The Lamar register., 1901-10-02
at is rather dark here" he finally

Snlu. BlunclnR hrounu.
"Perhaps the door can be opened"
suggested.
~ have the key with me, but maybe
it would he best not to use it. Give me
| few matches"
/ handed him all had with me, and
he. by the light afforded. examined
| closely the places where he had
scrn tchcd off the whitewash.
While watching him. the thought
again occurred to me that had seen or
met him previous to my arrival ut Mel
sonville.
"Do You know it seems as though I
had seen you beforc?" said.
"Yes, so you remarked during your
visit to my office yesterday" Sonntag
replied, as lie stepped back to where
was standing.
"There is no doubt of that being a
solid WALL" he went on; $50 if the
room behind it is being used for some
purpose, entrance is not gained from
here. See what pains have been taken
to hide the work. The whole wall has
been newly whitewashed. If that had
not been done. the new mason-work
would he glaringly perceptible. Let US
go into the house cellar and have q
look nt the dividing wall there"
II needed but n glance to see that this
wall had not been tampered with. The
whitew ash was old. and there was no
spot where it had been renewed
81 have already examined the out
side place." the old lawyer remarked.
as we nseended the stairway.
"That was not whitewnshed, and, II
remember rightly. the stones used
looked old and worn Ike the rest of the
foundation" said.
"Yes: the stones used in both, the
1oorwnys were old ones. But they are
of different kind of stone," he re-
marked. with shrewd smile.
"Differcnt kind? What Significance
would that have?"
IAN the stone qnarried about here is
limestone. You will find the founda-
tions and walls uri'ar your house are
built with this kind II any other kind
was used it would have to be brought
| from n distance. Sandstone was used
for the two doorwnys."
"And wns therefore brought from a
distance?" I asked.
| "Perhaps not in this case"
"But you said there is nothing but
limestone guarried about here" suG-
gested.
."And that is true. The stones used
in the doorways had been used before.
for they are old and weatherbeaten.
Do you remember small stone build
ing up at the mountain, which years
ago was used as IL schoolhouse?' my
lawyer asked.
"Oh. yes! It WINS known as the
Mountain school," l replied.
"Well, ii is fast going to ruin," Sonn-
tag continued; "has not been used for
years, am told. The point is here:
That old schoolhouse was built of
sandstone. Where the builders got the
stone ], of course, cannot say, but evil
IDENTIFY not around here. 1t is my be-
lief the stones in the two doorways
were taken from the old tumble-down
schoolhouse."
"And supposing your surmise is q
correct one, does it furnish you with a
clew to the person or persons who did
the job?' ] nsked. $50
Perhaps" he replied, shortly.
AS he raised his head to answer, rec
objection flashed upon me. "Ah!"
exclaimed. ~ have been cudgeling my
brain in the endeavor to remember
where had seen you before"
He quickly turned toward me with a
half-smile on his face, but offered no
reply.
~ have seen you in Philadelphia" i
continued.
POSSIBLY. used to live there before
coming to Twineburgh," he remarked,
indifferently.
"You have been in Twineburgh but
six months" went on.
"Yes."
"And saw you for the first time
about year ago. 1 almost knocked
you over us was coming out of the
presidents office in the Safety security
bank. You were just going in, and !
ran into you"
"Ah, possibly. have had business
dealings with that concern" the old
lawyer replied.
"And you knew Mr.. Perry, the presi-
dent?"
Eyes, slightly"
''Then why did you ask me at thl
time If was the PRESIDENT" asked.
Sonntag gave twitch of the shoul
| der, and his shrewd sharp eye
| twinkled.
"Did ask you that ?" he queried.
"Do you not remember?"
"Can't say that do" he replied.
"It seems strange you should leavt
the city to engage in the practice OF
law in u small town like Twineburgh,
1 said, musingly.
"Why stranger" was his curt ques
ton.
"Oh, well, you are quite advanced in
years, and, with your long experience
| o,rbt b,ya ooy,, ", n Il 1ad 1o rpor q r