Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-13

tom. but to himself. in fact. the dog was
not to be seem and this desertion on the
part of his constant companion seemed
to add to his disturbance and affect him
beyond all reason 1 could distinguish
these words among the many he directed
toward the unseen animal:
You're a knowing one. too knowing! You
see that loosened shutter over the way as
plainly L do; but you're a coward to
stink away from it. l don't. L face the
thing. and what's more, I'll show you yet
what l think of a dog that can't stand his
ground and help his old master out with
some show of courage. Creaks, does 1t!
Well, let it creak. l don't mind its creak-
ing, glad as 1 should be to know whose
hand-Halloo! You've come. have you?'
This to me. had just stepped up to him.
Yes, I've come Now what is the matter
with the Moore house?'
He must have expected the question yet
his answer was long time coming. His
voice, too. sounded strained, and was
pitched quite too high to be natural. But
| he evidently did not expect me to show sur
prise at his manner.
Look at that window over there!" he
cried at last THAT one with the Slightly
| open shutter! Watch and you will see that
| shutter move There! it creaked; didn't
| you hear it?'
| A growl-it was more like a moan-came
| from the porch behind US. Instantly the
| old gentleman turned, and with a gesture
| as fierce as it was instructive shouted out:
BE still there! If you haven't the cour-
| age to face a blowing shutter, keep your
| jaws shut and don't let every fellow who
| happens along know what fool you are.
| l declare" he maundered on, half to him
| self and half to me. that dog is getting
| old. He can't be trusted any more. He
| forsakes his master just when The rest
! was lost in his throat which ratified with
| something more than impatient anger.
| Meanwhile l had been attentively scrutin-
| izng the house thus pointedly brought to
| my notice. l had seen it many times be-
| fore. but as it happened. had never stopped
| to look at it when the huge trees surround
| ing it were shrouded in darkness. The
| black hollow of it's disused portal looked
| out from shadows which acquired some of
| their somberness from the tragic memories
| connected with it's empty void.
| Its aspect was scarcely reassurng. Not
| that superstition lent its terrors to the
| lonely scene, but that through the blank
/ panes of the window, alternately appearing
| and disappearing from view as the shutter
| pointed out by Uncle David blew to and
| fro in the wind, l saw. was persuaded
| that | saw. beam of light which argued
| an unknown presence within walls which
/ had so lately been declared unfit for any
| mans habitation.
You are right" I now remarked to the
! uneasy figure at my side. Some is
| prowling through the house yonder. Can
! it possibly be Mrs Jeffrey or her husband?"
AT night and with no gas in the house?
| Hardly
The words We're natural, but the voice
| was not Neither was his manner quite
| suited to the occasion. Giving him another
| SLY glance, and marking how uneasly he
| edged away from me in the darkness, I
cried out more cheerily than he possibly
| expected:
| 81 will summon another officer and we
| three will just slip across and investigate"
| Not II was his violent rejoinder, as he
swung open gate concealed in the vines
! behind him. The Jeffreys would resent
| my intrusion if they ever happened to hear
| of it,"
| '1ndeedr I laughed sounding my
whistle; then, soberly enough. for L
| the oddly of his behavior and thought
| him as well worth investigation as the
| house in which he showed such an inter-
| est: You shouldn't let that count. Come
| and see what's up in the house you are so
ready to call yours
| But he only drew farther into the shade.
Il have no business over there" he OBJ
jected. Veronica and 1 have never been
on good terms. / was not even invited to
| her wedding. though live within a stones
throw of the door No; / have done my
duty in calling attention to that light, and
whether it's the bulrs-eye of a burglar
perhaps you don't know that there are rare
treasures on the book shelves OF the great
nbrary-or whether 1t is the fantastic nlu-
| mination which frightens fool-folks and
some foOl-dogs. I'm done with 1t and done
with you. too. for tonight"
AS he said this he mounted to his door
and disappeared under the vines hanging
/ Ike a SnTOuu over the front the house.
In another moment the rich peal of an Or
gan sounded from within, followed by the
prolonged bowling of Ridge, who. either
from a too keen appreciation of his mas
ters music or in utter dtsapproval of IT
no one. believe. has ever been able to
make out which-was accustomed to add
this undesirable accompaniment to every
strain from the old mans hand. The play
ing did not cease because of these out
rageous discords. On the contrary. it in
creased In force and volume. causing
Ridges expression Of pain or pleasure to
increase also. The result can be imagined
AS I listened to the intolerable bowls of
the dog cutting clean through the exquisite
I harmonies of his master, l wondered ii the
shadows cast by the frowning structure of
the great Moore house were alone to blame
for Uncle David's lack of neighbors
Meantime. Hubbard. who was the first to
near my signal. came running down the
block As he joined me. the light, or what
we chose to call light appeared again
In the window toward which my attention
had been directed.
Some ones in the Moore housev' de-
could command
Hubbard is big fellow, the biggest fell
low on the force. and SO far as my own ex-
perience with him had gone. as stolid and
imperturbable as the best of US But after
a quick glance at the towering walls of the
lonely building. he showed decided embar-
rassment and seemed in no haste to cross the
street.
With difficulty concealed my disgust
Come, / cried. stepping down from the
curb. Tets go over and Investigate The
property is valuable. the furnishings hand
some. and there is no end Of costly books
on the library shelves. You have matches
and a revolverT
He nodded. quietly showing me first the
one, then the other; then with sheepish
air which he endeavored to carry OF with
a laugh. he cried:
Have you use for 'em? If so. I'm quite
willing to part with EN- for half hour"