10
TIIE SCItANTON TBtBUNE SATURDAY MORNING, JUNE 15, 1895.
1ST
MANS
By ANNA KATHERINB OREEN.
Copyrlrvl 1805k by
f My destltiaitlim was Cuahing, a email
iown some fifteen, miles from Hartford,
and my errand there can be best ex
plained by the following letter received
at police headquarters In the latter
town: 1 .
Gentlemen: Three men have disap
peared lately In our parts. Two of them
were ' strangers, and one a well-known,
half-witted peddler, accuBtomod for sev
eral years to wander from house to house
In this vicinity. As this district Is a lonely
one and not In Immediate connection with
ony railroad, the matter has not attracted
much attention outside of this place. But
fcore there Is much excitement, and If
you think It worth while to send us a de
tective, I Shalt be Blad to give him such
details as may further his Invcstlgat-ons.
.Obediently yours, Obadluh Trohm.
The last charge which my superior
had given nie was to move warily in
this affair. I therefore concealed my
Identity and entered the tavern In
Cushlng with a surveyor's Instruments
tn my hand.
My first talk was with mine host, a
kind-faced. Jovial man, whose look in
spired confidence both in his honesty
nnd discretion. The topic which I nat
urally chose was Mr. Trohm. Was he
an accessible man and was he likely to
(have any property to sell suitable for a
large manufacturing plant? Mr. Sim
mons (for that was my good host's
name) opened his eyes In amazement.
"Well, no," said he; "he Isn't." And
then he explained to me that Mr. Trohm
owned no land save that on which his
house was built, and that, for one who
had neither wife nor child, he loved his
home and clung to the few acres sur
rounding it with a pertinacity more
marked than was shown by anyone else
In the community.
"Never mind," said I, "I am going to
ten him. Perhaps he can point out to
me some available property in the vi
cinity." . Perhaps," rejoined the other. And
not being of a suspicious temperament,
the good man went on talking about
Mr. Trohm till I had learned enough to
be satisfied that I should have no trou
ble in approaching this gentleman, aa
he was one of the most genial and
hospitable of men. "Though he keeps
no servant, he makes everybody wel
come," was Mr. Simmons' assurance,
"and for a bachelor, makes them
mighty comfortable, too."
As all this showed a certain amount
of esteem for the man, I felt my confi
dence in him Increasing, and prepared
at once to visit him. But when I aslted
the landlord where Mr. Trohm lived
and if tt was within walking distance,
a very decided change passed over the
good man's face.
"Do you want to go there now?" he
asked. "If sa I will see If I can find
one of my men ito accompany you."
"But is that necessary? Cannot I And
the house alone?"
"Why, yes," he answered, cheerfully,
but still with a vague tone of alarm in
hie voice; "but it's out of the way like,
and I have known fellows, no bigger
than you, don't like the woods."
"O, It's in the woods?"
"Yes, that is, the road winds through
the woods, and It la a little dismal, you
know. But Mr. Trohm's place is very
pleasant, very pleasant. Indeed. Only
I wouldn't go any further than his
front gate, If I were you. The road is
a long one and well, you had better
come back -the way you go."
This was all very suggestive to my
curiosity and highly provocative of a
number of questions, but I was deter
mined to get my first information from
Mr. Trohm, and so passed the matter
oft as a kindly hint, which I secretly
did not mean to take.
The landlord seemed satisfied with
my manner, and seeing I did not want
a companion, did not urge ' his offer
further. I accordingly started out
alone, after receiving minute directions
as to the course I should take.
Oushing has but one street, but half
way down this, a road branches off in
a wide curve, and on this road Mr.
Trohm lived. The trees which were
sparse near the village Increased In
number rapidly as I advanced, and by
the time I had gone a quarter of a mile,
I found myself lnr a veritable wood.
