The Washington times., 1906-07-15
CHAPTER VII
The Man on the Wall.

7 was so thoroughly angry with nv
self that after idliug along the shores
for an hour 7 lost nv way IN the dark
wood when I landed and brought up
at the rear door used by Bates for COM
municatiou with the villagers who sup
piled ua with Uruveuder. 7 readily
found my way 10 the kitchen and 20
fight Of stairs beyond, which connect
ed the first and second floors. rhe
house was dark. and my good spirits
were not increased ass 7 stumbled up
the unfamiliar way in the dark with.
7 fear. "a maIediction upon my grand
father. who had built and left iucom-
pIete house so utterly prouosterous.
Nv unuardouahle fling az the girl stiu
rankIed: and was cold from the
gulck descent OF the.uiah chill on the
~yater and anxious % get into more
comfortable clothes. once on the sec
end floor I felt thar I knew the way 10
~ room. and I was feeling my way
toward IL over the rough floor when
I heard low voices rising apparently
from my sitting room
1t was pitch dark in the hall. I stop
ped short and listened. The door of
my room was open and a faint light
flashed once into the haI and disap-
peared. heard now sound as OF a
hammer tapping upon woodwork.
Then il ceased. and a voice whisper
ed:
Hen kin me if ne finds me here
I'll try AGAIN tomorrow. I swear 10
God I'll helm you. but no more now"
Then tHe sound of "a srume and again
the tapping OF the hammer. After sew
whispered dialogue which / could
not hear.
Whatever was occurriug TWO or
three points struck me ON the instant.
One OF the c0nspirators was an un-
willing party 10 an act as yet un-
known, second. rh-y had been unsuc-
cessfu and must wait for another op-
uartuniU. and third. the business,
Whatever it WAS. was clearly OF some
Importance % myself, as nv own
apartments I'm my Eraudfa5her's
strange house had been chosen for
the Investigation
Clearly. ! was not prepared to close
the incident bun the idea of frighreu-
ing my visitors appealed 10 my sense
of humOr 7 tinroei 90 the front stair
way. ran lightly down. found the front
door. and. from the inside. opened and
slammed 10. ] heard Instantly q hur-
ried scampeT above. and the heavy
fan of one who had stumbled I'm the
dark I Erinued with real pleasure al
the sound cS this mishap. hurried into
the great library. which was as dark
as a ~s-u. and, opening one of the
long windows, stepped out on the bal
cony Al once from the rear of the
hors~ came the sound of stealthv
stem. which Increased 10 a run al The
rsyine bridge I listened TO the flight
o. the fugitive through the wood un-
I'll the sounds died away toward the
lake.
Then. turning 20 the library win
d0ws. I saw Bates. with "a candle held
above his head. peeriug about.
Hello Bates" 7 called cheerfully.
''I just got home and srepned out To-
see II the moon had risen. I don't be-
lieve I know where 10 look for il In
this country"
He began lighting the tapers with
his usual deuberation.
IT'S a trihe early, / think, sir.
About Z o'clock / should say. was the
hour. Mr.. Glenarm."
There was. Of course, no doubt
whatever that Bates had been one of
the men ] heard In my room II was
wholly possible that he had been com
peIled to assist in some lawless act
against his VIII; but why II he had
been forced into aiding q criminal
should he rot invoke my own aid to
protect himself? ! kicked the logs IN