The evening times., 1900-06-30

sound OF his breathing. but I could hear
only my Own respiration and the beating o.
ny own heart
Five minutes more or less passed. and
still ali was silent in the darkness around
me. / stepped a pace or two and STOPPING
moved my hand back and forth near the
aocr. l imagined the robber before me,
then behind and then crOuching near the
wall with uplifted pOnia-d. and / knew not
what moment he would attack me and
sheath his weapon in my breast or back
That he stood With one hand extended and
the other raised 10 strike The mOmLEt be
shoClS touch ne I did not doubt 1 kept
my pistol pointed 20 the front, AID ny
finger upon the triSse-. and l resolved
Il die I must ! would xiii my enemy while
be murdered ne. Each step I took was
with caution and each vas slew / Eoved
ny arm here and there quickly Then
stood stiH I knew UoJ how many seconds
Then I advanced another step and moved
ny hand again. What the shape and color
and what the size Of the fend that had
attacked ne I could not tell But 1 knew
IL was z man for ! had wTesIIe1 with
him and he had tried my strength ! some
times thought I could see his grinning
face and his blinking. wicked eyes: but it
was only vision and would vanish. Once
it seemed felt his presence. and turned
ness around ne
A Strange Situation
At length I groped my way to the wan
! followed it, moving slowly. for I knew
not il I went to the left nor TO the right
from the bed came upon the table
struck a match looked quickly about the
room The robber had vanished. I lighted
the lamp. and then I examined the apart
ment. The door was barred as I had left
it. The chair that propped and held ii
fast was undisturbed- The room held no
person save myself The light fell upon
the shining Poniard; it glittered like a
piece Of glass in sunshine; I stopped and
picked it up Il was a curious Spanish
weapon and the handle seemed the ccun-
terpart Of that I saw concealed beneath
the coat of the mesonero. Yet I could
scarcely believe il was the same.
Carefully searched for some secret pas
sage or trap door Following round the
walls I pressed my hands against them,
and now and then l thumped upon them
with the butt OF my pistol Everywhere
a solid sound was given back I examined
the cracks and rents in the dingy tattered
paper And once l thought I found the
outline of a secret door. but must have
been mistaken-stiI the wall was solid
I looked al my watch Il was half past
l. I dressed, lighted a cigar, and sat
down TO wait for daybreak. Very soon
grew impatient The air. too. within the
room was stale and sitting I Unb2rrcd
the door and looked without. The moon
shone brightly in the courtyard, and IL
lumed the opposite side Of the meson- No
one stirred and the stiffness was only
broken by the distant Growing OF the cock.
It occurred 20 me that perhe9s IL would
be well TO arouse my Companiol. I knock
ed at his door and instantly heard a rus
ting and patJer CT feet on the stone
floor. Mr. Coles threw open the door Ths
light was burning dimly. and I could read
the consequences of a sleepless. unquiet
night in his face He held a book in one
hand and a revc-ver il the other
Not ghost or fend, Mr.. Webb he said,
and kind Of grin-a half sardonic smile
played upon his face
Why have you seen 4 ghOSt2'' I aSked.
Not exactly but there's been HI 10
play in this bloOuy bastfle Of hotel" ne
answered.
when I got into bed" he continued. I
drew the light near me and began tc read
'Davy Smithers.' The tale grew interest
ing from the very first Several hours
elapsed. and I was suddenly startled by a
slight creaking noise l looked up The
wall was moving. At least a part Of il
was. I uttered some involuntary exclaua-
tion. It ceased, and then I Law watching
for a long time Again and again the paper
appeared 10 move. and directly. il seemed.
the room grew to half its common size
looked at my light and saw that the oil
was half gone. so l turned the fame low
and resolved 10 keep a vigil. And here
have lain, pistol in hand al the night
long
your imagination, perhaps" I sGg-
gested-
.'NoS st all I would swear the walls