The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-09-19

presently felt an overpowering sense of
drowsiness, and leaned forward upon
the desk, laying his head upon his ex-
tended arms.
What followed, he never rightly un-
derstood. 1t seemed that he presently
found himself nearing the old Essex
pace on his way to his boarding house.
lie noticed with some surprise that the
house, which had stood vacant for
several months, now appeared to be oc-
cupied, for lights shone dimly from the
windows of the upper story.
For George eked out his very slender
law practice by acting as agent for
such owners as he could induce to place
their property in his hands; and it so
CHANGED that the Essex house was then
being advertised by him In the wyats-
vile Free Press as very desirable
residence, for lease at low figure 10
good tenant, and the front door key
was even then in his pocket Thus, 1t
was all the more astonishing to him to
find the place apparently occupied.
Failing to elicit any response, after
repeated ringing of the bell, he unlock
ed the door and entered the building.
His perplexity was increased by the
discovery that the house was furnish
ed but the light from the turned-down
hall lamp revealed no sign of life down
stairs
George was no coward; and, al
though the thing was unreasonable to
him, he determined to see ii out. Up
stairs he accordingly proceeded, and
knocked loudly at a door beneath which
a ray of light escaped. No one deigning
to reply, he boldly entered the apart
ment
The dim light apparently proceeded
from another room, the door OF which
stood ajar 1t revealed to George a
large bed at the farther end of the
room in which he stood, in which lay a
young man, asleep. As young Shore
ham stood debating with himself
whether he should awaken the sleeper
and request an explanation of this mys-
terry, or should follow the wiser course
of leaving the house and returning next
day for that purpose, he was startled
by the appearance of an old gentleman,
clad in dressing gown and slippers, who
came from the adjoining room, carrying
q lighted candle in his hand
George made an effort to speak, but
90 1oI 30
neither did he for the moment seem
capable of locomotlon.
The old gentleman walked noiselessly
to the head of tine bed, fumbled around
among the bedclothes for some seconds.
and then slowly shuffled his way out Of
the room.
George found himself following this
strange visitor. They passed through
the adjoining room, where the flicker
ing candle CLEAN revealed another bed,
the disordered condition of which adj
Gated that it had but recently been oc-
cupied
On through the hall and down the
staircase, they went, at last entering a
room on the lower floor, which he judged
from Its furnishings to be the library.
On large desk In one corner of this
from the old gentleman placed the can
die, and although George Shoreham
was beginning to look upon these
strange proceedings In matter-of-fact
way, he found himself noting with puz-
zled interest the fact that the desk at
which the nocturnal rambler now seat
ed himself was identical with the one
he had himself so lately acquired.
Unlocking drawer of this desk, the
old gentleman searched around In II
for some little time, and then placed