Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-11-25

almost the same attitude and I'm tho
same pace where we had found her
brothers body And to add TO the
similarity, just thCn the hall clock.
Tar on, struck family three o'clock
It was four before Louise was able
20 talk, and the first rays OF dawn
were coming through her windows.
which faced the east. before she could
tell us coherently what had occurred.
! give il as she told It. She lay
propped in bed, and Halsey sat beside
her. unrebuffed, and held her hand
while she talked
Il was not sleeping WE'LL" she be.
gan. partly. think. because had
slept during the afternoon. Liddy
brought me some hot milk at ten
o'clock and | slept until ~. Then
wakened and got to thinking about
things. and worrying. so | could not
so TO sleep.
II was wondering why had not
heard from Arnold since the-eince
saw him that night at the lodge.
was afraid he was III. hc
causo-he WAS to have done
something for mo. and he had not
come back. IL must have been three
when | heard some one rapping.
sat up and listened, To be quite sure.
and the rapping kept up. | was eau
uous. and | was about TO call Liddy
Then suddenly | thought knew what
1t was. The east entrance and circu.
lar staircase were always used by
Arnold when he was out late. and
sometimes. when he forgot his key, he
would rap and ] would go down and
let him in | thought he had come
back to SEQ me- didn't think about
the time, for his hours were always
erratc. But ] was afraid | was too
weak 10 get down the stairs. The
Knocking kept up. and just as | was
about to call Liddy, she ran through
the room and out into the hall. | got
up then, feeling weak and dizzy, and
put on my dressinggown. If II was
Arnold, ! knew | must see him.
1T was very dark everywhere. but.
OF course, knew my way felt along
for the stair-rail. and went down as
quickly AZ | could. The knocking had
stopped. and was afraid I was too
late. ! got to the foot OF the stair
case and over to the door on TO the
east veranda. | had never thought OF
anything but that II was Arnold until
] reached the door II was unlocked
and opened about an inch. Everything
was black; IL was perfectly dark out
side. felt very queer and shaky.
Then ] thought perhaps Arnold had
used his key; he dld--st.ange things
sometimes, and | turned around Just
MS | reached the foot OF the staircase
! thought ! heard some one coming
My nerves were going anyhow, there
In the dark. and could scarcely
stand. got up AS far as the third
or fourth step; then ! felt that some
one was coming toward me on the
staircase. The next instant hand
met mine on the stair.rail Some one
brushed past me, and | screamed
Then must have tainted"
That was Louise's story. There
could be no doubt OF its truth, and the
thing that made II inexpressibly awful
To me was that the poor girl had crept
down TO answer the summons of "A
brother who would never need her
kindly Offices again Twice. now, with
tered the house by means Of the east
entrance; had apparently gone his
way unhiudered through the house,
and gone ont again as he had entered.
lad this unknown visitor been there
a third time, the night Arnold Arm.
strong was murdered? or a fourth,
the time Mr.. Jameson had locked
some one in the clothes chute?
Sleep was impossible, ] think, for
any of us. VIC dispersed finally to
battle and dress leaving Louise little
the worse for her experience But
determined that before the day was
over she must know the true state Of
affairs. Another decision ] made. and
J put IT. into execution Immediately
after breakfast ! had one of the
unused bedrooms I'm the east wing.
back along the small corridor. pre-.
uHrgd fnF prrnuoprv auH A..