The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-15

that stopped a moment before lifting
hand to it. So much may lie behind a
tightly closed door!' But my, hesitation, If |
hesitation 1t was, lasted but a moment.
My natural Impotence and the prompt |
ings of my vanity overcanie the dictates
of my judgment, and, reckless of conse-
quences, perhaps disdainful Of them, I
soon had the knob in my grasp. / gave |
a slight push to the door and, on seeing /
a crack of light leap into life along the
jamb pushed the door wider and wider I
till the whole room stood revealed.
The instantaneous banging of shutter
in one Of it's windows proved the room to
be the very one which we had seen lighted |
from below. Otherwise all was still; nor
was able to detect, in my first hurried
ence than a candle suffering In it's own
grease at the bottom of tumbler placed |
on one corner Of an old-fashioned dress |
ing table. This, the one touch of in |
congruity in room otherwise rich if not |
stately In its appointments, was loud in !
its suggestion of some hidden presence
given to expedients and reckless of conse- |
quences; but Of this presence nothing was I
to be seen. ...... g. |
Not satisfied with this short survey,-a
survey which had given me the impression
of a spacious old fashioned chamber, full
ly furnished but breathing of the by-gone
rather than of the present-and resolved
to know the worst, or, rather, to dare |
the worst and be done with it, I strobe |
straight into the center Of the room and
cast about me quickly a comprehensive
glance which spared nothing. not even
the shadows lurking In the corners. But
no low-lying figure started up from those
corners, nor did any crouching head rise
into sight from beyond the leaves Of the
big screen behind which was careful to
look.
Greatly treasured, and indeed quite con-
v1nced that wherever the criminal lurked
at that moment he was not in the same
room with me, I turned my attention to
my surroundings, which had many points
OF interest. Foremost among these was
big four-poste which occupied a
large space at my right. I had never seen
It's like before, and I was greatly attracted
by its size and the air Of mystery i'm
parted to 1t by its closely drawn curtains
of faded brocade In fact, this bed,
whether from it's appearance or some oc-
cult influence inherent in it, had fascin-
alton for me. I hesitated to approach it,
yet could not forbear surveying it long
and earnestly. Could it, be possible that
those curtains concealed some one in hid
ing behind them? Strange to say, I did
not feel quite ready to lay hand on them
and see. -
dressing table laden with wonan's
fix1ngs and various articles of the toilet
| all Of an unexpected value and richness
occupied the space between the two win
| dows; and on the floor, Immediately in
front OF a high mahogany mantel, there
| lay, amid a number Of empty boxes, an
| overturned chair. This chair and the
conjectures it's position awakened led me
TO look up at the mantel with which it
seemed to be in some way connected, and
thus y became aware of a wan old draw.
ing hanging on the wall above it. Why
this~Wcture. which was a. totally uniriter-
oh Of Siv ~~fHe t,,1tf e.,
I should have held my eye after the first
glance, I, can not say even now. It had
no beauty even of the sentimental kind,
and very little, If any, meaning. Its lines,
weak at the best, were nearly obliterated
and In some places quite faded out. Yet
l not only paused to look at it, but in
| looking at It forgot myself and well-nigh
my Grand Yet there was no apparent
reason for the spell it exerted over me,
| nor could I account in any way for the
really superstitious dread which from this
moment, seized me. making my head move
| slowly round with shrinking backward
| looks as that swaying shutter creaked or.
some f1tful noises which grow out of
silence In answer to our inner expectancy
drew my attention or appalled, my sense
1 10 all appearance, there was less here
! than below to affect a mans courage. No
inaninlate body with the mark Of the STAY
er upon 1t lent horror to these walls; vet
4 sensations which, had easily over:
! come in the library below chung with
strange insistence to me here making it
an effort for me to move, and giving to
I the unexpected reflection of my own i'm
age In the mirror l. CHANGED to pass; a
power to- shock my nerves which has
never been repeated in my experience.
1t may seem both unnecessary and out
Of character for a,man of my calling to
acknowledge these chance sensations, but
only by doing SO, can I account for the
minutes which elapsed before sum-
4 moned sufficient self-possession to draw
aside the closed curtains of the bed and
take the quick look inside which my
present doubtful position demanded. But
once had broken the spell and taken the
look just mentioned, found my manhood
return and with it my old ardor for clues.
The bed held no gaping, chattering Grim
u ihal; yet was 1t not quite empty. Some
4 thing lay there, and this something while
commonplace in itself. was enough out
Of keeping with the place and hour to
:, rouse my interest and awaken my conjec-
lures. 1t was a lady's wrap so rich in
quality and of such festive appearance
that it was astonishing to find it lying
In a neglected state in this crumbling old
house. Though know little Of the cost
Of women's garments, I do know the
value Of lace, and this garment was COW
l. cred with 1t. So g so
j Interesting as was this find, it was fol-
lowed Dy one still more So. Nestled in
the folds of the cloak lay the withered
remains of what could only have been the
, bridal BOUQUET. Unsightly now and scent
| less, 1t was once a beautiful specimen
Of the florists art AS I noted how the
main bunch Of roses and lilies was con-
! nected by long satin ribbons to the lesser
cluster which hung from it, recalled with
. conceivable horror the use to which a sim
liar ribbon had been put in the room be-
: low. In the shudder called up by this
coincidence I forgot to speculate how a
= bouquet carried by the bride could have
: found its way back to this upstairs room
, when, as all accounts agree. she had fled
i from the parlor without speaking or stay
ing foot the moment she was told of the
catastrophe which had taken place in the
library. That her wrap should be lying
, here was not strange, but that the wed.
ding bouquet.
) That it really was the wedding bouquet
and that this was the room in which the
t bride had dressed for the ceremony was
) apparent to the most casual observer. Bu
1t became an established fact when ir
, my further course about the room
) CHANGED on a handkerchief with the name
l Veronica embroidered in one corner.
(To be continued to-morrow.)
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