Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-05

Is y crimer"
Thus Violet Strange kept repeating in
silent self-communion one evening
when she sat down in her chintz-fur-
nished bedroom for a few minutes
thought before retiring. She drew
from a little oak box at her elbow the
half dozen folded sheets of closely
written paper which had been left that
afternoon for her perusal by her per-
sistent employer. with the words that
had been ringing through her mind.
CHANGING first at the signature and
finding 1t to be one already favorably
known at the bar. she read with avid
fly the statement of events thus
vouched for.
We here subscribe it:
am a lawyer, with an office in the
Times Square building. My business
Il mainly local, but sometimes l am
called out of town, as witness the fol-
lowing summons received by me on the
9Th Of last October:
Dear Sir: wish to make my will.
lam an invalid and cannot leave my
room Will you come to me? The
inclosed reference will answer for
my respectability. If it satisfies you
and you decide to accommodate me.
please hasten your visit; have not
many days to live A carriage will
meet you at Highland station at
any hour you designate. Telegraph
reply. A POSTLETHWAITE,
Gloom Cottage,
N j.
The reference given was a Mr. Weed
Of seth street. well known man of
unimpeachable reputation
Calling him up at his business office.
found that Mr.. Postlethwaite died
some years ago and that Mrs. Arabella
Postlethwaite was confirmed para
1ytic.
station. superannuated horse and n
still more superannuated carriage
awaited me-both too old to serve n
busy man in these days OF swift con-
veyance.
Suddenly. after a jog trot of mile
or so through a wooded road. which we
had entered from the main highway.
the driver drew in his horse. and. with
out giancing my way, spoke his first
word:
This is where you get out The
house is back there in the bushes.
Take the path I'm lead you straight
to the front door"
A bit of Tagging met my eye pro-
truding from a layer Of thick moss
Farther on I esoled another-the sec
ond, probably. of many. This. no doubt,
was the path l had been hidden to fol-
low, and, without further thought on
the subject. plunged into the bushes.
which with difficulty l made give way
before me.
first view OF Gloom cottage. Per-
ceiving the curve Of an arch rising
above the underground still blocking
my approach l pushed my way reso-
lutely through. and presently found
myself stun bling upon the steps of an
unexpectedly SPACIOUS domicile. built of
carefully cut stone which. while show =
ing every mark of time. proclaimed
itself one of those early, carefully
erected colonial residences which il
60 70 dacfr
or even to wear to the point of dilapi
dalton. I ran up the steps and rang
the bell, which pulled as hard il no
hand had touched II in years. The
door fell hack and ! beheld In the
black gap before me the oldest man
had ever come upon in my whole life
He was so old I was astonished when
his drawn lips opened and he asked
II was the lawyer from New York
But when | had answered his queS-
ton and he had turned TO marshal me
down the hall toward door ! coulC
dimly see standing open in the twilight
of an absolutely sunless interior.
noticed that his step was not without
some vigor. despite the feeble bend
of his withered body and the incessant
swaying of his head, which seemed &c
be continually saying No.
IT will prepare madam" he admon.
curtain two inches or less aside from
one Of the windows she is very i'll
but she will see you"
The darkness IN which I sat was alb
solute: but gradually. as I continued
to look about me. the spaces lightenet
and certain details came out. which. t.
my astonfshment. were of a character
to show that the plain II substantial
exterior of this house. with Its choked
up approaches and weedy gardens. wa
no sample of what was to be fount
inside. Though the walls surroundin,