Not & cheerful one, either. There was
marsh under foot and withered boughs
overhead, producing an effect that was
anything but cheerful, although the
eun shone 'brightly and the air was
balmy. I was therefore both surprised
and gratified to see the chimneys of a
bright and most attractive-looking old
house rise suddenly before me, with a
charm about Its trim door-step and
flower-bordered walks that; is only to
be found in very old places that have
been appreciatively cared for. A fence
painted white enclosed a lawn like veU
vet, nmd the house Itself, shining with
a fre3h coat of yellow paint, bore signs
of comfort In Its white-curtained win
dows not usually to be found in the
solitary dwelling of a bachelor. Would
the man correspond to his home? As
if In answer to thi3 Inward query, the
door before me swung open and I saw
In the gap thus made the tall and smil
ing figure of a man, older than I had
antic palted, but with full as much dig
nity as his tetter, had led me to expect.
"Has Providence been so good as to
bring me a guest this fine morning?"
was h!s amiable greeting. "I am sure
If you have come to relieve me of a
rather tedious half hour, you are very
welcome. But Is, it Obadlah Trohm you
have come to see?"
"It Is," I returned, bowing with all
tha-reppect his appearance called forth.
"And If I need any introduction myself,
let this letter answer for me." And I
handed him the epistle signed by his
own name which he had sent to the
ofllce it Hartford.
The smile with which he had regard
ed me from the first, changed from the
mere conventional expression to one of
heart-felt satisfaction.
"I am glad to see you," he gravely
remarked, his eye wandering from my
face to the beauties of the garden be
side us. Will you come In or will you
sit down here?" he asked, pointing to
two seats on each side of the porch, on
which we stood. "You will find either
place equally secure from Interruption.
I keep no servants and whether out or
In find myself wholly at home.:'
Prom the look which I have ' Just
mentioned a peculiar look full of the
gloating delight of possession I Judged
that he would rather remain within
view of his flower-beds. And Indeed
I afterward heard that he was seldom
found In doors. I therefore answered
his genial invitation by sitting down on
one of the seats before us. He Immedi
ately took possession of the other, and
with an expectant air waited my ques
tions, "And o ithesa woods bide a cayi-
v.
1LJ
Irving Bachellor.
tery?" I boldly ventured, with a ges
ture toward the east where the trees
stood thickest. "Have the disappear
ances of which;' you have written oa
curred lately?" ' ' ''
"One of them took place about Christ
mas time, the other two but a few
weeks back. The first one attracted no
attention, nor the second, I may say;
but when Chat poor boy, silly Rufus,
dropped out of Bight and sound, people
began to wonder and recall the fact
that the two strangers I have men.
tloned had also vanished ,from pur
midst in a very queer and unexplained
manner. And I," here the old gentle
man became impressive, even going to
the point of laying his hand on my
knee, "and I remember two other cases,
a year aback, of persons who came Into
this road wtho were never seen to issue
from it, or at least I am assured by an
old friend of mine who lives Just where
this road runs Into the main one. But
whether all Mils means crime I cannot
tell. Can you?"
The question came so suddenly I
started. "It certainly has that look,"
I remarked. "Arc there any doubtful
characters In this neighborhood?"
"So." he answered, brooding a min
ute over my words. "Has any one In
the village you have spoken to the
folks there of course mentioned any
name with suspicion?"
"I have not talked about It. I pre
ferred to broach the subject at once to
you."
He seemed surprised, but showed his
recognition of my courtesy by a bow.
"I supposed you would have first wished
to have obtained a confirmation of
my statement from the general gossip
of the town. But It. is of mo conse
quence; you can hear them talk later."
And he again let his eye roam appre
ciatively over his flowers and shrubs.
"Have you any plan of procedure?" he
suddenly asked.
"I must first find out if there has been
any crime," I . replied, letting my eye
follow his Over the top' of a long well
sweep that was one of the chief orna
ments of the place to that dismal turn
In the road, which I had been warned
from pursuing.
"Are there any other houses on this
road besides yours?" I now put in, re
calling his glance back to myself by a
gesture.
He looked at me seriously, if not anx
iously, for a moment, and then said al
most too indifferently for the tempor
ary embarrassment he had shown:
"Oh, I don't hold a monopoly of this
by-way. There Is another dwelling on
it some half mile further on. An equal
ly old dwelling with this, but more fully
occupied," he smiled. "A brother and
two sisters remain to the Knollys fam
ily, while I am the single representative
of the Trohms."
