The Lamar register., 1901-09-04

longing, and the clopd had NOT been
lifted from my life. And, oh, ] was 20
homesick for just glimpse Of my dear
loves face.
A few days after my interview with
Mr.. Morley / bad received note from
Florence:
"Dear M. Conway: Father has Informed
mo Of your resolve not to call on me or at
tempt to keep up the friendship which made
me 20 happy. until you are freed from an
suspicion. appreciate the manliness
which prompts you to such . resolve. eno
I wish 70 assure you from the bottom OF my
heart that respect and trust YOU Know
you are Innocent. and shall always believe
will be explained and you exoneratsd. Re-
member. believe In you wholly. and shall
awsys remain. Your true friend.
FLORENCE MORLEY"
took the worn note from the locket
which wore around my neck and
pressed It 70 my lips, ~ had done
many umes aimee its receipt. and won
dersd II her heart was still true to ths
sentiment expressed In It.
The harvest moon was resPlendsnt
and the white beams came into'the win
dow where sat In my night robs. Aood-
ing my white drapery with light. There
were NO sounds of human life; the
world seemed left wholly to the crick-
eta and katydlds. With . sigh from
ths depths Of my lonely heart I re-
placed the note In its receptacle and
arose.
Turning from the window. sAw
right opposite me, ON the other ode
of the room. . tall white figure. What
was itf There II stood. while I gassd
spsllbound, motionless. mysterious. In
lightning hash Of thought Sarah's
forsbodings came 70 me.
Then 1 grsspsd my pistol. which wa
lying on the table beside me.
snow, then, II this II . practical Joke,
intended simply to frishten me. let
IL STOP" said. It was with some DIFF
hculty, confess, that my voice waa
kept steady.
"whoever you are, speak and -.
plain. or III see II you have substancs
enough to stop bullsti"
Ipeussd for reply. but none came.
speak out, I say, OF, a. sure - there
IL . God in Heaven. I'll Arei" called
again. and again received NO reply.
The white thing remained there, in
spite OF my threats. After another
pause, during which the cold chilla
chased up and down my spine. raised
my arm, took deliberate aim and 6red.
A rattle Of breaking glass followed
the report Of the pistol. and . dark
spot appeared in the center OF the
white hgurs. The flash Of the pistol
had been reflected back, and In an in
slant realized the truth.
With . scornful laugh and CON
demnatory exclamation at my 1oolish.
ness, placed the pistol on the tsble
and got into bed.
Then q slight scu1iiing noiss, seem
ing to come from beneath. reached my
ear, and said, aloud, and with q laugh:
1--WE stirred up the rats. at any rate
Hello, what's that7' exclaimed. a. q
deep, muffled sound, accompanied by q
slight jar, Immediately followed II
was as though q heavy door in some
distant part Of the house had slammsd
For quite time sat up in BED and
listened, but NO more unusual sounds
followed.
Mrs. snyder's words concerning mys
terious happenings in my house and
Sarah's unreasonable fears for my safe.
ty. followed by the two events just men
toned, did have an effect upon me. al
though the first event was due wholly
to an ordinary cause, and the second
the apparent sound Of o siamming door
might be, and probably was. just what
It seemed. A gentle night breeze had
arisen, and some of the windows in the
upper part Of the house might have
been left open. thereby producing
q draught and causin6 an intervening
door to swing shut. True. the sound
ss....i IN rrfnr frn,1i hnrpnih 1,,c Il