Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-11-02

what fills her with dismay, ana SendS
the blood In terror to her heart; for the
figure of her graceful guest is rigid.
a If nodded in clay, and in those wide
open and staring eyes there is no look
of life, out rather the dull glassiness
of unconsciOusness and death. Yet she
stands upright and moves with swift,
unerring steps directly toward them.
"A somnambulist! She is walking
in her Sleep" whispered the detective;
and he watches her as if lie felt his
own good sense and trained self-pos-
session vanquished by the fascination
of her mechanical approach.
But. just as it seemed as If she were
bent upon directing her steps into their
retreat, she pauscs, turns, and sets
her foot upon the staircase. Instantly
he broke from the spell which bound
him, and uttering Il low whistle that
scarcely disturbed the silenc, rs much
rs the rustling Of her dress against the
banisters he waited unt' he heard a
slight movement in the hall beneath.
which proved that C watchers he had
left there had heard his warning. Then
he turned to Miss \spinwall with one
word of commendation for her self
control, and drew the curtain again
into it's former place.
Meanwhile in the hall beneath, Mr.
Degraw and James stood in the
shadow made by the library door, sur
veying, with wondering and startled
eyes, the precise and automaton-llke
descent of the woman in whose inter.
cstS they were supposed to be keep
ing watch. Had they not been warned,
they would have thought her spirit,
so noiseless was her step and so like
floating essence tn. delicate shape.
with its ethereal robes AMI loOsened
hair, coming. coming. step by step
down the dim staircase into the dim
hall, seeing nothing bctravinG nothing
save drcamful purpose to enter the
empty parlor
To get in her way was dangerous.
TO impede her steps or stop her move
ments even by sigh. might induce
consequences from which her lover
| naturally shrank: So notwithstanding
his anxiety, he obliged himself TO re
main where he was and merely pcered
after her as she glidcd among the fur'
niture directly to the music-boX. This
she lifted and put down again with
what sounded like a sigh Did she
place a letter under it. or did she feel
for one, or was the action purely me
chanical and the result of memories
which made the artists heart leap. 1t
was impossible to determine, nor ha0
he time to consider the question fol
no sooner had she restored the music
box to its place than she turned, and
to avoid an encounter, he found him
self forced to retreat in haste to his
old station in the library from which
point he saw her glide again by the
door and move down the hail into
regions where he could not follow heI
without discovering himself
Yet. feeling the necessity OF keep
ing her in sight, he attempted to sliE
along through the passages IN her wake
and had reached the door leading into
the dining-roOm when he suddenly
perceived her returning. and had bare
ly time to draw himself up against the
wall before she was upon him, walking
less steadily than before, and with 8
sideways. swaying movement thai
filled the lovers heart with terror, anc
made it a matter of great self-contro
! on his part not to catch her in his arm!
and lend her the support Of his
strength and the comfort of his ten
| derneSS.
She passed straight to table undel
| the staircase, and halting before 1t
showly stretched out her hand ane
took up the papcr-cutter lying there
| and which was of a make so substan
tial and had point so sharp that thu
| laughing remark had often been madt
in regard to it, that in case of sudder
need it would serve very well as dag
ger. Misdoubting her intentions, the
artist was about to tear it from hel
grasp, when she turned in the same me
chancal way, and brought it directly
to him, with IL CLASSY horror visible IL
her eyes that completely paralyzed
him and made movement impossible.
Leaving it in his hand, she went
away again, and directing her steps
| toward the staircase. began to re-as
cend them in the same spirit-like way
in which she had come down.
When she was near the top he found
breath to return the whistle which haC
been given him by Mr.. Gryce, but he
could do no more. lie was over
whelmed by the token which lie haG
Just received. of her recognition of hif
presence though that recognition was
seemingly abnormal like the vision OF
II clairvoyant who sees without looking
and knows without any manifest effort
of the faculties.
Meanwhile she had reached the up
per floor, and Hilary Aspinwall ant
| Mr.. Gryce beheld her shadow reappeaI
upon the curtain. Large at first il
| grows smaller and smaller as she
floats away from them down the hall
In another moment it will disappear
entirely. but something alarms Mr.
Gryce, and he filings the curtain sharply
: aside, and they see not only the sway
ing form of the signorina, but the
| crouching figure of man creeping in
from the back hall and pausing, witt
hand ubraised and menacing eyes, di
rectly in her pathway.
So threatening is the sight and 50
sudden it's revelation that for an in
slant Hilary Aspinwall stands ap
| palled, and even Mr.. Gryce, who IL
usually so ready for action, and sc
| fearless wherever it was concerned
| remainS r0otpd in biS ,,1ooo Ror potb