Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1898-03-31
A CLEW BY WIRE
Or, An Interrupted Current.
BY HOWARD M. YOST.
Copyright. 1906 by J. B. Lippncott Co.
CHAPTER V.-CoNTINUED.

The sound of the voice was intermit-
cent. There would be few words,
then pause, and so on. / could make
no sense of the few disjointed sentences
1t lasted but few minutes. Indeed, so
brief was the conversation, if that is
what it was, there was no time to make
an investigation.
After n long period of anxious listen
ing settled down again for sleep. And
when at last slumber came, it was
troubled. Vague, shadowy dreams fit
ted across my consciousness, and
through them all was a sort of premo
milton of future events, which seemed
to have bearing upon the robbery.
The next morning was awakened by
the sun shining in my face. Hardly
aad 1 got my eyes open and my senses
aroused to my new surroundings, when
a loud and long continued humping
on the front door caused me to spring
out of bed. Hastily donning a few gar
sleuts, went to the door and opened
&c,
Mrs. Snyder was standing there, and
un unmistakable look of relief came
over her face when she saw me.
Zach my! you schleep so sount vas
afrait somesing de matter!" she said
-'Breakfas' vas retty long dime alretty."
"All right. I'll be right over and eat
it," l replied.
While | was dressing the recollection
of the strange voice of the last night
came to me. Now, in the broad glare of
the forenoon, when all mystery takes
flight and the haHucinations of the
darkness become trivial, / wondered if
my imagination had played me trick.
1t seemed as though I had heard the
voice in a dream, so unreal did the cir
Cumstance appear now.
I was standing by the huge chimney.
when again, breaking in upon my
thoughts, came the sound of that mys
terious small voice.
As on the night before, there were no
completed sentences; only a word be-
tween pauses of various duration. The
sounds were palmer, however; not loud
er, but more distinct.
Here was mystery indeed, one which
did not choose only the shades of night
for it's manifestations, but came in the
daytime, as though possessed of such
subtle and unaccountable qualities that
it might defy research.
After the voice had ceased, and con-
tinued my toilet, the sound of talking,
coming from the walk outside, reached
gae.
glanced out of the window, and saw
Sarah and Mrs. Snyder again in most
earnest conversation.
Somewhat surprised to see my old
nurse so early in the day, 1 called to
her:
"Hello, Sarah! What's the trouble?
What brought you here at this time?"
Zach, Mel, bud am glad to see you!"
she exclaimed. II couldn't schleep all
night"
"Now, that was too bad" I said.
"What kept you awake?"
81 vas thinkin' of you all alone in dis
oIt house, and so much strangeness
aboud it," the good soul replied, with
her honest old face upturned to me.
''That was very foolish. Nothing is
going to happen to me-" l said, lightly
although | was not so sure of it now.
When | went outside the two women
were still talking, and there was an
awe-striclfen expression on each face.
What are you two superstitious old
girls doing now?" / asked. "Hatching
up more mysterious tales?"
Mrs. Snyder gravely shook her head
as though seriously condemning levity
on supernatural subjects. Sarah rest
ed her hand on my arm, and gazed up
into my face. There was deep concern
In every line of her countenance.
"Nel, you come wiz me-" she said
leading the way. / followed around
the corner of the house, and she stopped
before a window, the shutters of which
we're closed.
"Look!" she exclaimed, pointing to-
ward the shutters. Mrs. Snyder says
dat vas not dere yesterday"
Like those of most Pennsylvania
furmhouses, the downstairs windows
were provided with solid board shut
ters.
In the center of this particular pair
was a small round hole, from the edges
of which few chips running with the
grain of the wood were broken.
We'll, what of it?" 1 asked, hoping
that / could avoid giving an eXplana-
ton, for I was trif1e ashamed of my,
self for firing at my own reflection.
|ESomepody shot through de shutter
and try to kill you, maybe. It's bullet
hole, aint it? Oh, Mel, didn't you hear
it2 Mrs. Snyder heard it from her
house, and she look out her window and
saw a man runnin' away down de road