Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-04-23

f4 = 81 80 ~ ~
hot even ! vash snd stand; but . s
shelf brojecting from TIE wall. stood
y til basin and i jug, and here and
there hung 4 picture. which ! was to-
notice by-and-bye. There was no win
dow, and the only ventilation was OBJ
tanned through q series Of aperatures
above the door.
"Ill get you this mornings paper
to look over whilst you wyte, SIR said
the old woman. She stole away softly,
and l began striding restlessly up and
down.
AS walked picture suspended over
the mantel,. and, therefore, lit by the
candle as il by footlights, caught my
eye. For moment / thought ! had
had an optical illusion, but long,
eager look made me sure that I had
seen Alright Hanging in the windowless
cell OF an inner bedroom at the Spin
ming jimmy Inn was photograph OF
Lance Seaford, or her double, framed
in a neat gilt frame.
She was represented leaning over the
ratings Of a balcony, her long. un-
bound hair ripping down her shoulders
as I had seen it to-day. The neck and
arms are bare, and the dress rich and
fanciful, of fashion suitable to a
Juliet. Indeed, the longer looked the
more certain became that the girl who
had sat for the picture had posed as
the fair daughter of the Capulets.
Here was another mystery; and l
felt that somewhere in the background
Of my brain the broken strands of
clue to it were floating, if only by
some sudden flashing inspiration
could seize and join the two.
For moment I had completely for
gotten my errand, and the element OF
suspense in it, SO deeply was / absorb
ed in wondering how this photograph
had come into such place; whether
Lance really could be the original and
how, if so. the picture had grown to
look so yellow and SO old.
I was reused by the opening of the
door, The bag had forgotten her prom
Use of a newspaper, but her son Bill
had come in her place, or so l supposed,
for the man stood regarding me with
greedy curiosity. had Just time TO
catch the expression of his smooth,
egg-shaped face, where the skin seemed
tightly stretched across as the parch-
ment of rumhead, before it altered
into commonplace servility.
My mother tells me you wanted to
see me, sir" he remarked, his accent
resembling the woman's, though less
exaggerated.
81 was directed to come here by one
you may know, perhaps" / answered,
"to receive a message"
He shook his big head, thatched with
greasy light hair, and looked stupid.
1--WE been given no message by no
one, for nobody, sir"
mot for Mr.. Derek Napier?" l
prompted.
He family frightened. "Ah, is that
your name? Well, there's letter
come ERE for you; arrived only this
afternoon late, sir 1t says on it: TO
be kept till called for That's all l
know. I'll go bring it you, if you're
Mr.. Napier"
"Stop," I commanded, as he turned
upon his heel, where he stood on the
threshold above the three steps. do
you mean to say that you know moth
ing of the sender-nothing of the mat
ter at all, except that letter has come
to your house, for person of a strange
name?"
Gust that, sir. Nothin'. No more'n
a babe unborn"
""Then what of that photograph" l
asked brusquely, pointing over the
mantel
The mans eles followed my finger,
and in the effort to keep the features
under control, his face grew hideous.
In an instant I had seen my mistake;
but l had seen it too late. What ex-
cuse had I for knowing the likeness,
while pretending to come to this place
in all good faith with my employer?
How could I have seen the prototype OF
that dainty loneliness unless / had dis
obeyed orders and looked into the
Saratoga trunk in Glasgow? A con-
yiction crept over me that in some way,
through Mr.. Smiths supernatural cum
ming, the picture might well have been
put in it's present position aes trap.
If this were true, however, the land
lord of the Spinning jimmy was too