The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-17

tabie there were q large DOCK ana an
nkstand, the shape of both softened
down by dust
by George I said: there's an easy
chair, with what looks like skin upon
Look, dear. look cried my wife, in
hoarse whisper full of horror
" hat is tia rat?"
No noon that sofa. oh, for heavens
She made for the door. candle in hand.
but | stood as If nailed To the spot for
some seconds before walking slowly for
ward as If drawn By some force along the
overwhelming track of light emanl.iug
from the dark lanthorn. the widest per-
ton of the rays throwing up a something
extended upon the couch. whose outlines
could only be those of a sleeping figure
or corpse.
".
wild. agonizing cry brought me to
myself. and uttering a gasp I sprang
back. Just in time TO catch my wife in
my arms and save her from falling.
Il cannot bear It'll cannot bear it,
she moaned. Take me away"
BE woman. l said. in an awe-strick
en- tone, and passing nay arm round her
waist. Now try and walk. said, "and
wen get out of this dreadful place"
she tottered along by my side as We
passed out into the hall to the foot of
the stairs, and just then a low. harsh.
piteous groan came from the room we
had Quilted, sending an icy chill down my
back, and making me almost drag my
poor wife to the head of the cellar-stairs
in my cowardiy fear. as in imagination
sew the dreadful figure rising from the
sofa where it lay, and holding out its
hands.
But the strange cry ended with a soft
tap as Of metal against metal, and a
feeling of shame brought me to my
senses, realizing as l did that the old
door had swung to again on it's creakinS
hinges, and the catch of the lock had
gently touched the brass socket of the
Jamb.
Come, come my dear" 1 said. conf
IDENTITY; there's nothing to fear-Miud the
steps.-iIoId Tight hats the way.
but she stepped forward and made her
way through the opening quickly enough.
and L followed with the light and had
to lead her again through the cellar and
as | had helped her into the easy-chair
| flew to the ceIlarette and brought out
the port wine and a glass.
! confess that we filled and emptied that
glass twice before my wife exclaimed
"Oh. my dear. my dear, Why did we
take this dreadful house2''
The next morning with the frightful
headache from which she suffered my
wife all for leaving the place at
once, and that night and the six follow
ing We slept at Brighton, where the tonic
sea air, added 10 my wife's common
sense, recovered her so that she was
quite willing to see the folly of her
dread and we agreed to return home to
run the mystery to an end.
BY o'clock in the evening we reached
home, which looked delightfully."- coy. and
we made show of smiling at one anoth-
er over the pleasant table with its simple,
weI-cooked dinner.
The servants were in bed by II, and
we were dressed, ready to explore again,
my wife being firm as rock; and | com
| plirdeEted her on the way in which she
was behaving.
For after we had descended to our own
cellar with the dark lanthorn. and locked
ourselves in, she followed me bravely
through the hole and up into the mys-
FERROUS house.
We both of us shuddered slightly as We
entered the drawing room, the light-of the
bull s-eye showing Realistically upon the
wall: but | opened the lanthorn directly
and lit the candle We had left amidst the
dust upon the table.
! closed the bull s-eye again with a GU
rious half-faScinated idea that IL would
be safer to secure it from being blown out
That was as far as got. for my thought
seemed to stop there. Then l took up the
! caudlestick.
pered my wife.
BE brave, and you'll see.
She followed me close up, and the next
minute we were looking down at q sAei-
eton rhicL,ly covered with dust and some
traces of the garments that had Desh
worn So deeply was It covered that lllg
rather CHASTITY cOnfiguration OF the Skull
was softened and robbed or much OF It's
so-calIed horror. while, plainly seen De
meath the soft, grey, impalpaDie po"uet;
there were signs of an abundant pedIo
ard long flowing hair on either side oil q
There was no sign OF violence. for the
figure Law upon it's back, stretcned 10 itS
full length, and the bones OF the ntlds
VOC
er Fvervthing in shOrt-not TO dwell
upon a grueSOme subject-suggested tiidI
the man. whoever he was. had laih doNii
to sleep perfectly calmly, ana IN tilat
sleep had died.
/ said so in A whisper, Dut my "lie ~
INJURED to my theory
II am right, / think, l replied. II ne
had been laid out those VINO ATTENDED
! would have placed his arms by ms slde,
if he had been murdered he could not
/ have had his hands clasped like that lie
must, as | said. have died IN MS SIP,
and for all one could say 10 the contrary
il NAV have been a hundred years ago
Yes" said my wife, softly, ana there
was a trembIe in her voice as she ciasped
her own hands and gazed down al the
remains Il am not afraid now, dear
only pitiful. How sad 10 nave dieu me
ths-alone."
Perhaps I said. Let's see if we can
read his story.
Read his story
Yes, by his surroundings, ana tread
/ ing softly, as il generally falls 70 human
nature 20 do in the presence OF the sacred
dead / began to look about the room. My
first steps were to the table where the
chair the dead might have USED stun
stood. There We're duSt-coNereu SidSSeS,
alembicS and retortS. and what seemed
to be a roughly-made object ~hlch /
somehow associated with electricity. out
what took my attention most was large
metal inkstand with gum pens STUCK IN
il and beside it the big ledger-hke tome
Here we are | said, as l set down
| the candlesticll at the end Of the table,
! close TO the window, and carefuily swept
/ the thick dust from the cover of the book,
/ which ! opened. and saw that 1t was run
| of manuscript entries on one page. the
opposite thick yellowtsh paper DelnS
blank for the book had fallen open Where
a quill pen had been laid in after its
owner had been writing and had closed
il hastily for some reason which l could
not for the moment divine.
Look here" | whispered, and | read
the clearly written characters, beginning
at the last paragraph, whose hnal words
were written in "a hand which grew trem-
uious to the end, and words seemed 10
have dropped out or the writer HllIlu-
And to this lest any trouble should
after my l herewith sign
my II
That name had not been signed. There
were a few scratches and a blurring
mark. bIotch as if the pen had fallen
on the leaf and then the book must have
been hastily closed
the whole mystery" and 1 closed the book
again and was in the act of placing 1t I'M
der my arm, when my wife uttered a cry
of horror and a thrill ran through my
( frame.
For suddenly there was peculiar soft.
ruStling sound from the window, ana
something came down like black cloud
over the end of the table right upon me
candle. Just brushing my head and shout
der as i iuvoluntarily followed my wife