Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-12-18

in the curious octagonal room, look
ing at the, covered portrait Of Karine.
The sound had been explained. but
there had been a certain furry and
clumsiness in the explanation, I had
thought even then.
l remembered the smoke and sparks
which had so mysteriously risen from
the tower, and the heat of the octa-
gonal room adjoining it, All this, too,
had been accounted for. ! had not
cared at the time to invent romances
to fit into the strange appearances,
which l had assured myself were
doubtless strange only in appearance;
but now I could not help dwelling
upon them with an almost morbid
persistency that would not be set
aside.
l thought of the woman's face which
had for an instant gazed at me through
the narrow window beside the door.
reminded myself of the surprise on the
features of the decorous male factotum
when he had learnt that l was not the
man expected by his master, and /
went over word for word, as nearly as
| could, each sentence whispered by
Wildred and his servant in the hall.
What if there were some CHASTITY
connections between the apparent mys-
terry in the House by the Lock and the
half-charred headless body found to-
day in the Thames.
was ready to accuse my own enmity
toward Wildred and my vague suspi-
cion of him, also my merciless desire to
fasten some stigma upon the man, of be-
ing potent factors in these mental sug-
gestions of mine.
But | could not Danish them even If
l would. Continually throughout the
remainder of the evening and night
| pieced together various theories, all
more or less defective, and next morn
ing the desire was strong within me to
go and see the headless corpse.
There were at least twenty chances
to one against my being able to iden-
tify it, or finding in the pitiful re-
mains of a tragedy any clue such as
sought. But strange fancies STEPPED
by brain with their potent fumes and
| knew | would not be able 10 rest un-
til, at least, | had absolutely proved
myself mistaken.
Permission to view the body at the
mortuary was easily obtained at the
local police station, when | had given
my name and mentioned that l had
come for purposes of identification.
Fortunately for my self-control, | had
looked upon many a gruesome sight
during my somewhat checkered career,
though scarcely one more hideous than
this which had deliberately sought.
| twould be worse than useless to en-
ter into a detailed description of what
my eyes turned from with loathing.
There was only one possible way OF
Identification. howeyer-that Of finding
some mark upon the partially charred
body. or something lacking which
might be suggestive Of theory.
| had a theory which as yet had
scarcely dared dwell upon in my own
mind, so wild, so improbable, did It APP
pear at any other time than dead OF
night. when an strange things seem
possible. But now, as | judged what
the size and height of the body must
have been, and let my glance travel al
most fearfully TO the left hand, | saw
that which tended in a CHASTITY manner
TO confirm it. All the four fingers were
missing, having been cut of between
the second joints and knuckles.
Harver Farnham had worn the ring
given to Karine Cunningham by VIII
! dred on the little finger OF the left
hand. and in the light of this discovery
nv dream of Christmas eve came back
10 me as a prophetic vision.
ITO be continued)