The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-12-14
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THE WINDOWS OPPOSITE
BY CHARLES 3. LEWIS

| &Haa.aa..33&&M % %, 9s&
1 had been knocked down by cab
on the streets of Paris and taken to a
hospital was hurt about the head
and shoulders, and. though | hai no
broken bones to mend. l was SO badly
bruised that the surgeon told me l
wouldn't get out for month. Hard
up though was in u financial sense,
had enough money in my pocket to get
me into pay ward. and they gave me
one of the Il cots on The thirt! Goor
front. 1t was summer, and was close
to the seventh window, counting from
the left
The routine of hospital for an in
iured man Is n monotonous one. After
the first three or four days they PVT
me on full diet and gave me books to
read, but could not leave my bed, and
it was against the rules to converse
with the other patients. 1t was read.
sleep, think and plan. with one visit a
day from the surgeon. ] could not
the street from my window as ! sat
propped up on my cot The only sight
to greet my vision was a quaint old
house opposite. The structure was
two stories high. and | couil Sc" the
upper halves of four windows. The
house looked to have been built 100
years ago and was in sad state If
neglect and uptenanted. l don't know
why l should have been Interested in
that house except that sick man will
turn to the veriest trifle TO nuke IL di-
version. l saw by the state of FL" win
dows that the house was tenantless.
and vet had the curiosity to question
the nurse about It.
THAT house has been empty for
many years." she replied. land rs it is
in law IT will probably fall down be-
fore the heirs come into possession.
You cannot see that far down, but thc
lower doors and windows are boarded
up to keep tramps out. | have often
wondered if the place has not ghost"
fell into the habit of watching thos"
four windows as closely as if had
been employed as q Waterman. l.
seemed that If l waited long enough
should see face at one Of them. When
evening came. there was an electric
light somewhere which struck the front
Of the old house. and | would watch
those windows until the nurse nnioined
me to turn away and go to sleep. II
got so at last that felt certain of max
ing q discovery, and one evening, when
I had been In the hospital nine or ter
days, the face had looked for appear
ed at one of the middle windows. 1t
w3s that Of a man.
The window was $50 feet from me-
but by the assistance of the electric
light / made out the face very clearly.
1t came into view gradually. as If the
man slowly advanced across the room.
and it. remained at the paneless sash
for n full minute. 1t was the face Of
an evil man. 1t was dark and bearded,
and the eyes Travelled up and down and
across the street as If looking for dan
ger. Whoever the. man was he was 10
tramp, nor had he a lawful right in
that house. AS he left the window l
called TO the nurse ard told her Of his
presence, but she laughed and replied:
"Ah. but we are not to concern our
selves about what goes on oyer there
IF II is some prnwler who has broken
IN. the police must take care of him"
] now he'd something to occupy my
full attention, and | gave up every
thing 70 watch the windows opposite
Nothing appeared next day. brit at
about half past 8 O'Clock in the even.
ing saw the same face again There
was more boldness in the way the man
approached the window, anil he Sc"ui-
ed to feel himself more secure as be
surveyed the street. If he were not a
fugitive In hiding. why should he lie
taking neeps at the neighborhood'
vaeahOnd. having entered to obtain
shelter for the right. would keep clear
of the windows. On this second night
the man seemed to be looking in:ently
Mt the sidewalk running IN front Of the
hospital. and by and by he started and
turned away as If he had received
some signal When the nurse came
told her of the incident. She was as
much amused as before.
You certainly have mind for mys-
ferries" she laughed hut if YOU he
come too interested you will develop q
fever and have a pullback. When you
are able to leave us. you can tell the
police about the man. who will proba-
bly, turn ont to be a shadow"
| gave the windows but little atten-
ton in the daytime after that. Tho
face appeared on the third evening ut
the same hour, aud ! fell so SIRE that
n confederate made signals from tn"
sidewall; that | took a conval'sceTt in
to my confidence. He was M old sol.
der who was being treated for IN old
wound and was allowed the run Of the
place. | told him of the face and the
confederate, and he was Interested ut
once It was arranged that nc should
he in front of the hospital at half past
8 and watch for the confederate. and
luck attended him. He saw a we'll
dressed but evil looking mar make
signals to the man at the window. The
signals were made with folded news.
paper and would not have been noticed |
by any one not on the watch for then.
"Now. then" said the old soldier rs
ne returned and reported, Eve have a
mystery on hand. Luck has thrown it
in our way that we may make a few
goldpieces. Let us work it out togeth. |
err and share the reward"
None of us in the ward had seen |
newspaper for week. They were not |
interdicted, but none of the patients |
seemed to care for outside news. Next |
morning the soldier went out and pur
chased the journals for the previous |
five or six days, and as we looked them |
over we struck q sensation. A boy 10 |
years old, the son of rich iron found |
I'll
away, and it was stated that the whole |
police force of Paris was on the qui |
vive. The kidnapping had taken place |
three days before l saw the face at |
the window, and l was arguing that
our mystery could have nothing to do |
with it when the soldier said:
"It Is at least II miles from here |
where the lad was picked up. He was |
probably hidden somewhere else for
dav or two, but the scent got so hot |
that he was moved. DOM you fear |
that he is not in the old house opposite |
at this very moment"
"Then we should inform the police"
"Pooh! We must wait for reward |
to be announced. Never slap luck in |
the face"
On the fourth night and fifth night |
the face appeared at the window at |
the usual hour, and the same man |
made the usual signals. AS the police |
were yet at fault, those signals must |
have meant that things were all right |
for tho kidOaDprS If wnS now pipht |