Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-06-20
CHAPTER nj.
Continued

COItllluctL
word about my uncle's will. None
being found, it was for me, as next OF
kin, to take out letters of adminstra-
tion. But l delayed to do SO, and my
wife approved of the delay. We both
considered that any sign of haste
would be indecent Meanwhile, Of
fered 4 large reward for the apprehen-
sion of Samuel Fleetwood, and the bills
were posted throughout the country.
So things went OH until fatal day
arrived.
1t was Thursday. 1t had happened
that Oh the very day on which my
uncle met his death my half-yearly al
lowance was due, and his London law
yers had sent it TO my bank OH the
previous night. Thus there was to my
credit considerable sum. But was
also largely in debt. The expenses at
tendant upon my unclc's visit, certain
of my own regular expenses, and the
charges for the funeral, which, not out
of tation, but of respect, l had
made imposing, remained underrayed.
The accounts for all these had come in,
and l resolved to discharge them on
Friday. 1t had ever been habit of
mine to pay what / owed in cash in
stead of by check. The bills amounted
to a sum of between five and six hun
dred pounds, and on the Thursday l
refer to / drew out of the bank, by
check, one thousand pounds. Part of
the extra money intended to give my
wife toward Eunice's wedding trous-
seau, the preparation of which would
assist to BEAUTIFULLY divert her mind.
Since the day of my uncle's death l
had not been outside the boundary of
my grounds except to attend the in
quest and the funeral, and had. there
fore, not mixed as usual with the
townspeople. On my way | exchanged
salutations with one another, and it
struck me that there was a lack of
cOrdialty in their greetings; in some
of my acquaintances, indeed, there
seemed to be certain avoidance. This
impression followed me to the bank,
with the manager of which l generally
spent a few moments in pleasant con-
versation when l had transacted my
business there. / wrote out my cncck
for one thousand pounds, and passed it
across the counter to the cashier, who
took it into the managers room. l was
not surprised at this deviation from
ordinary custom, the check being the
largest had ever drawn. The cashier
returned, asked how | would take the
money, and paid it to me. I inquired
II the manager was in, and was in.
formed that he was. AS he did not
come out to shake hands with me or
send me an invitation to come into his
room, I concluded that he was too busy
to see me; but when I left the bank
l was not quite pleased. | may men
ton that elected to receive payment
for my check in sovereigns. The rca'
son for this was that | thought il
would please my wife If | gave her
the money for Eunice's trousseau in
gold. / did not intend to give it tc
her on this day, but on Friday or Satur.
day. At the first blush the mention
Of these small matters may appear
trivial, but 1t will be presently seen
that they are of great Importance.
On the road home, with the money
in my pocket, met Mr.. Mortlock;
he scowled at me and passed on. This
did not surprise me, but before reach.
ing my house-to which I did not 90
direct, having something to say to. a
tradesman-I saw him again, and this
time in the company of the detective
who had come, with other officers, to
my house OH the morning of the muir
der. Turning when ! had gone few
steps farther, | saw both of these men
looking after me. My fears awOkc;
the ring and the fatal cord were in
my pocket; they had never left my pos
session.
entered my house in an uncomforta.
Bile frame of mind. What did this
earnest conference of Mr.. Mortlock and
the detective bodc? Was there any
connections between them and the lack
of cordiality l had observed in the
greetings of the townspeople?
My wife noticed that was mentally
uiStulbtu, anu Shc llltuC ttiiiNi lVISl'
pncc to it. felt that my manner was
constrained as 1 replied to her affec
tionate inquiries.
All that have described took place
on the morning Of this Thursday. ]
was home before noon. AS the day
waned my perturbation increased; !
could not shake off a presage Of coming
evil. Locking the door of my study,
endeavored to cheat the gloom which
oppressed me by arranging the ac.
counts to be paid on the following day
and counting out the money had re.
ceived for my check. | did not sue.
ceed; throughout my task dread posi-
biities presented themselves in threat
'ening shape; my nerves were strung to
a high pitch of tension; with a tortur-
ing fear that 1t needed an extraordin-
ary effort to meet with calmness a
hidden danger, all my senses were alb
normally awake, and 1t was due to this
condition of mind that l was enabled
to detect what otherwise would have
escaped my attention-the presence of
some person outside the door Of my
study. With catlike motion I slid