The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-05-31
part Two)

part Two)
But a terrible change came over
our stepfather about this time" went
on Helen Stoner." Instead of making
friends and exchanging visits with our
neighbors who had at first been over
joyed to see Roylott of Stoke Moran
back in the old family seat, he shut
himstlf up in his house and seldom
came out save, to indulge in ferocious
quarrels with whoever might cross his
path. Violence of temper approach
ing to mania has been hereditary in
the men of the family, and in my STEP
fathers case it had, l believe, been
intensified by his long residence in
the tropics. A series of disgraceful
brawls took place, Two of which end
ed in the police court, until at last
he became the terror of the village,
and the folks would fly at his ap-
proach, for he is man of immense
strength, and absolutely uncontroll-
able in his anger.
Last week he hurled the local
blacksmith over a parapet into. a
stream, and it was only by paying
over all the money which l could
gather together that l was able to
dNCIt duotuSl puOilS cAPooCl. udo
no friends at all save the wandering
vagabonds leave to encamp upon few
acres of bramble-covered land which
represents the family. estate, and
would accept in return the hospital
| ity of their rents, wandering away
with them sometimes for weeks on
end. He has a passion also for Indian
animals, which are sent over to him
by correspondent, and he has at
this moment a cheetah and baboon,
which wander freely over his grounds
and are feard by, the villagers almost
as much as their master.
/ You can imagine from what l say
that my poor sister Julia and l had
no great pleasure in our lives. No
servant would stay with US, and for a
long time we did all the work of the
house. She was but thirty at the
time of her death, and yet her hair
had already begun to Written, even
as mine has"
Your sister is dead them"
She died just two years ago, and
it is for her death that l wish to
speak to you. You cannot understand
that, living the life which l have des
cribed, We were little likely to see
any one of our own age and position
We had, however, an, aunt, my
mothers maiden sister, Miss Honoria
Westphail, who lives near Harrow and
We were occasionally allowed to pay
short visits at this ladys house. Julia
went there at Christmas two years
ago and met there a half-pay major OF
marines, to whom she became en-
gagged My stepfather learned of the
Or orr n uyh CT raf ~
and offered no objection to the mar
riage; but within a fortnight of the
day which had been fixed for the wed
ding, the terrible event occurred
which has deprived me of my only
companion
Sherlock Holmes had been leanins
back in his chair with his eyes CLOSED
and his head sunk in a cushion, bu
he half opened his lids now ane
glanced across at his visitor.
Pray be precise as to Details
said he
1T is easy for me to do so, for ev
cry event of that dreadful time j!
scared into my memory. The manor
house is, as l have already said, very
old, and only one wing is now inhab
tied. The bedrooms in this wing arr
on the ground floor, the sitting room!
being in the central block of the
buildings. OF these bedrooms tn,
first is DR. Roylott's, the second M,
sisters. and the third my own. Their,
is no communication between them
but they all open out into the sam,
corridor. Do l make myself plain?'
Perfectly so.'
The windows of the three room
open out upon the lawn. That fata
night DR.. Roycott had gone to hi
room early, though we knew that h,
had not retired to rest, for my siste
was troubled by the smell of tn
, strong Indian cigars which it was hi
custom to smoke. She LETT her room
. therefore, and came into mine wher
she sat for some time, chatting abou
her approaching wedding. At clever
O'Clock she rose to leave me, but sh
! paused at the door and looked back.
Tell me, Helen said she 'hav
you ever heard any one whistle in tn
dead of the night?
, Never" said L.
, 81 suppose that you could not pos
sibly whistle, yourself, in your sleep:
Certainly not. But Why
Because during the last fey
nights l have always, about three il
> the morning, heard low, clea
, "Hlsue. an lSul sleeper, anu
has awakened me. l cannot tel
where it came from-perhaps fror
, the next room perhaps from the lawr
\ l thought that l would just ask 70
whether you had heard it,
| "'No, l have not. 1t must be thos
wretched gypsies in the plantation
| Very likely. And yet if it wer
on the lawn l wonder that you did no
hear it, also
| "'Ah. but | sleep more heavily tina
you
| We'll it is of no great consequence
at any rate She smiled back at me
closed my door. and a few moment
later l heard her key turn in tn
| lock-