Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-05-14
: MAN FROM THE DARK.
BY MRS. C. N. WILLIAMSON,
@The Barn Stormer 9The Woman Grey fortunes
Sport" aThe House by Lock" &C.
Copy right.)
CHAPTER XII.
IN WHICH DECIDE TO PLAY A
LONE HAND.

IN WHICH I DECIDE TO PLAY A
LONE HAND.
The sound had been like that made
by the swapping OF the shutter in a
camera: so like was it, in fact, that my
instinct refused to accept any other
hypothesis, though scarcely a second
had passed since the clicking noise
had heard and no instrument was visi-
BILE. Judging by the appearance of the
room, the situation had remained I'M
changed; but was sure that, for some
reason which / could not guess at, it
had been deemed advisable to take my
photograph. | was to be watched, per-
haps, by those who had not seen me,
and picture was to accompany de-
scription of my personal appearance.
Il should have thought the room was
too dark lor that" / remarked quietly.
For what, sir?" was "Bill's" inno-
cent question in return.
For the photographs you or your
friend over there on the bench took of
ne just now" I answered. "Still.
suppose the light from this window does
give a good chance when the suns at
a certain place, and man happens to
stand in the right position. The trick
was done neatly; but I'm rather pc
culiar about that sort of thing. I'm not
a professional beauty, you know, and
I'm not fond of letting my portrait go
into the possession of Tom, Dick and
Harry Whichever one has the camera
will destroy that plate, please"
MY word, you are a strange gentle
man, sir<lways accusin' Teller of one
thing 4another e don't know no more
a5eutSlhan the birds of the air. You
: must be dreamin' agin', sir; nobodys
thought of takin' a photergraf. It's
a thing l never learnt 'ow to do, and
most likely never will"
| folded up the telegram which had
just arrived, put it in my pocket, and
walked deliberately across the room to
that corner of the bench where the
Spinning Jinny's one somnolent patron
lay indulging, to all appearances, in a
matutinal doze.
When first had come in | remember
ed that a black, SLOUGH hat had been
pulled over his face, the soft brim only
just visible over the back of his head,
Now, the hat was gone, and it seemed
to me that few even of the smallest
things happened accidentally at the
Spinning jimmy Inn, was willing for
the moment to accept the landlords
statement and inquire further
1.-The -sat might have slipped off with
an unconscious movement of the Sleep
er. But it had not slipped it lay be-
tween his body and his knees, which
were curled up towards the chest, and
two Notwithstanding hands were
clasped over it. They resembled the
hands of a great ape more than those
of a human being, though it was hard
to say exactly where or how they were
deformed. A glance told me that /
had seen them before. and in what
circumstances, for they were the hands
of him who had opened the gate of the
dark house among the trees for me
two nights ago-the man whom his
master confederate called "Hassan."
| would not have believed that a man
could alter himself so completely as
this one had done, as / stood gazing
down on the profile, and the closed eye
lid, which, despite its owners self-con-
troll was Pickering a little. Hassan
had looked the Asiatic to the life, while
this fellow, lying on the bench in the
Spinning jimmy bar, was a French Jew,
of the greasy, light-haired, white eye
dashed type, rarest and most repulsive.
Hardly feature that was not unlike
what memory had photographed upon
my(brain with Hassans image yet had
lold\myself in the first moment of see
Ing anat~ hideous hand on the gate that
| would know it again anywhere, and
now should have been ready to swear
that had justified my own boast.
Good morning, Hassan. How is Mr..
Smith," l cody asked.
The mouth twitched; but he opened
his eyes with a confused and stupid
stare, as if the sound of my voice,
breaking into a dream, not the words
;poken, had startled him.
How fond you all are of DISCUSSES
| went on. "There was that little man
set to follow me yesterday, and now
you. | must be prepared to meet your
master presently, suppose, in almost
any garb. That of a priest, perhaps,
since it would suit him least, might
please his fancy. l shall look for him;
meanwhile, excuse me if / examine
the little instrument you have there
Under your hat. These Kodaks are so
convenient to tuck away in small com
pass, aren't they?"
As | spoke l had gripped his wrists
with one hand, and before he could
writhe himself free had sent the SLOUGH
hat rolling to the floor, triumphantly
snatching up the camera from under
meath.