Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-03-24
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER /.
The milkman left a can of milk on the
front veranda and drove on to the next
house in the street. The iceman came
along half an hour later, looked curious
Y 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 a young man sleeping
in the front room downstairs awolte
suddenly and sat up in bed lie 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 desire to lie
down again, but he shook off the feel
ing and rose and 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 Mr.. Strong not walked |
him as usual? The old man was always
up with the sun, and had never allowed
him to sleep later than 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.
Strongs bed was in the righthand1
cerner of the room, and WILDLY could
see the back part of his head and one
side ofhis 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,
as he approached the bed. Strong's face
was towards the window; his eyes were
open; a 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 as if
under a magnifying glass. For mo-
ment WILDLY 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 an
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 car.
'Hello," he said, 'that's the central
office, isn't it2 Well, all right; one
seventy-six on four cighty-two, please"
"Well, what is it?" presently came
from the telephone.
us that police headquarters"
"Yes."
81 am Alfred WILDLY, 27s Leighton
avenue. A horrible thing has occurred
here during the night. l have Just dis
covered that my uncle, Mr.. Strong
Richard N. Strong, the banker-has
been murdered. Come and attend to
it,"
There was a silence, broken by low,
indistinct murmuring as if people were
talking at the other end Of the wire;
then The reply came:
"All right; as soon as 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 a blind man was playing an
accordion a few doors away, There
was a crunching step on the graveled
walk near his window. WILDLY raised
the sash and looked out. 1t 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-sill and stared at the old
man. He was wondering if the police
would prefer for him to keep the news
from the gardener. Il was the look Of
slow astonishment coming into Mat
thews' eyes that made him decide what
to say.
Matthews" he said, something has
happened; 1 can tell you that much
but that is an. I have telcphoned the
police; you'd better not come in til
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
hut WILDLY withdrew, sat down on the
side Of his bed and tried 20 collect his
thoughts. Suddenly DE was reused by
sharp ring at the door bell WAid