The Princeton union., 1900-07-05


der, and his shrewd sharp eyes
twinkled.
Did ask you that?" he queried.
do you not remember?"
Cant say that do," he replied.
1T seems strange you should leave
the city to engage in the practice of
law in small town like Twineburgh,"
I said, 1nusingly.
''Why stranger" was his curt ques-
ton.
"Oh, well, you are quite advanced in
years, and, with your long experience,
ought to have commanded larger and
more lucrative practice in large place
like Philadelphia than in small coun-
try town."
He did not reply for few moments,
but stood with a whimsical look on his
face with his eyes turned toward the
floor.
''I became tired of city life" he finally
said. II have no family depending upon
me, and so am at liberty to follow out
any whim which happens to take pos
session of me. There is enough business
here to enable single man to live well,
besides allowing him more leisure. I
was looking for such business, and
and found it in Twineburgh."
"Well, you certainly are an odd fel-
low, if you will excuse me for saying
so," 1 remarked, with laugh.
eyes, I am rather odd.'
When we reentered my bedroom,
sonntag's quick eye caught sight of the
tools under my bed.
'Going to cut through the floor?" he
asked.
THAT is what I intended to do. I'm
going to know what is down there" I
replied, decidedly,
| Then I told him about the noises I
had heard which had seemed to come
from beneath, the slamming of the
door, and the pistol shot. I also told
of the voices I had heard both in the
| attic and in my room, and all had OBJ
served regarding them.
The old lawyer listened intently, and
when had finished walked to the win
dow.
'Do you suppose that the sound of the
voices could in some way have come
from the telephone wire?" T finally
asked.
''Not being an electrical expert, can
not say" Sonntag answered, turning
from the window.
ut seems impossible the voices could
be heard without the aid of receiver"
remarked.
"Perhaps there is receiver both in
| your room and upstairs-not like the
ones we are accustomed to, of course,
but one formed by nature. Certainly
there are possibilities in electric force
which we have not yet discovered. You
say the sounds occurred only when a
wind was blowing which caused the
wire to swing against the lightning
rod?"
'That was surmise, for have had no
opportunity to watch when the wind
blew. But it seemed the most natural
explanation Of the rappings."
'And you had no way of ascertaining
whether the sounds in your room here
and in the attic were produced by the
same voice and at the same time, or
whether there were two voices inde-
pendent of each other?''
'Why, you know it was impossible for
me to be in the attic and in my room
too," I answered..
"Perhaps we may be given an oppor-
tunity to find out something about the
voices" Sonntag said, with gesture to-
ward the window.
| "HOw do YOU mean 9" I asked.
There is thunderstorm coming up.
Il will undoubtedly be preceded by a
wind," the old lawyer said.
eyes, yes! How fortunate it is that
you are here!' exclaimed, excitedly,
for I comprehended his meaning.
''Now you remain here, and will 20 up
to the attic," I went on. Each of US
must note the exact time the sound is
heard. We had better compare watches,
so that there shall be no difference in
each ones estimate Of the time"
Ipulled out my watch and approached
Sonntag. His hand went up to his vest
pocket and he was about to follow my
example, when upon our hearing came
that small, soft, high-pitched voice.
We stood gazing into each others
eyes for a moment, then I made rush
for the door.
The lawyer detained me, and in great
impatience I waited.
'Take paper and pencil with you," he
said. "Jot down the words and indicate
the raps in the exact order that they
come. T will do the same with the
words and pauses. Now 60"
I went up the two stairways on the
jump. The wind was coming up strong,
and the heavy thunder rolled in the dis.
tance. Near the small window, where
I had heard the voice, I took my stand
The raps from above were louder now
and besides, in the daytime, lost great
deal of the uncanniness which the
gloom and solitude of night had given
| them.
The voice was sounding, though not
as distinctly as before, which was prob.
ably on account of the loud moaning
and whistling of the high wind.
My paper and pencil were ready, and
I listened with strained attention tc
cafeh the words