Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1920-09-16
SYNOPSIS.

SYNOPSIS.
CHAPTER DIR John Nicholson, in
terne Just leaving hospital. becomes resi-
dent physician at the home of Homer Sid
ney. Hartley house Mr.. Sidney is an oil
man, very weak. but tenacious of life. !
peculiar atmosphere of the house an
grounds. and the surly attitude assume
n cy JED, MI, sdneys butler. impress MI
story Of the haunted pool" the spot
where Richard Dobson. son of a forme
owner Of Hartley house, had killed hi
brother. Arthur Dobson.
CHAPTER I1.-Mchelson meets 1sobel
Mr. Sidney's daughter. That night he Il
awakened by woman's screams and find
JED. intoxicated, threatening Mrs Sidney
He interyenes. Next day Mrs. Sidne,
makes light Of the incident and urges MI
chelson to keep silent about It,
CHAPTER III-After Nicholson ha.
been short time at the house Mrs. Sid
ney urges him to consent to the announce
ment OF his engagement to Isobel, saying
ts weighty reason for such an extraor
binary request. he complies Isobel late
informs him Jed seeks her hand in mar
rage. ''>''
CHAPTER Iv.-Mr. Sidney visits the
Renitentiary at Alwich and sees the mar
Dobson. the slayer of his brother, and the
one about whom revolves the mystery NJ
the haunted pool.
1T don't pretend to have all the de-
tails or to understand it," he said
hut from what l learn, Richard Dob
son. the elder brother, was strong and
brutal. Henry DobsOn, the younger
brother, was frail and sensitive. l
guess they hated each other from the
cradle.
Dick, when he was four and Henry
was two, found ways Of tormenting his
younger brother. The best thing Hen
ry ever had from Richard was con-
tempt"
II have known families Of that ma
ture," said Mr.. Sidney. "Our conven-
tons teach us to regard family tie
as sacrament. In many cases it is
sonly an odious obligation leading to
tragedy"
/, "Dick knew all of Henry's weakness
.es," Jed continued. Sometimes he
would torture him physically, by twist
ing his wrist or rolling him over on
the ground when young girls were
around. Sometimes he would torture
him without laying hands on him.
I ''Dick was thick-headed brute, but
The had genius for cruelty. When
their parents died and the boys ap-
preached their majority, Henry was al
most an imbecile for fear of Dick.
+ "Dick wanted then to get his inheri-
lance and go out into the world, but
the estate was left in trust until both
boys were of age. Dick came of age
and was obliged to wait two years for
Henry"
I was astonished by the succinct and
philosophical brevity of this ignorant
mans narrative. Mr.. Sidney was al
ease in his chair with his eyes closed
and a placid expression of pleasure or
his face. Jed was active in gesticula
tion as he talked. That was the eff
feet Of the wine. The wind continued
to pull at the chimney and scold in the
corners.
said Mr.. Sidney without opening hi
eyes. II think he has become ,theatric.
"Well," said Jed, ito shorten story
when Dick. being twenty-one, fOun'
that he had to wait two more years 70
Henry. he became more brutal thai
ever. In some way or other, the nigh
of the murder the two brothers hap
pened to meet In tavern in villag
not far from Hartley house. Herr
did not want to go home with hi
brother, but they both got drunk an
they started to walk home together.
"No one has been able to do niue
more than guess at what took place
but it was known that Richard was
brute and that Henry was scared q
him but was not coward. They mus
have had a violent quarrel.
'"There was a cottage near the poo
The only person in it at the time wa
little girl, whose parents were not q
home. She was awakened by erie
and swearing. She said that she hear
one man say: They'll find you dead |
the morning. Then she heard sound
Of struggle and was scared and hi
her head under the bedclothes.
"When her parents came home sh
told them what she had heard, an
they went out with a lantern to tn
place from which the noise came. The
found parts Of Henry's clothing. TIL
next day Richard was found, ten mile
away, still drunk. He confessed tbs
he had killed his brother In q drunke
rage.
"Afterward he said that he hadn'
but he admitted that there had been
quarrel. 1t was a most celebrate
trial. Richard was convicted, thong
the state could not produce any II
dubitable physical evidence Of Henry
death. The contention over this ev
dence made the case noted.
"Richard Dobson q In the penitel
tiary at Alwick now. Henry's ghol
10 what IL supposed to come back
the pool. = 9s IS. ss
The wind howled outside. and u
Are burned cheeefully. A romani