The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-01-30
CHAPTER VII.
The Man on the Wall.

ne wan on the wall.
I was so thoroughly angry with my
self that after idling along the shores
for an hour I lost my way in the dark
wood when I landed and brought up at
the rear door used by Bates for COM
munication with the villagers who sup
piled US with provender I readily
found my way to the kitchen and to
flight Of stairs beyond, which connect
ed the first and second floors. l STUN
bled up the unfamiliar way in the dark,
with, l fear, maledictiOn upon my
grandfather, who had built and left in
complete house so utterly prepos-
ferrous. My objectionable fling at the
girl still ranked; and I was cold from
the quick descent of the night chill on
the water and anxious to get into some
comfortable clothes. Once on the Sec
ond floor l was sure of the location of
my room, and I was feeling my way
toward 1t over the rough floor when
heard low voices rising apparently
from my sitting-room.
1t was pitch dark in the hall.
stopped short and listened. The door
of my room was open and faint light
flashed once into the hall and disap-
peared. l heard now a sound as of q
hammer tapping upon woodwork.
Then it ceased, and a voice wills
pered:
He'll kill me if he finds me here.
III try again tomorrow. l swear to
God I'll help you, but no more now"
Then the sound of a scuffle and
again the tapping of the hammer.
After several minutes more of this
there was a whispered dialogue which
l could not hear.
Whatever was occurring two or
three points struck me on the instant.
One of the cOnspirators was an unwill-
Ing party to an act as yet unknown;
second, they had been unsuccessful
and must wait for another opportu-
nifty; and third, the business, whatever
it was, was clearly of some Importance
to myself as my own apartments In
my grandfather's strange house had
been chosen for the investigation.
Clearly I was not prepared to close
the incident, but the idea of frighten-
ing my visitors appealed to my sense
Of humor. l tiptoed to the front stair.
way, ran lightly down, found the front
door, and, from the inside, opened and
slammed it. l heard instantly a hur
ried scamper above, and the heavy fall
of one who had stumbled in the dark
grinned with real pleasure at the
sound Of the mishap, fastened to the
great library, which was as dark as &
well, and, opening one of the long win
dOws, stepped out on the balcony. Al
once from the rear of the house came
the sound Of a stealthy step, which
increased to a run at the ravine bridge
I listened to the flight of the fugitive
through the wood until the sounds dieC
away toward the lake.
Then, turning TO the library window
saw Bates, with a candle held above
his head, peering about.
Hello, Bates" l called cheerfully
, 81 just got home and stepped out t,
see If the moon had risen. l don
, believe 1 know where to look for it Il
this country"
He began lighting the tapers will
his usual elaboration.
Its a trife early, l think, slI
About eight o'clock, should say, wa
the hour, Mr.. Glenarm."
There was, of course, no doubt what
ever that Bates had been one of tn
: men I heard in my room. 1t wa
, wholly possible that he had been con
; PEELED to assist in some lawless &C
: against his will; but why, if he ha
been forced into aiding a crimina
= should he not invoke my own aid
protect himself? l kicked the log
IN the fireplace impatiently at my III
: certainty The man slowly lighte
the many candles in the great apar
ment He was certainly a deep on
and his case grew more puzZling as
studied It In relation to the rife shC
Of the night before, his collision wit
Morgan in the wood, which l had wi
>. messed: and now the house itself ha
. been invaded by some one with h
:. connivance. The rife shot might hay
> been innocent enough; but taken
:. connection with these other matter
q it could hardly be brushed aside.
Bates lighted me to the stairwa
\ and said as 1 passed him:
II There's a baked ham for dinner.
7 should call 1t extra delicate, Mr.. Gle
It arm. 1 suppose there's no change
d the dinner hour. sir?"
q Certainly not, I said with asperit,
for l am not a person to inaugurate
'. dinner hour one day and change it Il
d next. Bates wished to make conye
70 sation-the sure sign of guilty co
q science in a servant,-and l was n
' disposed to encourage him.
10 1 closed the doors carefully and
r. gan thorough examination of DO
If the sitting-room and the little be
Le chamber. I was quite sure that [
n own effects could not have attract
8, the two men who had taken advanta
e Of my absence to visit my quartz
il Bates had helped unpack nv tru