Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-09-11
Certainly. 1 will repeat It word for

L
word"
"Wcll. believe you are to be trust
ed. / have taken great fancy to you.
My other man I never felt that could
trust, and, if he had been honest, he
was always so stupid that he would
get everything mixed up. But think
you are gifted with more than ordi-
nary intelligence"
simply bowed my head and made
no comment.
And as modest as intelligent" he
added, with faint sign Of a smile.
"Some day maybe you can help me in
higher way than at present"
II should be delighted to do anything
for you. sir" answered sincerely.
"You will find me faithful enough to
trust with anything-secrets or any
thing"
He looked long and inquisitively at
me and then said, with the most i'm
perturbable smile on his face:
"Do you know that sometimes
fancy I've seen your face somewhere
before-that is, before you came into
my employment"
knew that this was test question,
and I answered it accordingly:
Probably. We often meet faces by
chance in the world and forget them
until reminded Of them by some later
incident"
eyes. true. You're quite philoso-
pher, TOO, william"
Enough to accept Me as 1t comes
without demur," answered.
'Well, that is more than can do
sometimes. But to return to business
You know that 1 have appointments
with DR.. Squires nearly every day.
We'll, this is one of the mornings and
do not feel energetic enough to keep
It. Go and tell him that cannot come
before tomorrow. II he sends any an
swer back, remember 1t and tell me.
That's ALL"
He dropped his head back upon the
pillows and closed his eyes. I with
drew as quietly as I could.
1 took one of the horses from the sta
bic which John said needed exercise,
and l cantered slowly down the road
toward the Doctors house. AS ap-
proach it ! looked with interest at
various objects that had become indel-
tbly impressed upon my memory from
the experience Of that eventful night
when l attempted to enter the house
! had by no means given up all idea of
exploring the interior Of the haunted
house. but was merely postponng the
second trial for more Opportune time.
Meanwhile everything about the prem
Uses assumed some special importance
to me.
I wished very much to see the inte-
rior of the house in the daytime. and
I determined to force an entrance at
oil hazards in delivering my message
to the doctor. I feared the doctor
would come outside on the piazza or
that his servant might insist upon TAX
ing the message in to the doctor. To
avoid this, II possible, l stopped some
distance from the place, hitched my
horse to tree and approached the
house on foot, keeping we'll in the
shadow Of trees and strawberries to
prevent anybody seeing ME.
l succeeded 50 well in this ruse that
l rea ched the piazza without being dis
covered. The bell. which l rang. ech-
oed throughout the gloomy interior of
the house so discordantly that it made
one think of ghosts and departed spr-
its. ! seemed to hear the scurry of
footsteps as il the bell had given the
alarm to innumerable rats and mice.
but moment later I was satisfied
that the noise was made by human
feet.
The Doctors servunt-a dark, dried
up specimen OF a mummy from India
gided toward the door, making the
ecufiling noise with his sandals. The
mans eyes were small and beadlike,
ind his arms and fingers We're long and
Dony. but they were nevertheless
strong and active. He shuffled to-
ward the door with an anxious look
on his face. He was evidently dis
turbed by the thought that somebody
had approached the house without at
tracing his attention.
He refused to open the door more
than foot and stood there making q
cultural SQUAD as II trying to ask my
errand.
81 have O message for DR.. Squires."
! said.
He stuck out long, bony hand as II
to take the letter when he supposed l
had. At least he could hear and was
| familiar with the English language.
also believe that he could speak and
that his dumbness was merely pretend.
ed. But there is - way TO make a
man speak II he doesn't want to. or at
least not under ordinary circumstances,
in a civilized country.
ut is not letter." l added as he
held out his hand for some time. Il
have a message to deliver-a verbal
message"
He shook his head and withdrew his
| hand.
LET me in, and tell the doctor
want to see him."
Again he shook his head and made
| an inarticulate cultural sound.
! was getting impatient at the delay
and the mans stubbornness. Placing
foot in the crack of the door, l held
it so that he could not slam it in my