Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-03-12

which we were proceeding, but when
l did rouse myself to the fact that it
would be we'll 70 keep track of the dis
tricts through which we passed, so rap
idly was the rubber-tired cab gliding
through street after street, that, strain
my eyes as l would, l could never focus
them upon a single name.
For a brief space l was sure that we
went towards the west, but by the time
that a distant church clock had sweetly
chimed he half-houf after midnight l
had lost all idea of locality. I was only
certain that the quiet grey streets
through which we dashed held no place
in my former acquaintance with Lon
don, though l had specifically fancied
that 1 knew the old town we'll.
At last. as we still travelled on at I'M
diminished speed, and | guessed that
we had been about three-quarters of
an hour on the way to the unknown
end of our journey, l one more opened
communication with the driver.
rs this going on all night?" I in
quired. Its getting rather monoto-
nous"
Il m. doing my best, sir" he re-
turned courteously; as indeed so far
as rate of speed was concerned, he I'M
doubtedly was.
Where are we?' I continued.
almost there, sir" was the non
committal answer; and as l let the door
drop with an impatient clap I could
imagine the fellow chuckling.
l might have known, from the be-
ginning of Jul strange intercourse,
that l could expect no information
from him. But. though l had given
myself up to pursuing the adventure,
in ignorance of where it should lead
me, l still meant to find out, on my
own account, as much as l could.
Hardly had l shrugged my Shout
ders and folded my arms after the re-
spectful rebuff l had received from
above when the private hanson whirl-
ed round a corner, bringing me out
in a street where, on n side of the
way, the houses were set back from
the road, several of them behind high
walls of a secretive appearance.
Somehow l felt that we were near
for the cab drew abruptly up at the
pavement as the thought was formu-
lated in my mind, and | found that
we had stopped before a little green
door which looked made to hide that
which ought not to be known.
1t was set in a face of brick; and
above, though the light which came
from thescab lamps was the only one
near eneHghrto avail, was visible a re-
pellent crown of nails and broken
glass. On the door, or gate, a name
had once been printed in gold letter.
ing; but either Intentionally or through
the wear and tear of time and stress
of weather, it had been so e~ffectually
obliterated as to be indecipherable. l
thought, as l peered %curiously at the
two defaced words, that l made out a
&C." an "a" and an IN" following
one after another. But while my eyes
were still as near the puzzling heiro-
glyphics as they we'll could be, to my
confusion the door was suddenly flung
open.
l had not yet rung, and l had heard
no noise from within; but the ears of
some one else had evidently been more
on the alert than mine, and the
sound of quickly trotting horses hoofs
had warned them OF Jul arrival. Evil
IDENTIFY we had not only been anXiously
expected but waited for.
The person who stood ready to re-
ceive me was one of the strangest ap-
parations which ever astonished a pair
of eyes accustomed to the sight of or
binary human beings; and l wondered
how it could manage to exist in any
ne~ighborhood without attracting a
prodigious amount of gossip unpleasant
for the household in which it lived.
l say cit; but, apparently, the crea-
ture was a man, though what country
he claimed as a fatherland l could not
in the semi-darkness quite decide. He
was short and squat, with a sallow
Asiatic face, and a great deal of bushy
black hair, which hung round it as the
silky fluff hangs over the eyes of a
Skye-terrier. He was dressed in a long
gown which descended nearly to his
great fat feet, and I've the front of it
he had fastened a species pf apron.
I took in the picture al a glance.
noticing. with an odd shud1er Of repul-