The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-10-18
THE ALTENBURG CASE
By GEORGE DYRE ELDRIDGE


that when the bedroom door was push ed open he saw man with a bloody knife in his hand standing just within the room. ready to stab any one who entered. Grimbleshaw. on the con-
 trary, affirmed that he himself had seen nothing but the still form on the
 bed, and that whatever it was rushed
 past him developed unseen out of the darkness.
 To Trafford the main value of the boys story was that it confirmed Grimbleshaw's assertion that some one was in the room with the injured man when the door opened, and this con firmation rested ir the fact thst it was something the lad had seen, not something that he heard. that caused his panic. If it had been noise Grimbleshaw would have produced it and easily deceived the lad as to the source, in view of the nervous tension which the latter was under. He could not however, cause him to see some thing unless something was there to see, Trafford had the patience of men who plan. and a confidence in his own powers of analysis that allowed him to hazard two days delay. tc the end
 that he might meet the lad by &C., cident instead of seeing to seek him.
 tHaFe you got your story right end first yet?'' he asked. with a smile that almost smac.Sed of that boyisi1 poten- tiality know as @fooling.' They say you ran.''
 T guess yoa'd a run eff you'd asseen feller with knife yard long ready fr ;olr | ,,>ko T
 T guess I would if I'd seen him l first and hadn't been so scared I couldn't assent Trafford Was the fellow standing to the right or left of the door?''
 1 "A lett1e to the left. facing us," re- piled the lad. who was won somewhat by Traford's admission that he. too.
 would have run.
 And he had the. knife in the hand I nearest the window?''
 sYou bet.'' answered the lad. satis- | fled that Trafford was not making fun of him. His arm was raised high and there was blood on the knife?'' Trafford | went on.
 I 4".Yes.. eirea! Blood was jest adrippin' from the end of it.'
 Were you in front of the doctor or
 behind him? ?'
 1 Kinder side of him: jest leetle bit
 beEind him. perhaps,'' declared the l boy
 (Which side s'' esssss His right: toward the winder.", 1 T don't spose you got d good
 enough sight Of the man in the room l to see how he was dressed" Trafford
 suggested.
 .t.Who ses I didn't? You bet T did, l fur thet's what scart me- The lad | dropped his voice and looked over his l shoulder. Trafford understood now I that the boy was no longer drawing | on his imagination. but for the time at least. was intent on: what he ac- l tually thought he had seen. He was l dressed in white from top to toei" | "Sorter ghostlike." Trafford sugge st. l ed. carelessly
 The boy shuddered The thing was I manifestly rsal.
 .eThet's jest it,'' he whispered. T thought ol Altenburg was dead an twas his ghost
 | Looked like shroud? Covered his head and arms. too?'
 f 4sDon'ti'' he gasped. Don't! Thet | was jest it!'' And there wasn't any knife?'
 The boy shook his head
 tAi1d no blood dripping i NO, no! Jest thet white thing a. standin' thar. like a big tornbstun
 only it moved"'
 1 And you dropped your candle and l 0tr{ Ot I fWho wouldn't?hs demanded the lad
 stung to the courage of defense ..l guess you would, too. eff you'd aseer l ito . ea
 "P'raps I should" Trafford admitted
 Tive no great liking for ghosts. I tel
 you" Then, as he saw a more friend l ly look come irto the boys face. hs l added: And you run downstairs l through the lower room and tht l kitchen. and--''
 Jumped into the buggy and hid un
 der the buffalo,
 Flow long did you stay there?" I q donoi kinder shook an' felt
 cold; an bimeby I peeked out, an then I turned the hoss round an dru, away liekety split; an when I wa.
 goin' out O the yard I fleared s'ur ayellin'. an druv the faster. I wasn'i
 agoin' to have no dead man artdin
 with me. you bet!''
 What did you think had become o the doctor ?' Trafford asked I Gee! I thought he was goner
 He must a' knowed thet ghost. els. he'd ben scart too"
 Trafford questioned farther. witf gentleness and shrewdness, and got hi. statement of having seen the man ii
 the front doorway when they went in to the entry. and of hearing him ask for Judith Calden." The man wal I gone when he got back from the kitch en. where the doctor sent, him to get { flight, and he hadn't asked the doctor | anything about him. for they went up stairs as soon as the doctor had shut and fastened the front door. Had thu doctor seemed frightened too? No not even when the ghost appeared l Did he seem to know the house? H.
 went right ahead as if he did. Did tn lad hear any one run downstairs afte
 him. either the ghost or the doctor No, he'd gone do VII alone and nobody