"A brother and two sisters!" I repeat
ed, astonished at his visibly nervous
manner. "How old a brother and what
kind of sisters, I pray?"
"Oh, young Knollys Is about 24; a stu
pid fellow, but good, I suppose; wiille
the girls what shall I call the girls?"
ho mused, with an evident air of wish
ing to strike the happy medium be
tween Justice and candor. "Nice girls,
of course, well educated, refined and
all that, but queer yes, queer, as girls
are apt to be who Jive in a den like
that."
"Den," I repeated, wondering as
much at his manner as his words.
"Oh, any house Is a den where flow
ers don't grow," he laughed, leaning
over to pluck a spray of honeysuckle
from the vino that curled about the
columns of the porch. "I like sunshine,
beds of ros.es, fountains, and a sweep
of lawn like that we see before us."
"And the Misses Knollys have no
such adornments to their house?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "Why
talk about the Knollys. The subject
you have come to discuss Is much more
Interesting. It is two weeks now since
r saw siMy 'Rufus leaning over the fence
there, counting the blossoms on my
oleander. When I looked again ten
minutes later he was gone, and that is
the last that any of us know about
him." . . .t
"He might have strayed into ine
woods,"-1 suggested.
"We have searched the woods. Silly
Rufus was a favorite in these parts,
and his fate has aroused much interest.
Oh, we have looked for him far and
near, but we have not found him and
never will. I am thinking."
"But what motive " I began.
But suddenly Mr. Trohm's eyes had
become Impenetrable, and I saw there
was some underlying reason on his part
for preserving a certain reticence con
cerning his suspicions. . Could they
have reference to the Knollys family?
It seemed a preposterous supposition,
and yet I felt impelled to change my
question into the remark:'
"Perfect frankness on your part
would be of great assistance to me.
The least clue is valuable In such cas.es.
A doubt, a surmise even, yes, whether
It be true or false, will often put a de
tective on the right track. I should be
obliged to you If you told me why you
so often glance down the road towards
the east."
"Well, to be frank," he laughed, "I
cannot tell you. It Is Involuntary on
my part, perhaps because. I am as much
perplexed as you. I feel that death
and danger lurk in this neighborhood,
but I cannot locate where. Perhaps you
can; at .all events that will be your
business for the next few days."
Seeing by this he had reached his
limit, I rose. Instantly the hospitality
of the man asserted Itself. "You must
not go without some refreshments," he
said. "Will you step Into the house and
have a glass of wine or I see your eyes
roaming longingly towards my old
fashioned well would you like a
draught bf water fresh from the
bucket?": --.'.
I assured him I did not drink wine
at which I thought his ey"3s brightened
but that. neither did. I Indulge In
water when in a heat, as at present, at
which he looked disappointed, and rose
quite Irritably from his chair. But he
recovered himself in a moment and ac
companied me to the gate with every
appearance of cordiality. But when he
saw me turn resolutely toward the east,
he. called out quite imperatively:
"Where are you going? Don't go that
way; the other way, my" good fellow,
the other "way."
"But my duty leads me east," I called
back.
"Then you shall not go alone. Walt
a moment and I will accompany.you."
; But I declined this attention, Vhich
would have greatly hampered me, and
tapping my breast significantly, I cried:
"OH, I am not alone," and bowing a
last farewell, hastened on, leaving him
frowning at the gateway.
II.
. ' My feelings as I left Mr. Trohm and
entered the darker portions of the road
were confused and varied. I was not
afraid,, nor was I exactly easy, though
I . carried a pistol, half-cocked, In my
side pocket. I expected to encounter
some one or something out of the ordin
ary, and moved 4iurrledly( on, though
with great circumspection. '
It was a bright day, as I have said,
and In another mood.. I would have en
joyed the scenery. Now, however, I
was on the 'lookout for the Knollys
mansion and took no time to observe
the wild - beauties about me. . Finally
without, premonition or adventure . of
any kind I came upon It, a great,
gaunt, neglected building of colonial
time, whose first appearance awoke a
tremor, and from which on closer in
spection no suggestion came save that
which breathed of decay and death.
