The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-07-17
THE WINDOWS OPPOSITE
BY CHARLES B. LEWIS.

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| had been knocked down by cab
on the streets of Paris and taken to a
hospital l was hurt about the head
and shoulders, and, though / had no
broken bones to mend, was SO badly
bruised that the surgeon told me l
wouldn't get out for a month. Hard
up though / was in financial sense, l
had enough money in my pocket to get
me into pay ward and they gave me
front. 1t was summer and was close
to the seventh window, counting from
the left.
The routine of a hospital for an in
1ured man Is a monotonous one. After
the first three or four days they put
me on full diet and gave me books to
read but could not leave my bed. and
1t was against the rules to converse
with the other patients. 1t was read,
sleep, think and plan, with one visit a
day from the surgeon. / could not see
the street from my window as | sat
propped up on my cot. The only sight
to greet my vision was quaint old
house opposite. The structure was
two stories high, and l could see the
upper halves of four windows. The
house looked to hove been built 100
years ago and was in sad state of
neglect and untenanted. | don't know
why | should have been interested in
that house except that sick man will
turn to the veriest trifle TO make di-
version. saw by the state of the win
dows that the house was tenantless,
and yet had the curiosity to question
the nurse about It.
"That house has been empty for
many years." she replied, 'and as 1t is
in law II will probably fall down be-
fore the heirs come into possession.
You cannot see that far down, but the
lower doors and windows are boarded
up to keep tramps out. | have often
wondered If the place has not ghost"
fell into the habit of watching those
four windows as closely as If | had
been employed as a Waterman. 1t
seemed that If waited long enough
should see a face at one of them. When
evening came, there was an electric
light somewhere which struck the front
of the old house, and l would watch
those windows until the nurse enjoined
me to turn away and go to sleep. 1t
got so at last that felt certain of max
ing discovery, and one evening" when
had been In the hospital nine or ter
days, the face had looked for appear
ed at one of the middle windows. It
was that of man.
The window was 100 feet from me.
but by the assistance of the electric
light made out the face very clearly.
1t came into view gradually, as II the
man slowly advanced across the room,
and 1t remained at the paneless sash
for full minute. 1t was the face Of
an evil man. 1t was dark and bearded.
and the eyes Travelled up and down and
across the street as If looking for dan
ger. Whoever the man was he was no
tramp, nor had he lawful right in
that house. AS he left the window
called to the nurse ard told her of his
presence. but she laughed and replied:
"Ah, but we are net to concern our
selves about what goes on over there.
If 1t Is some prowier who has broken
in the police must take care of him"
] now had something to occupy my
full attention, and I gave up every
thing to watch the windows opposite.
Nothing appeared next day, but at
about half past o'clock In the even
Ing l saw the same face again. There
was more boldness in the way the man
approached the window, and he seem
ed to feel himself more secure as he
surveyed the street. II he were not a
fugitive In hiding, why should he be
taking peeps at the neighborhood? A
vagabond, having entered to obtain
shelter for the plight, would keep clear
of the windows. On this second night
the man seemed to be looking intently
Mt the sidewalk running in front Of the
hospital, and by and by he started and
turned away as If he had received
some signal When the nurse came,
told her of the incident. She was as
much amused as before.
you certainly have mind for mys-
teries," she laughed, but IL you be-
come too interested you will develop
fever and have pullback. When you
dlG uOAC w tSdNV U.s. SOh Sdd lIp th0
police about the man. who will proba-
bly, turn out to be a shadow"
| gave the windows but little atten-
ton In the daytime after that. The
face appeared on the third evening at
the same hour and felt SO sure that
n confederate made signals from the
sidewalk that / took a convalescent In
to my confidence He was an old sol
dier who was being treated for an old
wound and was allowed the run Of the
place. told him Of the face and the
confederate, and he was interested at
once IT was arranged that he should
be in front of the hospital at half past
and watch for the confederate. and
luck attended him. He saw well
dressed but evil looking man make
signals to the man at the window. The
signals were made with folded news
paper and would not have been noticed
by any one not on the watch for them.
"Now, them" said the old soldier as
he returned and reported, 'Ns nave a
mystery on hand. Luck has thrown 1t
in our way that we may make few
goldpieces. Let us work 1t out togeth-
er and share the reward
None of us In the ward had seen a
newspaper for week. They were not
interdcted, but none of the patients
seemed to care for outside news. Next