The Washington times., 1903-02-22

his body Before his hot eyes there
arose the vision OF that dark closet far
below-the glittering lights in the tower
OF the Higgins Building. and OF the
shabby little woman in the old black
dress and shawl. who lay there with
great black marks upon her throat He
clinched the covers OF his bed iercely
20 stay the nervous restIessness Of his
hand. and stared into the darkness.
shuddering at each chance noise or the
silent night At length. with stealthy
care. he slipped from the bed and CROPPED
for his clothes. The woman in the room
adjoining heard him and asked:
What do you want. john"
Nothing he answered. Il am rest
less. I cannot sleep
He sat by the window. hoping she
might sleep. bit she spoke at his slight
est move. Twice during the night he
attempted TO dress himself and escape.
hut each time she aroused herself and
checked his flight. And when the east
ern sky broke into dawn he crept back
TO his bed wondering how he could live
through the hours until another night
should come to shield him as he fed
Through the early hours of the day
he covered in the great house. fear
fully alert at each sound OF footsteps
in the dooryard. drawn BY morbid
longing 20 visit the scene OF his crime.
held back by an unreasoning fear OF
detection should he 60
About noon he reused himself 20
quiet the woman's alarm at his IN
natural nervous tie He repealed
her suggestion that a physician be
called. and with tight lips laughed at
her forebodings Of illness. Finally he
told her that he must depart for New
York that night. and that he must go
alone, silencing her quick expostula-
tions with a hard brutality which stung
her 10 tears that he could not dry.
She watched him with sorrowing. anx-
ious eyes as he mounted the stairs to
make ready for his journey
It was just noon. With fumbling
hands he was busying himself in the
dim room when the faint. sharp notes
OF an electric bell struck his ears He
stole into the hall and listened. The
sound OF mems voices at the door
/ reached him He heard them say:
Something serious has happened.
We must see Mr.. Higgins at once,"
Then he heard the rustic of a woman's
skirt upon the stairs She was coming
to tell him he was wanted-wanted for
what?
The unreasoning terror OF a wild beast
at bay seized him. and sent the blood
surging from his heart. They knew
They had found the body They had
come for him,
He jumped back into bis room. IN
another moment the crack OF a pistol
shot rang through the house
The two men below stairs sprang up
the stairway. but al the open door OF the
front room they paused Mortified at the
scene before them. Higgins lay upon the
floor. with a wound Just above the tenn
pie. and by his side. holding his bleeding
head in her hands. kneIt a woman moan
ing piteously-
Opening the Offices OF the Higgins In
vestment Company. the morning after
Higgins steaIthy departure. the watch
man OF the bull Ting was startled by low
moaning. He was Strengthening Higgins
desk when he heard the sound The
window was up. The rain clouds of the
night had passed and the bright morning
sunlight flooded the room There was
nothing ghostly about the environment
and the Waterman stopped 10 listen. with
all his reasoning faculties alert. There
was no mistaking the sound; fl was a
moan-deep and human. He went into
, the outer Office. no one was there He
looked out into the hall. but saw only
the scrub-woman, with her pail and mop.
. He came back into the inner Office, aud
on the threshold listened again. The
sound was repeated II was near him
, in that room. He waited until he heard
IL again. and then crossed to the closet
p and tried TO open the door. II was
, locked He Put his ear TO the keyhole,
and shuddercd as the knowledge OF a
presence within became certain. He
shook the door and called. but only a
- moan. low and deep. answered him. lie
ran into the hall and shouted down the
Z shaft FOR the elevator boy. then he went
beck iatO Higgins Office and unlocked the
? closet door.
n WITH an exclamation Of terror and
. surprise he discovered the woman Hig-
{ gins had put in there for dead the might
q before. She had recovered from hei
J. swoon. and had crept close up TO tho
- door for air. She had been too veal
to call out-she could only moan. A,
the door swung open she fell heavil.
forward al the feet OF the Waterman
j. WIKI the help of the elevator boy h
lifted the woman up and laid her OF
l. Higgins couch. In less than an hOu
y she had completely recovered. and va
conveyed 10 the police station.
The news OF the finding OF a woman
half dead from strangulation, in tn
- closet Of the private Office OF John Hig
gins. spread through the great buildin
u, like wildhre. and before noon it Va
=, abroad upon the streets.
To the chief Of police she told he
,f story timidly. her voice choking Wit
sobs: told il aIl-from her marriage wit
n Higgins back in the little town as Wal
ton. 10 her visit 20 his ofsce the ia