The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1905-01-25
Ghe i
Filigree Ball !
Copyright 1908. by the Bobbs.Merri Company
BY ANNA KATHARINE GREEN,
utor Of he Mystery Of Agatha Webb "Lost Mans Lane

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Ural to them or simply the result of
present excitement. But when he be-
gan to talk detected an unmistakable
tremor In his tones and decided that he
was in state Of suppressed agitation,
though he appeared to have nothing
more alarming to impart than the fact
that he had seen light burning in
some house presumably empty.
1t was all SO trivial that gave him
but scant attention till he let name
fall which caused me to prick up my
ears and even to put in word. ''The
Moore house," he had said.
"The Moore house?" 1 repeated in
amazement care you speaking Of the
Moore house?"
A thousand recollections came with
the name.
"What other ?''he grumbled, directing
toward me look as keen as 1t was I'M
patient. ''Do you think that I would
bother myself long about a house l
had no interest in, or drag Rudge from
his warm rug to save some ungrateful
neighbor from possible burglary? |
No, it is my house which some rogue |
has chosen to enter. That is" he
suavely corrected, as he saw surprise
in every eye, .'the house which the law
will give me, If anything ever happens
to that chit Of girl whom my brother
left behind him"
Growing some words at the, dog,
who showed decided inclination to
lie down where he was, the old man
made for the door and in another mo-
ment would have been in the street,
!stf i had not stepped after him.
"You are Moore and live in or near
that old house?" asked.
The surprise with which he met this
uuestion daunted me little.
"How long have you been in Wash
ington, should like to ask?" was his
acrid retort.
"Oh, some five months"
His good nature, or what passed f"r
such in this irascible old man, returned
in an instant and he curtly but not
unkindly remarked:
"You haven't learned much in that
monious than many another mans
bow, he added, with sudden dignity:
"I am Of the elder branch and live in
the cottage fronting the old place. l
am the only resident on the block.
When you have lived here longer you
will know why that especial neighbor-
hood, is not favorite one with those
, who cannot boast Of the Moore blood
For the present. let us attribute the
bad name that it holds to-malaria.
! And with significant hitch of his lean
shoulders, which set in undulating mo
; ztion every fold of the old fashioned
3 cloak he wore, he started again for tho
door.
III But my curiosity was by this time
: reused to fever heat. I knew more
1 about this house than he gave me cred
9 it for. No one who had read the pa
n pers of late, much less man connect
4 ed with the police, could help beins
Il we'll informed in all the details Of it.
! remarkable history. What had fail
Y ed to know was his close Relationship
+ to the family whose name for the las
: two weeks had been in every mouth.
"Waitv' called out. ''You say tha
you live opposite the Moore house
"You can then tell me-
But he had no mind to stop for an,
gossip.
"It was all in the papers" he calle'
back. "Read them. But first be sur
to find out who has struck a light il
the house that we all know has no
even a caretaker in it."
1t was good advice. My duty an
!? my curiosity both led me to follow it.
- Perhaps you have heard of the dis
tinguishing feature of this house.
IS SO, you do not need my explanations
But if, for any reason, you are ignorar
of the facts which within very shol
time have set a final seal of horror W
on this old historic dwelling then yo
n will be glad to read what has mad
and will continue to make the Moor
y house in Washington one to be pointe
1t at in daylight and Stunned after darl
q not only by superstitious colored foil
but by all who are susceptible to til
e most ordinary emotions Of fear an
dread.
IS 1t was standing when Washingto
" was village. 1t antedates the capit
If and the White House. Built by a ma
of wealth, it bears to this day the in
:, press of the large ideas and quiet ell
gance of colonial times; but the sha
ow which speedily fell across it mao
"a It a marked place even in those ear
IN days. While it has always escape
the hackneyed epithet Of haunted
families that have moved in have [
quickly moved out, gtvtqg - their e
!. Int, re that no happAnaag vas e b so11
! llareely attended and sales we're coed.