Yet it was a home, as more than one
indication showed, and once had been
a courtly one, with possibilities of aris
tocratic splendor.
A grove of half-decayed trees separ
ated it from the road, and the effect
produced from these may have partial
ly accounted for the special aspect I
have mentioned. At least I was willing
to think so, and was about to seek a
way through the tangled underbrush
which everywhere hindered my steps,
when I heard a sharp whistle, and,
looking up, saw a young man emerge
from the open doorway. He was calling
to some dogs, who 'immediately ap
peared and began to leap about him,
and as he did not see me, though the
dogs did, I had ample opportunity to
study his face.
It was a good-natured but wholly
commonplace one, and from the fact
that he did not note the distraction ap
parent In his dogs I drew the conclu
sion that he was not overburdened
with acuteness. Had the sisters, then,
all the brains of the family? I was de
termined to find out as soon as I should
encounter any one more willing to talk
about them than Mr. Trohm.
.Meantime the young man had re
mained Impassive and the dogs merely
restive; and, strange as it may appear,
I experienced a vague disappointment
at being allowed to pass the gate of
this house, and eventually to leave it
far behind me without any adventure
to warrant the apprehension displayed
by my host and my late entertainer,
Mr. Trohm.
On my. return to the tavern I made
Mr. Simmons my confidant and was as
tonished. at the effect which was pro
duced upon him by the name of Knol
lys. Though he tried to hide It, there
was evidently some reason In his own
mind for not being startled by this as
sociation of their name with the possi
ble crimes I was Investigating; and
when I urged him to be frank he al
lowed, with an Impulsive burst of feel
ing, that there had always been some
thing wrong with the Knollys; and,
urged still further, brought out a letter
he had received some few months since
from his daughter, who was a hospital
nurse In Denver, and laid it before me.
"There," said he. "Sophia won't like
it, but such facts as you will And writ
ten there ought not be kept secret.
I thought so at the time and I think so
all the more now that these disappear
ances have accumulated In our town
till we are afraid to move through our
own woods after dark."
Astonished to be offered a clue In a
letter written from Denver, I did not
reply to this burst but hastened to open
the folded sheets before me and to read
the following remarkable lines:
Dear Fa ther I have Just heard a per
fectly unexplalnable thing about the
Knollys. The person who told me was
a Miss Grant, who visited them about
Christmas time. She is a patient of
mine, and when she heard I was from
(lushing was so startled, and showed so
much agitation, .that I insisted upon
knowing why, when she related the
following story:
Her father and the Knollys father
had teen life-long friends, and though
the young people had never met there
had always been an understanding be
tween them that Miss Grant should
sometime make a visit to Cushlng.
This was brought about last December,
and Miss Grant, with the full knowl
edge of the Knollys girls, arrived In
town early one Wednesday afternoon
and was driven directly to their door.
She expected a cordial welcome, but
she noticed before she was half way up
the steps that something was amiss.
One sifter only was In the hall to greet
her. and that sister was abstracted and
pale, and looked oftener behind her
and np the stairs than at her newly ar
rived guest. Miss Grant was not even
asKed to take off her wrap's, till over
come ty the heat of the sitting-room
into which they had stepped, she her
self loosened her furs, at which Lu
cetta I think It was Lucetta who re
ceived her seemed to recover her wits
and tried to play the hospitable hostess,
but with such ill success that Miss
Grant was almost tempted to resume
her furs and return to Fulmlngham
Station. Something, however, In her
your.g hostess' eye restrained her, and
endeavoring not to notice the other's
To Regulate,
Tone Up,
I Invigorate
STOnACH, LIVER
' -v- . ;:
bowels;
V 1 . , ,,
. " ''.:''
thereby curing constipation,
dyspepsia, biliousness, dispo
sition to sick headache and
kindred ailments, take
Dr. Pierce's
-Pleasant
Pellets. K X
ONCE USED,' ALWAYS Iff FA VOK.
