OF the time"
Ipulled out my watch and approached
Sonntag. His hand went up to his vest
pocket and he was about to follow my
example, when upon our hearing came
that small. soft, high-pitched voice.
We stood gazing into each others
eves for a moment. then made rush