The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-08-28
CHAPTER x
CAPTAIN KINGSTON SETS SAIL FOR
FOREIGN PARTS.


Reaching Chichester without further
mishap / at length drew up before the
door Of our hotel tho windows OF which
were In complete darkness. The good
folk had evidently retired for the night.
but a clamorous ringing of the bell soon
brought sleepy servant on the scene.
Pushing by him, left the dripping ma
chine IN the halt and few impatiently to-
ward the stairs, up which stumbled In
the darkness. But having trodden them
so often knew. as IL were. every stair by
heart, and IN few moments I was VAIN
ly endeavoring TO turn the handle Of our
room, for. as / have already said. We al
ways used one room when IL was impos-
slble to get two which were connected by
a door
pext knocked loudly and. waiting.
knocked again. Then impetuously
shook the handle. the rattle resounding
through the quiet house. But still no
answer. "Fatherl Fatheri' i whispered
through the keyhole, but might as well
have spoken to the air. No sound, no
movement The ominous stiffness set me
shivering painfully. My wet clothes chung
Jelly to my limbs. My body was frozen.
but my brain burned like fire.
Fearing that something was amiss and
acting upon a sudden impulse. l hurled
myself violently against the door. and the
lock gave way. For a moment stood up
on the threshold and called TO my father
once more. but receiving no reply made
my way through the dark TO the mantle
piece. where / knew l should find the
candle and matches. Striking one. l In
stinctiy turned toward his bed, and In the
dim light created by the match I DIS
tinctly traced the outline OF his figure
there. called again. Father but ha
did not move. Tremblingly I applied the
fame to the candle and then turned 10
rske a closer Investigation.
IIe lay perfectly still entirely envelo2ed
Ia tho bedclothes and for little while l
stood staring at him, not having the cour-
age TO lift the sheet from his face. But
the sound of footsteps I'm the passage out
side suddenly recalled me 20 my seases,
and with desperate movement l flung
back the covering.
A. first a horrid mist seemed TO blur
my sight: but. quickly passing, II show
ed me a deathly pale face with wide,
distorted eyes and brow scared with
the purple sign OF the egg. II was the
same sign as that which had seen upon
my mothers forehead.
With cry of horror I turned aside anu
confronted the landlord. who. candle In
hand. had come 10 investigate the mean
ing OF the noise caused by my breaking
down the door.
He began 20 splutter. as landlord
naturally would, but my ghastly face ar
rested the outburst.
'NfOd IN neANehs ne Ciltu. fidNc you
seen ghostP''
I beckoned for him to advance. and ne
came cautiously toward me.
my father" / gasped. my father has
been murdered. Look" and l held the
light over the pale face and showed the
projecting eyes and the vivid sign.
Murdered" he echoed. Good God"
And 10 make sure he came close. quite
close. and bent over the body and touch
ed the pale cold face. The fey contact
made him shiver. He stepped back with
an Involuntary cry
This Is awful. "he continued when
could IL have occurred? | saw him off 20
bed myself at half past Q. He was very
worried about you and thought OF sending
10 the police. but guessed II was the
rain that caused the delay. and so | sooth-
ed him Half an hour later he rans TO
know IL you had yet returned Then ne
troubled us no more"
I looked long into the ghastly face
scarcely needing the meanings OF the
landlord, though / seemed 10 hear as
through the noise of the surf roaring afar
or hts whining of the misfortune that
had befallen his house But ] could now
look on the face and think despite the
awful coldness which envelopcd me, the
deadly weight about the heart. and some
lamentations caused me 60 loosen the col
lar OF the dead man. and ! saw that mis-
neck was encirced by a khastly purple
line, and thought that the fumes OF
ether or chloroform rose from his beard.
The landlord saw and realized. lie. too.
smeiled the heavy sickiy odor OF the
anaesthet!c. and I'm a dull way he con-
tlnued 10 call upon the Deity. Like most
goddess wretches. the name of God was al
ways on his tongue. And so he wrung
his hands and continued 90 ask blankly
what ne should do.
The police must be communicated with
NJ once" I said. though they will never
lay their hands on the man Who did THIS.
''Why do you say that7"
Because 7 know him"
you know him7" The landlord opened