, 1908-02-20
CHAPTER VII.
The Man on the Wall.

En- VII.
The Man on the Wall.
I was so thoroughly angry with nv.
self that after idling along the shores
for an hour l lost my way in the dark
wood when l landed and brought IN ut
the rear door used by Bates for com
munication with the villagers who sup
piled us with %provender. readily
found my way to the kitchen and 10 4
flight OF stairs beyond. which connect
cd the first and second floors. STUN.
bled up the unfamiliar way in the dark.
with, ! fear, q malediction upon my
grandfather. who had built and left In.
complete a house so utterly prepos-
ferrous. My objectionable fling at the
girl still ranked: and | 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 | was sure of the location OF
my room. and ] was feeling my way
toward It over the rough door when I
heard low voices rising apparently
from nv sitring.room
II vas ni'cl dark N the hall. 7
Ltul,cd shc:, and liate...d. The doc"
Of my room was open and a faint light
flashed once into the hall and disap-
peared, l heard now a sound as Of .
hammer tapping upon woodwork.
Then 1t ceased. and a voice. whis-
pered:
Hell kill me II he finds me here.
I'll try again tomorrow. l swear to
God I'll help you, but NO more now"
Then the sound of a scuffie 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 co%nspirators 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
1t was, was clearly of some importance
to myself, as my W apartments i n
my grandfather's strange house had
been chosen for the investigation.
Clearly ! was o prepared to close
the incident. but the Idea of Brighten
ing my visitors appealed to my sense
Of humor. | tiptoed to the front stair
way, ran lightly down, found the front
door, and, from the inside, opened and
slammed 1t. l heard instantly a hur-
ried scamper above. and the heavy fall
Of one who had stumbled In the dark.
I grinned with real pleasure at the
sound of the mishap. fastened to the
great library, which was as dark as .
wall an1 NNaptn1 NrA ~ tho 1pno univ.
dows, stepped out on the balcony. At
once from the rear Of the house came
the sound OF a stealthy step. which
increased to a run at the ravine bridge.
l listened to the flight Of the fugitive
through the wood until the sounds died
away toward the lake.
Then, turning to the library window.
I saw Bates. with a candle held above
his head. peering about.
Hello, Bates" l called cheerfully.
II Just got home and stepped out to
believe / know where to ook for II In
this country"
He began lighting the tapers with
his usual elaboration.
TITS a tribe early. I think. SIR.
About eight o'clock. should say. was
the hour. Mr.. Glenarm."
There was, Of course. no doubt what
ever that Bates had been one OF the
mon / heard in my room. 1t was
wholly possible that he had been COM
PEELED to assist in some lawless act
against his will; but why, II he had
been forced into aiding q criminal.
should he not invoke my own aid to
protect himself? l kicked the logs
in the fireplace impatiently at my un-
certainty. The man slowly lighted
the many candles in the great apart
ment. He was certainly a deep one.
and his case grew more puzzling as i
studied 1t in relation to the rife shot
Of the night before. his collision with
Morgan In the wood, which ] had wit
messed; and now the house itself had
been invaded by some one with his
connivance. The rife shot might have
been innocent enough; but taken In
connection with these other matters
It could hardly be brushed aside.
Bates lighted me to the stairway.
and said as I passed him:
There's a baked ham for dinner. !
should call 1t extra delicate. Mr.. Glen
arm. suppose there's no change In
the dinner hour, sir7"
Certainly not" / said with asperity;
e. ' AN not . person to auEurats .