Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-02-27

porch he paused TO light lantern,
then he tried key after key until he
found the one that fitted the lock
he opened the door and entered the
house, the undertaken following him
A second officer stationed himself at
the door and kept back the crowd.
Their preparations were soon made
and the two men reappeared on the
porch.
Its all right" the undertaken said,
and four men raised the stretcher
again and carried the old merchant
into the house.
At this juncture Colonel HARRISON
followed by his nephew and Gilmore,
made his way through the crowd be-
fore the door. Gilmore, even, gave an
involuntary shudder as they entered
the small hall lighted by the single
lantern. while the colonel could have
wished himself anywhere else; he
had come from a sense of duty; he
had known Mcbride as we'll as any
one in Mt. Hope had known him, and
it had seemed a lack of respect to
the dead man to leave him TO the
care of the merely curious; but he
was painfully conscious of the still
presence in the parlor; he felt that
they We're unwelcome intruders in
the home of that austere old man,
who had made no friends, who had
no intimates, but had lived accord
ing to his choice, solitary and alone.
The colonel and Watt HARRISON fol-
lowed the gambler into what had
been the old merchants sitting-room.
There We're two lamps on the chin
neypieee both of which Gilmore
lighted
That's whole lot better" he said.
Anything more we can do, gentle
men," asked the undertaken, COM
ing into the room.
Nothing. thank YOU answered
the colonel in a tone of abstraction,
and he felt a sense of relief when
the officials had gone their way into
the night, leaving him and his two
companions to their vigil.
Now for the first time they had
leisure and opportunity to look about
them. 1t was a poor enough place,
all things considered: the furniture
was dingy with age and neglect, for
Archibald Mcbride had kept no SER
want; worn and faded carpet cover
ed the floor; there was an engraving
Of Washington Crossing the Della
ware and few old-fashioned wood
cuts on the wall; at one side of the
room was a desk. opposite it rusted
sheet-iron stove in which Watt Har-
bison was already starting Il fire:
there was a scant assortment of un-
comfortable chairs, a table, with one
leg bandaged, and near the desk an
old mahogany davenport.
This wouldn't have suited you, Ell.
Colonel" said Gilmore at last.
HE could hardly be said to live
here, he merely came here TO sleep"
answered the colonel.
NO, he couldn't have cared for
anything but the one thing" said
Gilmore. 'Were you ever here be-
fore, Colonel" he added.
Never"
Il don't suppose hall a = dozen
people in the town were ever inside
his door until tonight" said Watt
HARRISON, speaking for the first time.
Gilmore turned TO look at the
eolonels nephew as if he had only
that moment become aware of his
presence. What he saw did not i'm
press him greatly, for young Watt,
save for his unusually large head,
was much like other young men of
his class. His speech was soft, his
face heardless and his grey eyes
gazed steadily but without curiosity
on, what was for him, an uncliented
world. For the eighteen months that
he had been an attorney and coun-
selor at law the detail of office rent
had been taken care of by the colonel
sort Of makes the game he played
seem rotten poor sport" commented
Gilmore, replying to the nephew but
looking at the uncle.
The colonel was silent
Rotten poor sport. repeated Gil
more.
Who'll come in for his property"
asked Watt HARRISON.
'sOh, some one will claim that"
said Gilmore. They were saying
down at the store, that once, years
ago, brother of his turned up here
but Mcbride got rid of him."
Suppose we have a look around
before we settle ourselves for the
night" suggested Watt HARRISON.
'Will you join us, Colonel?" asked
the gambler
But the colonel shook his head.
| Gilmore took up one of the lamps as
he spoke and opened a door that led
into what had evidently once been a
dihing-room, but it was now only part
! ~ furnished; back of this was kitch-
en-, and beyond the kitchen a wood
shed. Returning To the front of the
| house, they mounted to the floor
above. Here had been the old mer-
chants bedroom; adjoining it We're
two smaller rooms. one of which had
been used as a place of storage for
trunks and boxes and broken bits OF
| furniture: the other room was empty
I'VE may as we'll go back down
stairs. said the gambler, hating
lamp in hand, in the centre of the
empty room.
HARRISON nodded, and leading the
way to the floor below, they rejoinet
the colonel in the sitting-room, Where
they made themselves as comfortable
as possible.
The colonel and his nephew talked
in subdued tones. principally of tn,
murdered man; they hadN no desir,
to exclude their companion from tn,
conversation, but Gilmore displayed
no interest in what was said. HI
sat at the colonels elbow, preoccupieC