The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-11-02

pieaseu 10 accord to my employers the
highest praise for the taste they had
displayed in making their selection. In
deed, he carried his eulogy to the prac-
teal extent of purchasing, with one
or two unimportant exceptions, every
gem with which had been intrusted,
and, what was more. of writing check
in payment of the same.
And now, Mr.. Cathcart," he said, as
he handed me the valuable slip of pa
per. II must return to my friends.
Godfrey, you will see that this gentle
man wants for nothing. Good night"
And he quilted the room, carrying
his purchase with him.
Geoffrey Lansdell, now that he had
recovered from his indisposition,
proved himself an ideal host, and when
l state that his powers of entertain
ment were as exceptional as Sir Johu's
wine and cigars, rate them highly.
1t was long past midnight ere we
thought of retiring, and then Mr.. Lans.
dell insisted upon himself seeing me
to my chamber, which was situated
at the end of long corridor
We parted at my bedroom door with
every expression of good will, Sir John IS
! brother promising that he would give
atMpc GENTLY early hour on the NOR
re tch the first up-train-
p..,,, essed leisurely ,.noting as did
N. unusual shape of the room. 1t
parently perfect oval, and was
Ii I'd from above by circular sky
L t. 1t had no windows, nor, indeed,
i iy outlet save the door by which l
had entered.
After remarking for brief space on
the singular conformation, which put
down 10 the eccentric plan on which
ancient mansions are sometimes built,
l dismissed the matter from my
thoughts, and was soon in bed. Yet,
though tired, sleep came not at first,
and when at last it fell on me in fit
full and scant measure, it brought with
it troop of eerie fantasies and phan-
toms.
l must have been tossing uneasily in
my bed for some three hours, when,
suddenly, a strange tremor, acconps;
MED by low, soft whi-r, See
wade the room. As t
preston that l r o.Sr for the
matches and struck light.
Ny eyes fell upon the door. To my
utter amazement 1t was mov.ng-mov-
ing slowly from right to left across the
foot of my bed. glanced at the pic
tulcs; t..ey too were in motion. The
entire wall was revolving.
At that instant the light faded and
went out. Quickly l lit another match.
Bah! must have been dreaming, or
the victim of hallucination. The door,
the pictures were still. Yet, surely they
had changed their position, for the
door. which, when l retired to bed,
/ had thought to be on my right hand,
was now certainly on my left. Still,
was it not more feasible that my mem
ory had played me false than that such
could be? My brain was over-weary-
that was all. So lay down, and, clos
ing my eyes, wooed sleep, which at
last came, but still troubled, and full OF
evil fancies.
When l awoke IT was broad day.
Nearly seven o'clock, my watch said
barely time to dress hurriedly and
catch the train to town. Vexed that
Mr.. Lansdell had been so neglectful OF
his promise to have me called betimes,
l sprang out of bed and donned my
clothes in haste.
Snatching up my beg, was on the
point of leaving the room, when re-
membered that l had LEFT my watch
beneath the pillow; so placing my bag
without the door without myself cross
ing the threshold), hurried back to
the bed.
When I turned my bag was gone.
Ny eyes had been off it for barely a
second, and yet it had vanished-total-
ly, inexplicably vanished. The corri-
dor, some 30 yards long, led, as l had
noticed the preceding night, to my
chamber only, the oak paneling that
covered its entire length being broken
BY neither window nor door. Clearly,
then, no one could have taken my prop
erty down the passage without detec-
ton. Whither-how had it gone?
Then through my brain flashed the
strange experience of the preceding
night, and gave me pause. Sitting on
my bed, passed in review the events
of the last few hours, and as | pom
dered over the strangeness of my
coming to the Towers, and of my stay
there--the nonarrival of any trap to
meet me at the station, the singular
indisposition of Godfrey Lansdell by
the wayside, the secrecy of my intro
duction to the house, and my isolation
from all save it's master and his broth
er-an apprehension that was akin to
dismay rose within me. I clearly rec
ognized that there was no jot of evil
dence to even suggest my arrival, and
that my disappearance would arouse
not the faintest suspicion against Sir
John.
Crossing to the door, / grasped The
jambs and cautiously advanced my left
foot. Beneath the slight pressure the