The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-05-13
II ROBERT MAYHEM

t@@I the tick OF the great CLOCK
Ll@l l@lJ IN the hall. At the newell
post he paused and glanced
back with an expression OF frOwning
regret, then, with a lift Of his shoul-
crossed the hall and stood before the
timepiece. The room was dimly
lighted by the staned-glass windows,
which were the only unshuttered ones,
and there was a barren precision In
the arrangement Of the furniture, an
unwOnted silence, a fOrmality as Of a
mother waiting to greet new daugh-
ter-in-law, that lent "A cold, echoing
vastness. The clock that stood on a
dias raised three steps from the floor
had q cathedral-like architecture. It's
carvings were almost black with age,
and the ticking was tense and slow.
Out Of dusky window seat a girl
arose, a small, graceful red.haired
girl. As she went toward Sir Robert
her heels struck nosily on the bare
spaces on the floor, and half way 70
him she stopped with something of EN-.
barrassment.
"They put me in the library" she
said, abruptly. But ! couldn't stay
there. Father Is somewhere about. lie
had more dellcacy than ! have. He
said he wouldn't intrude."
'Do you fancy there Is place where
you could intrude, Miss Dunn" Sir
Robert asked medltatlvely as he moved
a chair out Of its prim position and
motioned her into It,
THAT may be nice speech, and II
may not" she returned, as she sat
down. 1--WE been waiting here" she
continued, "ln this stiffness, with moth
ing but the rain singing on the panes
and that dolorous clock ticking. until
IL seemed that all the dead old May
hews came out and stood around me
whispering, I'm awfully glad to see
some solid 1esh.'"
g.. Sir Robert laughed somewhat mo
chanically and turned the large and
curlously wrought key over and over
IN his hand, as II for the first time
he was aware Of its oddity.
"Do you know" he started slowly
after a pause, during which she had
studied him pitylngly, 81 didn't think
l should sec you again"
"You were going without saying
goodby" she asked rcproachfully.
II DON'T think il is better to keep
unpleasant truths to oneself" he an
swered with gravity.
Miss Dunn gazcd for long while at
the clock. Sir Robert sat down on the |
third step of the dais, still turning the
key.
"Do you know what It sounds rs If
1t were saying" she began. Listen!
Isn't it Me-a cul-pa' 'Me-a culpaY
Just ms If it were very weary and very
Sorry
Sir Robert stared at her with some
then he nodded
$50 it does. And that is just what II
ought to say, for it has enough to say
Il for"
, How do you mean?' she asked.
Don't you know about the Mayhem
clock" He looked surprised "Why.
this is one Of the first clocks built i'm
England, and | think 1t is the most
famous. II would never do for you 10
have the house and not know some
thing of what this is. What is the
use Of buying an estate II you don't
get its tradtons?"
Don't be bitter about it." she re-
turned lightly. "What about the
clock? Has it ghost? Is there
secret door? Did the Pretender sleep
among its cogs and wheels He seems
TO have spent most of his time taking
odd places 10 sleep in. I'm looking for
place he didn't sleep in, so that can
write book about IT,"
Write il about this, for ne didn't
sleep here; but it's large enough.
Lcok" Sir Robert unlocked the door.
and motioned her TO come and look at
the interior Of the case. You see"
he said, as she stood beside him. ITS
very old. though the various parts of
the mechanism have been renewed as
they have to be at different times
This house and the property do not
pass with the title. you know. old
Sir Matthew, who put the clock here
had some sort of Grudge against
his oldest son. and precious little faith
In his youngest. So at his death he
made it n condition that the clock
should be stopped until the first earth
was cast upon his coffin, and then the
hrst one of the Mayhem name and
blood who started the clock roinp on.
tered upon possession of the property.
Besides that If from any cause the
clock stopped during the lifetime of
the possessor and any other Mayhew
happened TO set il going the property
passed at once. IL had 20 be done i'm
the presence Of three witnesses You
see the clock is rather important"
II should think that you must come
OF very quarrelsome stock. wonder
that any Of you are left alive" Mis-,
Dunn looked up. laughing. then seated
herself on the top step and patted TN,
floor Please sit here and tell IN,
more
"Ob. there are as many legends n
years TO the house. And as for ghosts
You'll find when you live here tha
not a servant will enter this hall alon
after dark. They think that the sp.ri
Of bad Sir Thomas prowls in from
Of the clock. I've watched many time