Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-01-29
house BY the river?


would have wished to wait for Gun
ningham, both because l wanted him
with me, ana because was anxious TO
hear what he had done at Scotland
Yard. However, he did not come, so
wired him to the latter place, left q
shore note for him also at the hotel, to
be kept till called for, and started of
in cab when dared delay no longer
at breakneck pace for Paddington sta
ton.
l just caught the train | wanted,
changed at Maidenhead. and arrived at
NARROW at half-past eight o'clock This
time | had neither leisure nor lnciina-
ton to walk, as upon my first visit to
the place on Christmas day, but took a
fly land offered the man an extra fare
if he would make haste.
A little short of the House by the
Lock | stopped him. A certain instinct
seemed to Did me not TO be too osten-
tatious in the manner of announcing
my arrival. | got out, and by the hgnt
of round red moon rising over black
trees in the east glanced at my watch.
1t was fiye-and- twenty-past-nlne. Inc
whole day, since my arrival at South
ampton in the morning, had gone IN
searching for karine, and 1t might De
that | was as far from success now as
had been in the beginning.
A hundred yards away a small yell
low light shone steadily through the
moon-Jinged darkness. l thought II
came from the House by the LOCK,
though the one poor ray made put
scant cheer of illumination for
brides homecoming.
Wait here for me-" I said to the
driver. Il may come within half an
hour, | may be much longer; but, at
all events, wait. Here is sovereign
for you, and you shall have as much
again when | return
The tone of his voice told me that he
was suspicious, as well as curious, re-
garding the mysterious intentions or
his fare; but | was quite sure that he
would not fail me- Two pounds We're
not to be so easily picked up every
evening.
| walked on rapidly. AS l approach
ed the House by the Lock | lost sight
of the yellow CLEAN which for some
time had guided me, but the moon
glinted bleakly on the staring panes
of dark upper windows.
Desolate as the place had appeared
at the hour of sunset, it had an air OF
hospitable welcome at that time COM
pared to that which it wore now.
Never, it seemed to me, had l seen
habitation so grim, so silently sugges-
tive of haunting evil things. The face
of the moon, as it rose, lost the rud-
dy hue which it had had nearer the
horizon, and its paling disc was swept
by black and ragged storm clouds. The
wind moaned through the trees like
the wall of lost soul, and there was
a stealthy, monotonous tapping Of the
dark waters so close at hand.
Other sound there was none, and,
though l had seen the small ray from
distance, now-so far as l could
ascertain-not a window in the whole
gloomy pile was lighted.
| went up the path, knocked, and
rang the bell. which sent back jang-
ling echoes, such as being in ones fam
cy to an uninhabited house. From
distant kennel a dog began to bay.
Otherwise | was not answered. and as
rang and Numbered on the knocker
again, the animals voice at length sub
sided into a protesting whine.
| ought by this time to have been
sure that MILDRED and Karine were not
in the house, DuI, ON the contrary, L
was by no means certain of that fact.
Mentally l argued that, if the master
was absent, a caretaker would certainly
have been left, and unless a stone-deaf
person had been selected for the post
my violent alarms would have brought
him to me.
If any reason existed, however. why
the door should not be opened, it would
be easy to understand how and why the
caretaker might be suddenly afflicted
with an inability to hear.
Instead of being plunged into discour-
agement an ever-kindling fire of. rage
mounted within me. Rather than go
away ignorant as to whether Karine
was hidden in this hateful house or
not, | would force an entrance. |
sprang down the steps and went to one
of the bow windows nearest the door.
Not an instant's hesitation had | in
kicking in one of the panes of glass,
but, as it happened, / had only my
trouble for my pains There were sol
idly barred shutters inside. so heavy
that even !, strong man as | was,
could not break them open.
Furious now, ] ran up to the door
again, and drove my gloyed fist
through the glass in one of the Curl
Gus six-inch-wide panes that ran the
length Of the door on either side. The
shivered glass iingled sharply on the
polished wood of the floor inside, and
| thrust in my arm up to the elbow,
hoping to get at the lock on the door
within. AS | did so footsteps came