The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-20

 seemed to hear a low whistle. such as my sister described and q few nc fnents later changing sound as if q mass of metal had fallen As ran down the passage my sisters door was m locked and revolved slowly upon it's hinges stared at it horror-stricken. not knowing what was about +o i.siie from it. By the light of the corridor lamp saw my sister appear at the open- Ing, her face blanched with terror, her hands groping for help, her whole figure swaSing to and from like that of drunkard. ran to her and threw my arms around her. but at that moment her knees seemed to give way. and she Tell to the ground. She writhed as one who is in terrible pain, and her limbs were dreadfully convused At first I thought that she had not recognized me. but as l bent over her she suddenly shrleked out In voice which | shall never forget; Oh, my Godi Heleui Ii was the bandi The speckled band!' There was something else which she would fain have said and she tabbed with her finger into the air In the di- rection of the doctors room but a fresh eonVulsion seized her and ehoked her words l rushed out, calling loudly for my stepfather. and I met him hasten Ing from his room in his dressing gown When he reached my sisters side she was unconscious. and. though he poured brandy down her throat and sent for med ical aid from the village. all efforts were !n vain, for sine slowly sank and died without having recovered her conscious- ness. Such was the dreadful end of my beloved sister
 aone moment" said Holmes; "are you sure about this whistle and metallic soundY Can you swear to it?''
 That was what the county coroner asked me at the inquiry. II is my strong impression that 1 heard Il. and yet among the crash of the gale and the ereaking of the old house l may possibly have been deceived"
 Was your sister dressed%'
 No, she was in her nightdress Tn her right hand was found the charred stump of match and in her left match box"
 Showing that she had struck light and looked about her when the alarm took place. That Is important And what conclusions did the coroner come to?"
 He investigated the case with great cares for Dr. Roylotts conduct had long been notorious in the county, but he was unable to find any sa tisfactory cause of death. My evidence showed that the door had been fastened upon the inner side, and the windows were blocked by old fashioned shutters with broad iron bars, which were secured every night The walls were carefully sounded and were shown to be quite solid all around. and the flooring was examined with the same result. The chimney is wide, but it is barred up by four large staples. It Is certain therefore, that my sister was quite alone when she met her end. Be sides there were no marks of any vio- lence upon her"
 How about poison?'
 "'fhe doctor examined her for it. but without success
 What do you think that this unfortu nate lady died of. then?"
 Tt Is my belief that she died of pure fear and nervous shock, though what 1t was that frightened her I cannot i'm agine''
 Were there Gypsies in the plantation at the time?"
 Yes, there are nearly always some there'
 "Ah. and what did you gather from this allusion to banda specked band?"
 Some times I have thought that 1t was merely the wild talk of delirlum, some 1 times that it may have referred to some band of people, perhaps to these very Gypsies in the plantation. I do not know whether the spotted handkerchief which so many of them wear over their heads might have suggested the strange ad- jective which she used
 Holmes shook his head like man who is far from being satisfied. 'These are very deep waters" said he. Pray go on with your narritive."
 Two years have passed since then. and my life has been until lately lonelier than ever. month ago however, a dear friend, whom I have known for many years, has done me the honor 10 ask my hand In marriage. His name Is Percy Armtage-second son of MT Ar mtage of Crane Water, near Reading. My stepfather has offered no opposition to the match, and we are to be married In the course of the spring. Two days ago some repairs were started In the west wing of the building and my bed room wall has been pierced so that 1 have had to move into the chamber in which my sister died and to sleep in the very bed in which she slept Imagine then, my thrill of terror when. last night as l lay awake thinking over her terrible fate, suddenly heard in the silence of the night the low whistle winch had been the herald of her own death 1 sprang up and lit the lamp. but nothing was to be seen in the room. 1 was too shaken to go to bed again. however. so l dressed and soon 1t was daylight l slipped down, got dogcart at the Grown inn which Is opposite, and drove to Leath- erhead whence l have come on this morn ing with the one object of seeing you and asking your advice"