Middletown transcript., 1901-01-12

huIlg ualI oozen nats ana great coats,
every one of clerical shape; and full in
front of me broad staircase ran up,
with a staring Brussels carpet, the colors
and pattern of which 1 can recall as well
as to-day's breakfast. Under this stair
case was set stand full of walking-sticks,
and table Uttered with gloves, brushes,
hand-bell, riding-crop, one or two
dog-whistles, and bedroom candle,
with tinder box beside it. This, with
one notable exception, was all the furni-
ture.
The exception-which turned me cold
was the form of a yellow mastiff dog,
curled on a mat beneath the table. The
arch of his back was towards me, and
one forepaw lay over his nose in nat
ural posture of sleep. I leant back on
the wainscoting, with my eyes tightly
fixed on him, and my thoughts flying
back, with something of regret, to the
storm had come through.
But a mans habits are not easily de-
MED. At the end of three minutes the
dog had not moved, and was down on
the doormat unlacing my soaked boots.
Slipping them off, and taking them in
my left hand, stood up, and tried a
step towards the stairs, with eyes alert
for any movement of the mastiff; but he
never stirred. I was glad enough, how
ever, on reaching the stairs, to find them
newly built and the carpet thick. Up l
went with glance at every step for the
table which now hid the brute's form
from me, and never creak did / wake
out of that staircase till was almost at
the first landing, when my toe caught q
loose stair-rod, and ratified it in a way
that stopped my heart for moment, end
then set it going in double-quick time.
I stood still, with hand on the rail-
My eyes were now on level with the
floor of the landing, out of which
branched two passages-one by my right
hand, the other to the left, at the foot of
the next fight, SO placed that was gaz
ing down the length of it. And almost
at the end there fell parallelogram of
light across it from an open door.
A man who has once felt it knows there
is only one kind of silence that can fitly be
called "dead." This is only to be found
in great house at midnight. 1 declare
that for few seconds after I ratified the
stair-rod you might have cut the silence
with knife. If the house held clock
it ticked inaudibly.
1 Upon this silence, at the end of min
ute, broke light sound-the clink, clink
Of decanter on the rim Of wine-glass.
1t came from the room where the light
was.
Now, perhaps it was that the very
thought of liquor put warmth into my
cold bones. 1t is certain that all of a
sudden l Strengthened my back, took the
remaining stairs at two strides, and
walked down the passage, as bold as
brass, without caring iot for the noise
| | made.
In the doorway I halted. The room
was long, lined for the most part with
books bound in what they call divinity
calf" and Uttered with papers like bar
rister's table on assize day. Before the
fireplace, where few Goals burned sulk-
lily, was drawn leathern elbow chair,
and beside it, on the corner of writ
ing-table, were set an unlit candle and a
pile of manuscripts. At the opposite
end of the room curtained door led II
guessed) to the chamber that had first
seen Illuminated. All this took in with
the tail of my eye, while staring straight
in front, where, in the middle of great
square Of carpet between me and the
windows, was table with red cloth
upon it. On this cloth were couple of
wax candles, lit, in silver stands, tray,
and decanter three parts full of brandy.
| And between me and the table stood a
man.
He stood sideways, leaning a little
back, as if to keep his shadow off the thres-
hold, and looked at me over his let's
should-a bald, grave man, slightly un-
der the common height, with long
clerical coat of preposterous fit hanging
loosely from his shoulders, white
cravat, black breeches, and black stock
ings. His feet were loosely thrust into
carpet-slippers. judged his age at fifty,
or thereabout; but his face rested in the
shadow, and could only note pair of
eyes, very small and alert, twinkling
above large expanse of cheek.
He was lifting a wine-glass from the
table at the moment when appeared,
and it trembled now in bis right hand. I
heard split drop or two fall on the car
pet, and this was all the evidence he
showed Of discomposure
Setting the glass back, he felt in his
breast-pocket for handkerchief, failed
to find one, and rubbed his hands to-
gether to get the liquor off his fingers.
"You startled me-" he said, in a mat
ter-of-fact tone, turning his eyes upon
me, as ne lifted his glass again, and emp |
tied it. How did you find your way
in?''
"By the front door," said I, wonder
ing at his unconcern.
He nodded his head slowly.
'tAh! yes; forgot to lock it. You
came to steal, suppose?"
II came because l lost my way. I've
been travelling this God-forsaken moor
since dusk"
''With your boots in your hand" he
put in quietly.
81 took them off out of respect to the
yellow dog you keep"
HE lies in a very natural attitude
eh?"
"You don't tell me he was stuffedF'
The old mans eyes beamed contemp-
tuous pity.
"You are indiferently sharp, my dear
sir, for a housebreaker. Come in. Set
I 4 |