The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-08-23

you are a man of great COURAGE ;,
NO" | am putting it just as she threw
II OUT 70 me Thank you, madam"
was all that I said. Her next. words
to me were to follow her. which Of
course [ did, and on the Way m
stairs, | asked here where I was hut
she would not tell me except that
"ould ma out soon enough just to
follow her. When we arrived at the
mead Of the stairs things were begin
nlng to take on a gruesome appear-
ance and [ could hear strange noises
ana shrleks and it was dark up there.
Down at the far end of the hall many
mysterious, weird looking lights flash
ed, flickered, and went out, and |
knew there would soon be something
dong, and reaching down III nv hin
pocket pulled out my revolver ready
for instant use.
About this time we came to & room
IN the hall that seemed to tell of
ghostly things, when presto, 10 and
Dehoid. HI door to hat room sud
denly shot open and was nearly
scared out of my wits for now indeed.
it looked as if | was dealing with
things supernatural. When the lady
spoke to me again, she said, the time
for action is now at hand and if YOU
want TO be Of any real assistance at
all to me go in that room there and
remain until / call you"
1SOW, lIdl IS just q NIUE Dill more
than | had anticipated. [ would not
have objected going IN there with the
girl, but to go in there by my lone
some was a horse of another color.
We'll, Miss I finally made reply,
IF it is for your sake l must go in
there | ppos it is up to me to face
the music She was so apparently
overjoyed at these words Of mine she
held out her lily-white hand and /
grasped it. Her hand was icy old
and I knew instinctively that her lit
tie heart was warm.
After bidding me farewell and with
a few parting instructions, [ entered
the room and she closed the door.
After 1 had been in there a few
minutes and sumlnoning up courage |
began to explore the room by the aid
Of a few matches had. Not seeing
anything at all mystifying ] went over
to the bed and as the third match in
my hand was going out 7. out of
curiosity more than anything else,
reached down under the bed and my
hand came in contact with some
thing wet and sticky and withdrawing
it quickly and striking another
match / examined it and found to my
horror that it was filled With fresh
blood Looking down under the bed
| saw a man that appeared to me as
If he had been recently murdered
Trying to collect my scattered
thoughts together, | reached over and
raised the window and let the refresh
ing night air fan my p~erspiring and
fevered brow.
BY this time the storm had spent its
fury and the rain had abated down
to a slow sprinkle when all Of a
sudden the street lights all over the
city We're flashed on and [ was given
a fairly good view of the neighbour
hood | was in, and that | had wished
/ nora than once that u9c nIri of
In the distance the river could be
seen and afar off to my right | fancied
| could near a Sullen roaring which
was the unmistakable sound OF the
booming of the sea, and [ knew that
amongst those angry waters a terrible
storm was raging. Even the waters
Of the river were seething as every
now and anon / could see huge white
capped raves rolling and tumbling
over each other and dashing up spray
for two or three feet, and away of
in the distance a light house beacon
twinkled merriIy and seemed to wink
at me. while to the Southwark coul
hear the tolling of bells.
Happening to look across the street.
about this time my attention was sud
denly called to the fact that three pc
deStrianS were coming over to the
house in which ] was a prisoner. I'm
agine my surprise and horror when
IIIdhe OUT lIl1S L ~ oilN
of them was no other than the lady
of the house who so kindly. | thought
rescued me from the storm. When
recognized who her companions were
| came very near having heart failure
and then and there and everything
seemed to swing before me, for they
were cops and, of course, | supposed
thew were coming after me for the
murder of this mysterious man unde
the bed.
The first thing [ did was to rush t(
the door, get out and endeaVor tt
make my escape, for was not the eVl
dence circumstantial against me? tx
nv CONSERVATION [ found the dOOl
: locked and consequently the onl,
!, means of my escape blocked. for
t could not jump out of the window. a:
that would be sure death. Oh. II
only had that SmoOth-tOngued ad'
ventures hat so cleVerly betrayed m
r:ah4- thon [ think that In Spite O