Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-03-21
for the two doorways-"

But you said there is nothing but
limestone quarried about here" I sug-
gested.
| And that is true. The stones used
in the doorways had been used before.
! for they are old and weatherbeaten.
! Do you remember a small stone build
/ ing up at the mountain, which years
ago was used as a schoolhouse?'' nv
, lawyer asked.
"Oh, yesi 1t was known as the
| Mountain school," replied.
well, it is fast going to ruin" Sonn-
tag continued; has not been used foI
years, / am told. The point is here:
That old .schoolhouse was built of
sandstone, Where the builders got the
stone l, of course, cannot say, but evil
IDENTIFY not around here. 1t is my be-
lief the stones in the two doorways
were taken from the old tumble-down
schoolhouse."
And supposing your surInise is Z
correct one, does it furnish you with a
clew to the person or persons who did
the job?" L asked.
Perhaps" he replied, shortly.
! AS he raised his head to answer, rec
election flashed upon me. "Ahl" i
exclaimed. al have been cudgeling my
brain in the endeavor to remember
where / had seen you before"
He quickly turned toward me with q
hslf-smile on his face, but offered no
reply.
II have seen you in Philadelphia 1
continued.
Possibly. used to live there before
coming to Twineburgh," he remarked,
i.iGi<se1 suosiiy.
"You have been in Twineburgh but
six MONTHS" I went on.
! eyes"
"And L saw you for the first time
about a year ago. 1 almost knocked
you over as was coming out of the
presidents Office in the Safety security
bank. You were just going in, and i
ran into you"
| "Ah. possibly. I have had business
! dealings with that concern" the old
lawyer replied.
Sand you knew Mr.. Perry, the presi-
dentP"
ayes, slightly"
'Then why did you ask me at the
time if was the president ?" I asked.
! Sonntag gave twitch OF the Shout
/ der, and his shrewd sharp eyes
| twinlxled.
did ask you that?" he queried.
'Do you not remember?"
Cant say that do" he replied.
at seems strange you should leave
the city to engage in the practice OF
law in a small town like Twineburgh,'
| 1 said muSiDClv
"Why stranger" was his curt ques-
ton.
"Oh, well, you are quite advanced in
years, and, with your long experience
ought to have commanded a larger and
more lucrative practice in q large place
like Philadelphia than in a small coun-
try town."
BE did not reply for few moments
but stood with a whimsical look on his
face with his eyes turned toward the
floor.
'T became tired Of city life" he finally
said. "Ihave no family depending upon
me, and so am at liberty TO follow out
any whim which happens to take pos
session or me. There is enough business
here to enable a single man to live we'll
besides allowing him more leisure
was looking for such business, and
and found it in Twineburgh."
| We'll. you certainly are an odd fell
low, If you will excuse me for saying
So" remarked, with laugh.
"Yes, 1 am rather odd"
| When we reentered my bedroom
Sonntag's quick eye caught sight of the
tools under my bed.
Going to cut through the floor ?" he
asked.
THAT is what intended to do. Tn
going to know what is down there" ]
replied, decidedly.
Then i told him about the noises ]
had heard which had seemed to come
from beneath, the slamming of the
door, and the pistol shot. I also told
of the voices I had heard both in the
attic and in my room, and all had OBJ
served regarding them.
The old lawyer listened intently, and
when had finished walked to the win.
dow.
"Do you suppose that the sound of the
voices could in some way have come
from the telephone wire?" / finally
asked.
'Not being an electrical expert, can
not say" Sonntag answered, turning
from the window.
at seems impossible the voices could
be heard without the aid OF a receiver
I remarked.
perhaps there is a receiver both In
your room and upstairs-not like the
ones we are accustomed to, of course
but one formed by nature. Certainly
there are possibilities In electric force
which we have not yet discovered. Yor
say the sounds occurred only when {
wind was blowing which caused the
wire to swing against the lightning
rod?"
THAT was surnise, for have had NJ
opportunity to watch when the wint
blew. But it seemed the most natura
explanation of the rappings."
"And you had no way of ascertalninf
whether the sounds in your room here
and in the attic were produced by the
same voice and at the same time, OF