Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1922-06-08
Philokalean Editorial Staff
The Mystery of the Gray Room

Inc mystery vi Tic Ufdy NOo"
The purple blue in the West faded
rapidly and the dark heavy clouds
met The first snow flakes fell softly
but those that followed seemed to
have remembered only the one order,
Settle quickly" The air was at a
temperature which only northern
Scotland is capable of having. The
heavy salt atmosphere which pene-
trates the whole peninsula, together
with the snow, made it sitting.
1t was evening and man of none
too heavy build was battling on thru
the binding snow. By the dark as
pect of things now, Harry Hawkins
had no idea that the object of his So
journ was so near his reach.
The heavy blanket that covered him
would soon have dampened even his
dauntless nature, had not his eyes
caught sight Of a nearby shelter, but
as it was, his benumbed self pressed
forward with all of it's remaining pow
err. AS the faint dreary lines of an
old castle 'loomed before him, he
thought of the tea for which he would
ask and the thought of it refreshed
him. But then, you know, anticipa
ton is sometimes more comforting
than realization.
The castle was not the best that
could be hoped for, especially since so
many tales of woe centered around it.
But he would have welcomed any shell
ter then.
He Numbered on, vainly wishing he
had strength enough to run thru the
snow and reach the castle quickly,
for maybe the occupants knew where
his uncle lived. Then he could start
after him to reclaim the money of
which his mother was the rightful
owner. He entered by the basement
door and sat down on the crude old
fashioned bench placed there by the
decrepit old dwarf servant.
1t did not occur to him that he
would have to spend the night there
but after only a few words from the
keeper of the castle he learned that
further travel was impossible that
day.
After he had finished the lunch the
old man led him through the dark
halls and up stairs to room, large
but dark. Harry followed stealthily,
watching every movement with a
growing sense of anxiety. AS the
servant lighted the candles, he NUT
tered something which the stranger
complied with, by instinct rather than
by what he understood of the sentences
When the candles were lighted he
took his lantern and crept down the
stairs. During his absence Harry
examined the objects which would be
his night companions. First he looked
at the windows. He did not know
why, but very likely he wanted to be
come more acquainted with all posi-
BILE exits, in case of-well, something
unusual. Then those swords which
hung crossed over the door, grinning
at him through all their dust and cob
webs, looked as though they longed to
take up their place with the armor,
standing in the far end of the room,
and start on crusade. This was,
without a doubt, the very room where
those mysterious encounters and COM
bats occurred between the seekers of
the valuable papers that the present
owner found hidden in the wall.
On the mantle Harry found a
small round locket that compared
perfectly with one his mother had CIV
en- him long, long ago. When he re-
membered that she had said her moth
err had one exactly like it, his mind
went around and around and he Won
dered if he had at last got clue that
would bring him nearer his objective.
There were the gray hangings, the
curtains, the bed spread, the furniture
coverings, just as they had been de-
scribed. He could See clearly now
that his was the very room where
Hugh Campbell and Adam Reid had
killed each other in skirmish for the
drunken Earl's valuables.
These two men had gone there to
spend social" evening and after
the Earl had lost more than he could
pay in currency through gambling,
they decided to make him drunk and
then get the money they had won. All
the scandalous reports came to him
now.
At that point in his revery came
the hobble, hobble of the old mans
steps. He was carrying wood and his
lantern. He stepped outside of the
door and brought in a pitcher of water
How was that? Where had it come
from? How did he carry two things
besides his lantern? Harry was sure
he heard retreating steps. Maybe not;
everything seemed so queer.