The Newark journal., 1907-04-26
|: HE MAN IN THE TOWER
By DAVID A. PIATT.
.
 NNopyrlsht, by Daily Story Pub. Co1

The moment 1 beheld the man covering there in the abandoned railway tower l felt instinctivelv that the hours we were destined to spend together would be fraught with unusual happenings. He was pale and attenuated, his clothing vas shabby and his hair and beard were heavy and unkempt. From be- heath shaggy brows his eyes gleamed like live eoals. He had the appear ance of one with mind dethroned, yet l felt no fear. Instead, I was stirred by a feeling of compassion that l did not fully understand until afterward. We readily fell into conversation as men who have rubbed against the rough edges of life will. l speedily discovered that he possessed unusual culture and refinement. Obviously he was in- tended for something better than Fate had accorded him. I was be- ginning to think that my first im- prcssions regarding his sanity had been erroneous when he paused in the midst of perfectly rational conversation, his face paling and his eyes turning fearfully toward a remote corner where the shadows were densesr.
 ''They are there. They are there" he screamed, his voice vi- hrant with fear. ''I cannot escape them-they follow me like demons of vengeance logging me to perdi- tion, They will sound my death knell n'
 1 could neither see nor hear any, thing of an unusual nature, but in order to relieve his mind I made a detour of the room, pausing in the very corner whose shadows seemed to hold so much of horror for him.
 My poor fellow, you are laboring under a delusion," said, soothing ly. ''There is absolutely nothing to fear. You must calm yourself.'
 ''They are there'" he repeated, wildly. SI hear their accursed pat ter-patter. Stop them for Gods sake, stop them.''
 What do you mean? There is nothing here save the mildewed walls and floor
 "Fhe raindropsv' he weakly ar ticulated. ''Stop them; they are driving me mad!"
 Then I realized that it was the weird tc-d-tdch, tic-a-tach; of rain- drops falling from the ceiling that had affected him so strangely. I hastened to muffie the sounds. Im- mediately he appeared relieved But that he had received a severe nerv- ous shock was attested by the trem- bling of his limbs, the pallor of his face and the manner in which he shrank back into his chair, glaring in alright at the point whence had proceeded the, to him, terrifying noises.
 My friend, you undoubtedly ad- judge me insane," he finally said, his voice still unsteady; my only wonder is that 1 am not. But those sounds, trivial as they may seem to you, are the cause of my being here a haunted man homeless and friend less.'
 Desirous of learning something of his past 1 motioned for him to pro- ceed.
 Several years ago." he began, his voice sounding strange and dirge- like, q was night operator at this place. Before l had been here a month l won the love of a girl who lived nearby. l will not attempt to describe the dream of bliss in which l lived for a time; but in the hell of remorse that followed mem- ories of those days came to me like 1roo,,,c of DorodiCa $
 His voice broke at this point and he paused to recover his composure. Outside the storm had risen to fury.
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