The newspaper., 1909-12-10


have you ever heard Louise mention
a woman named Darlington, Nina Car
rington?"
Never" pc said positively.
For try as we would, our thoughts
always came back to that fatal Satur-
day night, and the murder Every con-
versational path led to it, and we all
felt that Jameson was Tightening
the threads of evidence aro1hd John
Bailey. The detective absence was
hardly reassuring; he must have had
something to work on in town or he
would have returned.
The papers reported that the cash
ier of the Traders bank was i'll in his
apartments at the Knickerbocker-a
condition not surprising, considering
everything. The guilt of the defunct
president was no Longer in doubt; the
missing bonds had been advertised
and some of them discovered. In
every instance they had been used as
collateral for large loans, and the
belief was current that not less than
a million and half dollars had been
realized. Every one connected with
the bank had been placed under ar
rest. and released on heavy bond.
Was he alone in his guilt. or was
the cashier his accomplice? Where
was the money? Tho estate of the
dead man was comparatively small
a city house on fashionable street,
Sunnyside, large estate largely
mortgaged. an insurance Of $50. 900.
and some personal property-this was
all. The rest lost in speculation prob
ably, the papers said. There was one
thing which looked uncomfortable for
Jack Bailey: He and Paul Armstrong
together had promoted a railroad COM
pany in New Mexico. and it was ru-
mored that together they had sunk
large sums of money there. The bust
ness alliance between the two men
added to the belief that Bailey knew
something of the looting. His unex-
planned absence from the bank on
Monday lent color TO the suspicion
against him. The strange thing
seemed to be his surrendering himself
on the point OF departure. To me. 1t
seemed the shrewc calculation Of a
clever rascal. was not actively an
tagonistic to Gertrude's lover. but l
meant to be convinced. one way or the
other. took no one on faith.
That night the Sunnyside ghost be-
gan to walk again. Ilddy had been
sleeping in Louise's dressing room on
a couch. and the approach of dusk
WIS . signal for her TO barricade the
entire suite. Situated as 1t was. be-
yond the circular staircase. nothing
but an extremity of excitement would
have made her pass it after dark
tome to have a sinister appearance. but
ve kept that wing well lighted. and
until the lights went out at midnight
It was really cheerful. II one did not
know its history
On Friday night. then. | had gone
to bed. resolved TO go at once to sleep.
Thoughts that insisted on obtruding
themselves I pushed resolutely to the
back of my mind. and I Systematically
relaxed every muscle. I fell asleep
soon. and was dreaming that DR.
Walker was building his new house
Immediately in front of my windows
| could hear the thump-thump Of the
hammers. and then walked to a
knowledge that somebody was pound.
ing on my door.
IVES up AT once. and with the
sound OF my footstep on the floor the
low knocking ceased. to be followed
Immediately by sibilant whispering
through the keyhole.
Miss Rachel Miss Racf ell" some
body was saying. over and over.
"Is that VOC I.iddy.- I asked. my
hand on the knob
For the love of mercy. let me i'm
she said in a low tone.
She was leaning against the door
for when orcncd a. she fell in She
Was grecnish-Vhitc and she had =
red and black barred flannel petiicoai
over hcr shoulders
Listen shr said. standing "A the
middle OF the floor and holdins on TO
me oh. Miss Rachel. it's the ghost
of that dead man hammering to get
i'm
Sure enought. there was e dull thud
-thud-thud-it came apparently
from the wall.
It's not ghost" | said decidedly.
IF It was a ghost it wouldn't rap; it
would come through the keyhole." ="
Liddy looked at the keyhole. But it
sounds very much as though some one
is trying to break into the house"
Liddy was shivering violently.