Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-01-10

cused like n small picture, the figure
of a man sitting at a desk. his head
fallen back, and ono arm hanging
lax by his side. SO there was the
victim. In such an attitude no man
could sleep. l listened. No. there
we're no footsteps; there could be no
body in tho room.
There the man lay. / knew that
could do nothing. that / could force
myself only into peril, but the lure OF
the open room. the smell OF tragedy,
were too much for my resolution.
This was no murder for the sake or
theft. There was no sign or the desk
having been ransackcd. There was
nobody about searching. Drawing q
deep breath. l forced tho curtains
open little more and stepped into
the room. II was very much the
room one might have expected TO
find in n mansion OF this kind. the
roof was low, supported by old
leans; over the tall wainscoting OF
carved black oak spread the brown
paper, upon which hung n few prints
OF George Morland. Tho desk was
covered with papers, ana heap or
manuscript still lay under the dead
mans hand. A table lamp with
reflector concentrated the light, hut
he was visible. with his face set. his
eyes half open. There was no doubt
that he was dead. The laxncss or
tho pose. the uncomfortable hitching
against the hard back of tho chair.
all this spoke of death. All the same.
in those days never had ] before seen
dead body. so a repulsion came to
me. | couldn't handle him. But |
felt that | ought to do something. TX
perhaps he were not dead. but ply
steal disgust filled me. it was my
conscience made me think of taking
out q pocket mirror. which | always
carry to remove flies or dust from
my eyes. which are delicate. with
n trembling hand ] held out the mir
ror toward the still lips. ] must
have held II there long time. taking
il back suddenly ana finding, as |
expected, that no haze had been left
upon it's smooth surface. The man
was dead. Now, what was 60 be
done?
/ had been so occupied with his
appearance that ] spent several min
utcs in this room, UNCONSCIOUS or
something which now suddenly forced
itself upon my consciousness. tho
house was not silent after ALL There
was n sound in II, n strange, regular
sound. from the next room. / realized
that IL was the sound of sobbing.
woman A fiery excitement cnmo
over me, ms tensely I listened TO those
sounds. These tears. they had much
to do with the sight that lay before
me. Woman's tears. they must be-
speak woe. But why was she not
here by the side of the dead man? L
looked with horror upon the body
so still before me. listened 70 the un-
known woman weeping beyond n
door, which now | saw had been
left ajar. Once again ] felt an i'm
pulse to flight, but now the sobbing
was so violent that ] knew ] should
never respect myself again II J left
this creature uncontrolled. SO. strid-
ing across the room, pushed open
the door,
7 found myself in dressing room.
Another open door led into what was
evidently bedroom. With queer de-
tachment figured the geography OF
the house. I had come in through
the study or library. and was look
ing into the room which faced the
back garden. But while my brain
worked coolly. my heart was stirred
by the sight before me.
CONTINUED In our next issus)