Evening star., 1918-08-04
CHAPTER xIIL-continusd.

~ UT the cheer which always
X entered with Eweetwater was
contagious. and the old detec-
tive smiled a. the newcomer
approached. saying signicantly:
II had those dreams you spoke Of
last night. Mr.. Gryce. and found them
tso weighty for the telephone"
II see. see! Sit down. sweetwater.
and tell me how they ran. I haven't
- much confidence in my own dreams
% hope to have in yours. Speak upl
Mention names. II you want. No echo
follows condolences uttered in this
ROOM"
II know that; but for the present
perhaps It will be best for me to fol-
low your lead. and when I have to
speak Of . certain person. say x as
you DO. X, Mr.. Gryce. is the man who
for reasons. We do not yet UNDER
stand brought up the discarded bow
from tho cellar and stored It some-
whore within reach on the floor above.
unknown reason robbed tho culver
hanging In the southern gallery OF
one Of It's arrows and kept the same
on hand or in hiding till he could
mate II with the bow. My dreams
showed me this pictures:
"A man with predominating in
terest in sport, but otherwise active in
respectable In private life. sees and
frequently handles weapons Of an
cient and modern make which rouse
his interest and awaken the longing.
common to such men. to test his skill
in their use. Sometimes 1t Is q sword,
which he twirls vigorously in sly cor
ners. Again, it Is o bow calling for a
yeoman's strength to pull. He is \
man OF sense and for .. long time goes
a no further than the - Play have I'VE 5,s 5pst
tion to 80 further until one unfortu-
nate day he comes upon an idle bow,
rotting away. in the cellar"
Here Mr.. Gryce looked sharply up
9 proof OF awakened interest which
was not expected to. At all events he
continued rapidly:
ut was fine. strong bow. q typical
ono from the plains. He took 1t up
examined It closely noted . slight
"
back. But he did not forget 1t. Be-
fore many days had passed he goes
down cellar again and brings 1t up
and stands II on end in-where do you
think. eli? the closet Of the cura-
'How did you learn that?".
from the woman who comes every
day to wipe up the floors. I happened
to think she might have something
worth while to tell US. so hunted her
."ao ON. boy. Another long mark
Thank you, sir. TIM relating
dream, you know. He stands 1t on
end then in this closet into which
nobody is supposed to 60 but the
there he leaves 1t, possibly as yet
with no definite intention. How long
it stood there cannot say. 1t was
we'll hidden, 1t seems. by something
cr other hanging over 1t. Nor am !
altogether sure that 1t might not be
swaying x had not been strengthened
by seeing daily over his head a culver
full of arrows admirably fitted for
this bow. Time has no place in
creams, or 1 might be able to state
the day and the hour when he stood
the curator's desk. and struck with
what 1t might do for him, singled out
one Of the keys which he placed in
the keyhole of the door opening upon
"a certain little staircase. He was
alone, but he stopped to listen before
turning that key. I can see him.
can't you? His air is a guilty one;
but it is the guilt of folly, not of pre-
meditated crime. He wants try at
that bow and recognizes his weak 9
ness and laughs.
"But his longing holds. and rum
ming up the little staircase to a second
door he unlocks this also and after
another moment of hesitation pulls
It open. He has brought the bow
with him, but he does not take It
past the arapeEy han hanginsz e. straight aimg5t
drops 1t in the doorway and leaves
it there within easy reach from the
gallery IL ever his impulse should be
strong enough to lead him to make
an attempt at striking feather from
the Indian headdress on the other side
of the court. You think him mad,
30 do !, but dreams are filled with
that kind of madness; and when
sec him shut the door upon this bow
and steal back without relocking 1t
to the one below, I have no other
excuse than this to give in answer
to your criticisms"
81 do not criticise; I listen. Sweet
water"
"You will criticise now. As
Bunyan says in his Pilgrims Prog
ress,' Il dreamed again! This time
saw the museum proper. 1t was hlled
with visitors The morning of May