The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-07-09
CHAPTER V.

visits, which were all professional, ne
| had, by dropping some leading word
striven to discover the public mind in
regard to the murder committed in their
midst twenty-fv years before.
TO his surprise he met everywhere a
| decided reluctance TO talk upon the sub
| ject. as the law had acquitted the only
| one suspected. but the gloomy looks and
wise sh axes Of the head ne so often met
told him well that the younger brother
Fitzroy was still held guilty in the opin-
ions of the general mass of the lnhaD-
itants.
Sorry to see that his friend was still
so hardly thought of. Earle Elfensteln
dropped the subject. Jumping INTO MS
gig. he drove away to the village. resolv-
ed to go through the extensive grounds
of the Hall" as strangers were in the
daily habit of doing.
Glendenning Hall lay next TO his own
cottage home. and stopping at the gate
lodge. he asked permission of the keeper
to drive around the premises.
This permission was easily gained, and
the son of the gatekeeper. an intelligent
boy of fourteen. volunteered to ride with
him, to explain the places on the route.
SO climbing to his side. Sandy began at
once to chatter of all that came into his
young head.
You are the new doctor. | know that
WELL" he remarked: 80 it is all right for
you 20 know how to get to the Hall, in
case you are sent for in hurry. 1t is
quite a ride. you see, before the man
sion comes even in sight. This front
part of the house is where the family
live, and is of stone, very handsome; but
all that wing, or part. that runs back, is
very old deserted and almost falling to
pieces"
There was murder committed here
once. have been told my boy. Which
part was that done in?'
1T is not on the front. but on the
rightIh and side. where the blind is half
open. That was Sir Arthur's room, and
is now occupied by Sir Reginald. 1t is
in the second story; but the balcony rail
ing that surrounds it, you see, is not SO
very far from the ground. as the house
sets so low at that end The body was
swung from that balcony to the ground,
by means of a rope tied under the arms.
The rope was dangling there, the next
day, in the wind See! this path leads
to It beautiful lake; you can see the wat
er plainly through those parting tree
boughs There the body was supposed
TO have been flung, TO hide it for a time;
but it must have been carried away the
same night, for it never has been found"
That is very strange!" quoth the doc
tor. Where could the murderers have
hidden it?'
NO one can tell. People think his
brother did the deed, as they had quar-
relied the night before it happened; but
when he was tried it seemed to be prov
ed that he did not"
"YOnder is curious looking building"
remarked Earle. pointing to square
brick tower that stood beyond, yet at
tached to, the deserted wing. What may
that be?"
1T is called The Haunted Tower
Please drive fast past that doctor, for l
SILVER whenever think of it. even, much
less pass near it, returned Sandy.
"Why?"
Because it is fearful place. II is
haunted" was the whispered reply.
"Who says %"
Every body. No one likes to take this
path, even in daylight such terrible
things appear at those windows at the
top of the tower on dark stormy nights"
II have; and so has every person who
lives in house with windows facing
this way, or who is out much nights.
You see, that tower is very tall, and
scars way above the trees. l saw it my
self the last time we had terrible storm.
l was staying with Jim Colgrove all
night. Jim lives just below you, in the
village. 1t was about ten O'Clock and
in. % knv
| ready for bed. Jim put out the light and
| ran to the window to see il 1t still
stormed, when, suddenly, a bright light
caught my eyes, in the top of the tower,
and. looking up, saw the most frightful
| object eyes ever beheld dancing inside,
| plainly seen through the windows"
The boy stopped here. while his eyes
seemed dilating with horror at the re-
| membrance, and his lips grew pale.
What was it likeT
"Oh, | don't want to describe it! l
can't. really! Jim looked out when l
screamed, and was as frightened as l, so
we both jumped into bed, quick. and COW
cred up our heads to shut out the sight.
| 1t was terrible. doctor, TERRIBLE"
DIR. Elfenstein said no more, but In
wardly resolved to be on the lookout for
the specter of the Haunted Tower. Yet,
while he resolved. he laughed at himself
for putting the least faith in this boys
unlikely story.
| 1T is wild tale these villagers have
invented, in order TO excite strangers. and
draw attention to this quiet. rural place.
do not believe one word about the
| ghost. yet, for the Joke of the thing, I
will look this way about ten, some real
stormy night. and see what Is to be
seen"
| As if to keep the thing in remem-
brance. Earle saw that the sun was sink
ing. even then, into a bank of clouds,