The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-02-06

will you?"
NO" said Lionel slowly-"No, I don't
think that would be honorable. either"
Soon after this the acquaintance sep
arated for the night.
CHAPTER III.
Lionel's chamber at the BLACK Wolf
was one of the ghostliest and quaintest il
that quaint and ghostly inn. His one
wax candle burned dimly on the high
mantelshelf. Thrown up In strong relief
among the shadows was a great f~our-pos,
bedstead, heavily curtained with red dam.
ask just the kind of curtains for a ghos,
to draw in the midIle of night and wake
one up, with the announcement of some
unsupported, long-forgotten crime.
The rain was pattering against the
window, and every now and then the voice
of the wind was heard, rising like a la.
mentation, and dying away in a sigh
Lionel listened to the wind, and then
glanced about into the corners Of the
shadowy room. He was not afraid OF
ghosts, but there was an imaginative
power in him, a love of the mysterious
and this vein was on him strongly to
night while he sat in the bed chamber oil
the BLACK Wolf"
Mystery sarouded his birth. Educated
on the Continent, almost entirely. he
came. he was sure. of English parents
| More han that, he was convinced that he
was well if not nobly born; that If he
could succeed in discovering the true
name of his family, he should probably
find himself the heir to wealth and land
and even title. But insuperable diff
Guilty stood between him and this dis
covery nor was he anxious to devote the
precious years of his youth to what
might prove but ON unsuccessful search
and would probably end in blank disap-
pointment.
Lionel was only twenty-four. His lodg-
ings were at Woodmancote. a rural vii
lage three miles from Abbotshold, since
most Of his pupils lived in that immediate
neighborhood. Lately he had been strug-
Cling m~anfully to throw off the subtle and
dangerous fascination which enthralled
him and, since the first step in this wise
direction is said to be TO seek society and
shun seclusion, Lionel no longer spent his
evenings in his study with his reading
lamp, his books, his manuscripts, his pot
of strong coffee, after the fashion of O
would-be wakeful student.
The ~liveliest place within access of a
friendly youth-without connections OF
introductions, in that proud and exclusive
little country ~coterie, where none were
admitted unless they could bring fashion
able Observation-Disclosures the "Black
Wolf So it happened that lately Lione,
had supped at the ~favorite inn, listened
to Ia ughter and song. and striven to for.
get a certain pair of dark eyes which
haunted him continually.
Its no use," he muttered. II mus,
leave this ~neighborhood. l must &c
abroad"
He passed his hand over his forehead
and then he heard distinctly a cough
there could be no mistake cough
which the person seemed to strive TO re
press, but which broke out again more
loudly-a distinct human cough, as of one
hoarse with cold. Lionel stood up anC
seized his candle. He held it high above
his head, and peered into all the DARK
corners of the low-ceiled room.
Nothing to be seen. 1t must be fan
cy," he muttered. II might think hat
had heard a neighbor cough in an adjoin'
ing room, only it is well known the walls
in this old house are of such q thickness
that no sound comes from one room tC
another. 1t must be fancy"
He undressed and put put his candle
and crept into bed; but his mind was
too active, too busy, too much peopleC
with fancies and plants and regrets AND
vague, wild hopes, to permit him to sleep
While he lay thinking, against his will
of those haunting eyes, he distinctly heard
the cough again.
mo fancy said he, aloud.
Then he sprang out, and went 10 th'
fire. and contrived to light his candle
and he walked about, carefully searching
He looked under the bed and felt thu
walls. AT last, while his hand was on the
wall, the cough came a third time behinC
il. He struck the wall. The sound wa:
hollow.
Hello! there is a cupboard here" sale
Lionel.
And so it proved. The cupboard dool
was papered over with the same red vel
vet paper as the walls. But Lionel founC
a key, turned it, and entered a large, deeI
closet. He fully expected to encounter {
burglar, but the place was empty. III
lifted the candle, and looked all round
This closet was not used apparently, fol
clothes or any other purpose. 1t was al
empty, dark place. The walls were GOV
cred with a dull, yellow paper.
Somebody was here" said Lionel
There must be another door, or a stair
case, Or
He began to search, but he found moth
ing. No stairs, no second door. Then III
came into his room and locked the door o.
the cupboard, and put the key in hi:
pocket. He then went to bed, bewildere(
and wondering. Soon he fell asleep, ant
did not awaken till daylight looked in al
his window.
He rose and began to dress somewhat
carefully for, after breakfast, he was e
proceed at once to that house where thu
haunting eyes which had looked at hin
from the embers last night shone and
softened in the sweet, warm reality o.
life.
The sublime ever touches upon the ri
diculous. Lionel dropped a cake Of socp
1t fell at some distance, just at the dool
OF that suspected cupboard. He crossed
the room, stopped TO pick it UP. 10, ant
behold! the door was ajar. 1t had beer
forced from the inside.
He rushed to the door of his room
which he distinctly remembered locki,,:
and trying the previous night 1t wa:
not only unlocked, but ajar. Somebody
then, had succeeded in escaping while ht