The evening world., 1920-04-05

to himself.
Say exactly what you wish to,
sMtddleton," Dominey invited. MIR.
mangan and his father and grand
rather have been solicitors to the Is
tate Tor great many years. They.
know adj our family history"
Il can't get rightly into touch with
you, Squire, and that's a fact" Mid
dleton went on despairingiy. The
shape OF you seems larger and your
voice harder. i don't seem to be so
near to you as I'd wished, TO say
what's in my heart"
L have had rough time, Middle
ton,' Dominey reminded ham. mo
wonder have changed! Never mind,
speak to me just as man TO man"
1t was l who first met you Squire"
the old man went on, when YOU tot
tered home that night across the
park, with your arm hanging help
lessly by your side, and the blood
streaming down your face and
clothes and the red light in your
ORGANIZATIONS fire, they called It,
heard her ladyship go into Mysteries.
l saw her laugh ana sob like a ma
MAC. and, Gold help US! that's what
she's been ever since"
The two men were silent. Middle
ton had raised his voice, speaking
with fierce excitement. 1t was OBJ
vious that he had only paused for
breath. He had more to say.
II was by your side, Squire" he
went on, when her ladyship caught
up the knife and ran at you. and, as
you well know, IL was /. SeiKing her
from behind, that saved q double
tragedy that night and IL was 1 who
90 In ha
ing, when shed stolen into your room
in the night and missed your throat
by a bare inch. l heard her call TO
you, heard her threat 1t was a mad
woman's threat, Squire, but her lady
ship is a madwoman at thia moment,
and with a knife in her hand you'll
never be safe in this house"
I'VE must see" Dominey said
quietly, that she Is not allowed TO
get possession of any weapon"
AYE! Make sure OF that" Middle
ton scoffed, with Mother Unthank
by her side Her ladyshfp's mad be-
cause of the horror of that night, but
Mother Unthank rs mad with hate,
and there isn't a week passes" the
| old man went on, his voice dropping
lower and his eyes burning, that
Roger Uuthank's spirit doesn't come
and howl for your blood beneath their
window. II you stay here this night
| Squire. come over and sleep in the
! little room they've got ready for you
on the other side of the house"
! Mr.. Mangan had lost his smooth,
after-dinner appearance. His face
was distinctly pale, his smoothly
| brushed hair was rumpled, and his
coffee Was growing cold. This was
very different thing from the vague
letters and rumors which had reached
! him from time 10 time and which he
had put out of his mind with all the
contempt of the materialist.
at is very good of you to warn me
Middleton" Dominey said, hut l can
lock my door, can l not?'
Lock the door of the oak room!'
was the scornfm reply. And what
| good would that do? You know well
enough that the wallis double on three
sides, and there are more secret en-
frances than even know of. The oak
rooms not for you this night. Squire.
IT'S hoping to get you there that's
keeping them quiet"
''Ten us what You meant, Middle
ton" the lawyer asked, with Has
sumed Indifference, when you spoke
OF the bowling Of Roger Cnthank's
The old man turned patiently
| around.
-Just that. sir" he replied. IT'S
round the house most weeks. Except
for me odd nights, and Mrs. unthanli,
there's been scarcely a servant would
sleep in the Hall for years. Some of
the maids they do come up from the
village, but back they go before night
fall, and until morning there isn't a
living soul would cross the park-no,
not for a hundred pounds
"A howl, you coll it?' M Mangan
observed.
That's mostly like dog what :
hurt ITSELF" Middleton explained
equably, like dog, that is, with a
touch of the human in its throat, as
we've all heard in our time. sir. You'll
hear it yourself sir. maybe tonight
or tomorrow night"
you've heard II then, Middleton
his master asked.
why, surely. sir" the old man
replied in surprise. Most weeks FOR
the last ten years"
Haven't YOU ever got up and gone
out 20 see what IL Was!"
The old man shook his head.
"But / knew right well what that
was, SIR" he said. land I'm not one
for looking on spirits. Spirits there
are that walk this world, as we well
know, and the spirit OF Roger I'm
thank WAIks from between the Black
Wood and tffese windows, come every
week of the year. But I'm Snot for