The Somerset reporter., 1900-04-26
To the newspaper mans unspeakable

annoyance the man followed him along
the streets to his home. and after he
was In bis room he peered out of the
window and saw him standing on the
sidewalk looking up. Actually 1t
seemed to him that be must shrek
aloud for protection from this silent
man. Bpt he controlled himself and
went to bed and slept-after a time.
The next night he confessed to some
apprehension as he approached the
bridge. anil he looked out anxiously for
his dread companion of the night be-
fore. He was not to be seen any
where. But at about the center of the
bridge there he was looking at West
erly with that one haunting eye Again
he grinned. Again he followed Wester-
erly to his house and again he stood
without and stared up at the window.
This went on for nearly three
months. Ifby any chance the young
editor went home later or earlier than
3. he had the privilege of going his way
alone. but If the hour was the man
was there. watchful and sardonic and
silent as the tomb. AT times Westerly
thought of addressing him. but when
ever he strove to do so bis tongue Glove
to the roof of his mouth He evaded
him at times by changing the hour of
his homegoing or by riding on the
street car but somehow he was insist
emily drawn back TO the bridge and
the Three O'Clock Man. as he demon
| mated him. He sometimes wondered
! If he would see the man upon the
bridge If he were 10 pass in car. but
as no car went AT that hour he was
not TO know.
1t CHANGED that better times came to
Westerly and that they came quite
suddenly. He was given a more salts
factory position. which would involve
a pleasing change of hours, and he also
discovered that Elsa Sessions the girl
who did the book reviews and who hid
eyes several degrees bluer than the
Italian heavens. was not averse TO his
society. But there is no need to go
into that. The point is, he found out
these two gratifying matters in one
day and. walking homo in a state of
considerable eXultation. noticed the
tiNV " NAioNh Man VIII iCoo IIIiId7
,lence than usual.
Our acquaintance Is ended my I'M
canny friend" he thought. "Tomor-
row you may keep tryst, but / will not.
| will walk abroad at Christian hours
and leave you TO your unholy habits"
Thinking these things. he passed the
creature and it seemed to him that the
cp1iiI. ON lic fnod4xyaS tban
usually offensive
So sure was he that the unwelcome
acquaintance with this man was over
that he did not even look from his win
dow that night to see ii he were watch
ing, but. putting out his light. threw
himself in his bed with more of happ-
ness in his mood than he had known
for years He fell into light slumber,
from which he was aroused by the i'm
preston that some one was looking at
him. He opened his eyes and stared
into the gloom. a gloom not IA little
mitigated by a street lamp across the
street. which. owing to the lifted shade,
Shone clearly into the room.
The feeling that some one WAS look
fore Westerly's sleep weighted eyes be-
held the tall and careless figure of the
Three O'Clock Man standing by his
bed. If the man had been repugnant
to him before. he seemed hideous now.
He seemed to convey some horrible
threat by his presence. What WAS it,
Madness?
aaAtD 4 "a IN
felt the moment had come for liberia
ton. He determined to make SUI
preme effort TO free himself Failing.
he was convinced that he would be for
evermore an the presence of this fear
full quest So. with an effort that took
the blood from his heart and brought
the drops out upon his skin. Westerly
raised himself. staring undnchingly at
the Three O'Clock Man. rose from his
bed and slowly advanced. The advance
is slow in the face of IA cruel enemy,
but it is sometimes certain. 1t was
certain with Westerly. Inch by inch
they went on. facing each other. the
man backing. Westerly advancing. ev
cry muscle set. every nerve strained.
III an anu Nphi anu iiiihi LAW vi ' ~
tory Across the room they went hat
ing each other more every passing sec
ond and showing their hate on their
distorted faces wrestling as men may
not wrestle with their muscles till the
creature went out of the side of the
room faded from WeSterlys sight. lie
was gone. BY some great, comfortable
knowledge. Westerly lnew him gone
forever Hardly conscious. he sank
upon his bed. painting like one who has
been in frantic race or fight.
81 must tell Elsa Sessions" he re-
membered thinking as he sank off into
blurred condition. half fainting. half
sleeping. But. after all he reflected
the next morning. she will never be-
lieye me. Perhaps | would better keep
the strange matter of the Three O'Clock
Nan quite to himself"
Which he did. So 1t must have been
ne Three O'Clock Man who told.--Chl-
cago Tribune.
A shock For Carlyle.
Thackeray once told Sir John Millals
this amusing story of Carlyle:
He had spent day in the reading
room of the British museum and had