Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1903-03-27
BY ROBERT
LOUIS
STEVENSON
TContinued from last week.

CONTINUED from last week.
From the wmc0w or MS new apart
ment Francis Scrymgeour commanded
a complete view into the garden of the
house with the green blinds. 1mmedi-
ately below him very comely chestnut
with wide boughs sheltered pair of
rustic tables where people might dine
In the height OF summer. On all sides
save one 4 dense vegetation concealed
the soil, but there, between the tables
and the house, he saw patch OF gravel
walk leading from the veranda to the
garden gate. Studying the place from
between the boards of the venetian
shutters. which he burst not open for
fear of attracting attention, Francis
ners of the inhabitants, and that little
argued no more than a close reserve
and taste for solitude. The garden
was conventual, the house had the air
of prison. The green blinds were all
drawn down upon the outside; the door
into the veranda was closed; the gar
den, as far as he could see it, was left
CAltlClS " 1(SSiA III ILC CIV Slll1So SuI-
shine. A modest curl of smoke from a
single chimney alone testified to the
presence of living people.
In order that he might not be entirely
idle and to give a certain color to his
way OF life Francis had purchased
EucliG's Geometry in French, which lie
set himself to copy and translate on the
top Of his portnanteau and seated on
the floor ag;illst the wall for he was
equally without 4 chair or table. From
time to time he would rise and cast Il
glance into the Enclosure of the house
with the green blinds but the windows
remained obstinately closed and the
garden empty.
Only late in the evening did anything
occur to reward his continual attention.
Between 8 and 10 the sharp tinkle of a
bell aroused him from a fit of DOING
and he sprang to his observatory in
time to hear an important noise Of
locks being opened and bars removed
and to see Mr.. Vandeleur, carrying a
lantern and clothed in flowing robe of
black velvet with skullcap to match,
issue from under the veranda and pro-
coed leisurely toward the garden gate.
The sound OF bolts and bars was then
repeated, and a moment after Francis
perceived the dictator escorting into
the house in the mobile light of the Ian
tern an individual of the lowest and
most despicable appearance.
Half an hour afterward the visitor
was reconducted to the street, and Mr..
Vandeleur, setting his light upon one
of the rustic tables, finished a cigar
with great elaboration under the foil
age Of the chestnut. Francis, peering
through clear space among the
leaves, was able to follow his gestures
as he threw away the ash or enjoyed Il
copious Inhalation and beheld cloud
upon the old mans brow and forcible
action Of the lips, which testified to
some deep and probably painful train
Of thought. The cigar was already al
most at an end when the voice of a
young girl was heard suddenly crying
the hour from the interior of the house.
I'm a moment" replied John Vande-
leur.
And with that he threw away the
stump and, taking up the lantern,
sailed away under the veranda for the
night. As soon as the door was closed
absolute darkness fell upon the house.
Francis might try his eyesight as much
as he pleased, he could not detect 50
much as a single chink of light below !,
Hind 1,n
good sense, that the bedcha mbers Were
all upon the other side.
Early the next morning Gor he was
early awake after an uncomfortable
night upon the floor, he saw cause t
adopt Il different explanation. III.
blinds rose, one after another by mea Il:
of a spring in the interior and disclosed
steel shutters such as we see on til;
front Of shops. These in their tuc,
were rolled up by similar continuance
and for the space of about an hour tn,
chambers were left open to the mornin:
air. At the end of that time MIR. Van
deleur with his own hand once NOR,
closed the shutters and replaced tn
blinds from within.
While Francis was still! marveling a
these precautions the door opened an,
young girl came forth to look abou
her in the garden. It was not tw,
minutes before she re-entered the house
but even In that short time he saw
enough to convince him that she POI
sessed the most unusual attractions
His curiosity was not only highly ex
cited by this incident, but his spirit
were improved to a still more notabl
degree. The alarming manners an
more than equivocal life Of his fathe
ceased from that, :::::c!nent to prey upo
his mind. From that moment he en-
braced his new family with ardor, ant
s: :seliAtE ltdi shspla ;pray
::::::asaisSS5i:sssS5i;E;ss
81 |ll (!
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