The Washington weekly post., 1900-09-25
By NJ. QUAD.

/ had been knocked down by a cab on
the streets of Paris and taken to a hos
pital. ! was hurt about the head and
shoulders, and, though l had no broken
bones to mend, l was so badly bruised
that the surgeon told me I wouldn't get
out for a month. Hard up though I was
In financial sense, had enough money
In my pocket TO get me into a pay ward,
and they gave me one of the fourteen
cots on tie third floor, front. IL was sum-
mer, and / was close TO the seventh WIN
dow. counting from the left
The routine of a hospital for an injured
man is a monotonous one. After the first
three or four days they put me on fun
diet and gave me books 10 read, but
could not leave my bed, and IL was against
the rules TO converse with the other pa
tients. 1t was read, sleep, think, and
plan, with one visit a day from the sur
geon. I could not see 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 l could see the
upper halves of four windows. The hou-e
looked TO have been built 100 years ago
and was In a sad state of neglect and un-
tenanted. / don't know why should have
been interested in that house except trat
sick man will turn TO the veriest triie
to make diversion. I saw by the stale
OF the windows that the house was ten
antIess, and yet / had the curiosity 10
question the nurse about IL.
THAT house has been empty for many
years" she replied, "and as IL is in law
il will probably fall down before the heirs
come into possession. You cannot see that
far down, but the lower doors and win
dows are boarded up TO keep tramps out.
I have often wondered IL the place has
not a ghost.
/ fell into the habit OF watching those
four windows as closely as II had been
employed as a watchman. II seemed that
if / waited long enough l should see q
face at one of them. Whea evening came,
there was an electric light somewhere
which struck the from OF the old house,
and / would watch those windows until
the nurse enjOined me % turn away and
go TO sleep. II got 80 al last that / felt
certain of making a discovery. and ono
evening, when had been in the hospital
nine or ten days. the face had looked
for appeared al one Of the middle win
dows. II was that of a man.
The window was 10 feet from ne. but
by the assistance of the electric Iight I
made out the face very clearly. II came
into view gradually. as II the man sloNly
advanced across the room, and II Temsln-
ei an the paneIsss sash for a full minuts.
IL was the face Of an evil man. 1t was
dark and bearded. and the eyes Travelled
IN and down and across the street es 4
looking ftr danger. Whoever the man
was, he As no tramp. nor had he law
fui right in that house As he left the
window | called 20 the nurse and told her
Of his presence. but she laughed and re-
piled:
.Ah. bur we are not to concern our
selves about what goes on over there.
II IL Is some pF)wler who has broken
in, the police must take care or him"
now had something 10 occupy nay f1ll
attention. and / gave up everything 10
watch lhe windows opposite. Nothing aL-
peared next day. but at about half past
o'clock In the evening I saw the same
faee again. There was more belGness IN
the way the man approached the window.
and he seemed 20 feel himzeif more Sc
cu.e as he surveyed the street. II he Rcre
not a fagitsve IN hiding. 1hy should he
De taking peeps al the neighborhoo1? A
yagabond. having entered 10 obtain shell
ter for the night. would keep clear Of t'.e
windows. On this second night the man
seemed 70 be looking intentiy az the side
walk running Ia front or the hospital. and
by and by he started and turned away as
II he had received some signal. When the