Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-04-18

The next thing did was to a.
anime the cabin generally, to ascer.
tain whether I had been. robbed. But
my purse, containing some SIS or
SIG. and handsome >watah given
me By my father, were ,safs N. the
very conspicuous place ON the drass-
ing-table where had carelessly laid
them down.
sat down with my head spinning
round. fl,s
Had /, too, been the victim Of q de.
fusion? One thing only appeared to
give the slightest confirmation OF
my own fixed belief In the reality of
my adventure-the door Of the cabin,
which I was sure I had shut, was
ajar and was moving slightly to. and
fro with the rocking Of the ship.
shut it, bolted it and got into bed
again; but an unpleasant haunting
sensation as Of some intangible pres
ence kept me long awake. If had
had any belief in spiritualism I
should have felt sure that some spir-
1t from the unseen-w world was still
lowering about my pillow.
took care to say nothing about my
experience of the night when ap-
peared in the saloon on the following
morning. On the one hand had no
wish to go through the persecution,
mild as it was, to which Netley had
been subjected ever since he told his
story. And on the other hand, had
regained all my courage with the morn
ing light, together with very strong
to find out who it was that had made
the strange intrusion. did, indeed,
from time to time, ask myself wheth-
er it might not oil have been hallu-
cination on my part; but l always put
this idea from me in the end. had
never been the victim Of an excitable
imagination-everybody had always
told me hadn't imagination enough
so I thought might dismiss that pos
sibity from my reckoning.
I was early in the saloon for break
fast, for had had less sleep than usual
Dick Mullion, who was generally at
breakfast before me, had not appeared
when sat down. When he did enter
the saloon, was at once struck by
the fact that he looked about him,
and that his eyes did not rest until
they lighted on me. Then he changed
color as met his look, and, to my
surprise, came straight up to me and
| asked how I was.
Now, knew he dishked me; indeed,
in this very act of coming up to me
there was something furtive and diff
dent, something Of assumed boldness
and good will that did not deceive me
| for moment.
And when, later in the morning, he
followed me into the smoking-room
and deliberately sat down NEAR me
and drew me into conversation. hedid
II 80 clumsily that I could not but per-
ceive he must have some hidden mo-
tive for this assumption of friend
Nness which could not believe to be
| genuine.
don't know what suspected; I
could not have put my thoughts into
words; young Mullion assuredly did
not suspect either Of wish to MUIR
der or to rob me. But none the less
did connect him In Q vague and stupid
way with my weird adventure OF the
previous night, the more SO as pres
emily found that, in q circuitous and
roundabout manner, he was trying to
turn the conversation to night adven-
lures and to Netley's story.
Then turned on him point-blank.
What do you mean?" asked, short
ly. "Do you believe somebody got
into my cabin while Netley was there.
or don't your"
TITS q curious talel" said Mullion,
evasively.
Every" said I. dryly; "and one we
are not likely to hear again, I should
think"
| And then suddenly, as I. looked him
full in the face, and tried to meet his
syea. . new thought Shot, into my
I mind.
what II il was the adventure OF q
s1eep-walker 2" said quickly. "Do you
happen to know whether there's any
fellow ON board who walks in his
sleep?"
| could tell. from the way he tool
the suggestion. whether it was new
thought to him or not. But he did not
Immediately answer, and he was Ger.
tainly turning my question over in his
mind, to decide what 1t might be bes,
to say.
Perhaps you walk in your sleep
yourself" suggested, rather sharply
/ "No, don't" said he, in the same
tone, as he got up and turned. as il
to walk away.
| But he changed his mind almost a
once, and. turning back to me. stoot
q few moments playing with pencil
case, with his eyes down. Then hi
said, In q very subdued tone:
i 1T there is anybody on board VIII
walks In his sleep, we are pretty sur.
to have some more adventures, Sup
poser"
It was such an odd remark to max
that looked at him with q scrutin.
that made him turn his head away un
comfortably.
"Morel" echoed ], sarcastically
More, did you say? thought yo1
didn't believe in Netley's?"
HE seems to believe in it himself,
said young Mullion, still with that al
Of blunt, honest fellow trying to b
artful and cautious which / had nc
ticed in him already that morning. IA
any rate, If it's possible that there