Om Dom, All Mrflrtnt PaaUci.
preoccupation she (talked rapidly on
every available topic till the other sis
ter came In. Miss Knollys, as you
know, is a grave person, but very pleas
ing and attractive. She won upon Miss
Grant at once, but for all that her pres
ence did not greatly relieve the situa
tion, for her first glance was directed
toward her sister, who Instantly bound
ed up and left the room, and not till
they were alone did she seem to notice
her guest, whom she then greeted
warmly, but with that same air of ab
straction and constraint which had
been so painfully observable In Im
cetta. Miss Grant had expected that she
would now be taken to her room, but
on the contrary Mlas Knollys sat down,
and with an apologotlcal air informed
hor of how sorry she felt that she could
not show her the precise attentions
she wished. Circumstances, she said,
over which they had no control had
mado it Impossible for them to offer
her the guest chamber, but if she would
be so good as to accept another for that
one night they would try and accommo
date her more properly thereafter.
Miss Grant, who had noticed the pov
erty evident in the house, broke tn with
the generous assurance that any room
would be acceptable to her, and BtlU
expecting to be taken up stairs, began
to gather up her wraps. But Miss
Knollys again surprised her by saying
that her room was not ready, that they
had not been able to complete all their
arrangements and prayed that she
would make herself at home where she
was till evening. More and more as
tonished and disconcerted, but hiding
It bravely, for the sake of the pitiful
look In the girl's eye. Miss Grant laid
down her furs again and endeavored
to make the best of the somewhat try
ing situation. She talked and she
laughed, though she met with but little
response, noting all that was odd In
her unaccountable reception, but giv
ing no evidence of her concern or secret
indignation. But let me tell the rest
In her own words as I remembered
them.
The peculiarities observable In my re
ception continued all day, said Miss
Grant. When one sister came in, the
other went out, and 'when dinner time
arrived and I was ushered down the
bare and dismal hall Into an equally
bare and unattractive dining room, it
was to find Lucetta only, seated at the
head of the board. She made some
apology for the fact, but It was so evi
dently an evasive one that I scarcely
heard It and kept looking at the empty
place where the brother should sit,
wondering If he was at the bottom of
my strange reception. But as if to dis
pel this supposition he presently came
In, and though it was my first meeting
with the nominal head of the house,
Lucetta waited for a short nod from
him before giving me the necessary
introductions.
He la a lumbering fellow and had I
not been Intent upon solving the mys
tery of their actions I should have
taken tittle If any Interest In him As
It was I watched him for what he
might do or say, but learned nothing
save that he was excessively stupid.
The evening, like the afternoon, was
spent-In the sitting room, with one of
the sisters. One event alone lis worth
recording. I had become excessively
tired of a conversation that always
languished, no matter on what topic it
was started, and observing an old piano
In one corner, I sat down before it
and impulsively struck a few chords
from the yellow keys. Instantly Lu
cetta It was Lucetta who was with
me then bounded to my side with a
look of horror on her face.
"Don't do that!" she cried, laying her
hand on mine to stop me. Then seeing
me recoil at her touch which was icy
cold, she added with an appealing
smile, "I beg pardon, but every sound
goes through me tonight."
"Are .you not well?" I asked.
"I am never very well," she retwnod;
and we went back to the sofa and' re
newed our forced and pitiful conversa
tion. 4
Promptly at 9 o'clock Miss Knollys
came in. She was very pale and cast
as usual a sad and uneasy look at her
sister before she spoke to me. Imme
diately Lucetta rose, and becoming
very pale herself, was hurrying toward
the door when her sister stopped her.
"You have forgotten," she said, 'Ho
say good-nlght to our guest."
Iiiftantly Lucetta turned and, with
a sudden, uncontrollable Impulse,
seized my hand and pressed it con
vulsively. "Good-night," she cried, "I hope you
will sleep well," and was gone before I
could say a word In response.
"Why does Lucetta go out of the
room when you come In?" I asked, de
termined to know 'the reason for this
peculiar conduct. "Have you any other
guests In the house?"
The reply came with unexpected ve
hemence. "No," she" cried, "why
should you think so? There is no one
here but the family." And. she turned
away with a certain dignity which cut
short all further remarks. "You must
be very tired,' 'she said. "If you please
we will go now to your room."
I rose at once, glad of the prospect
of being relieved from these forced at
tentions. She took my wraps on her
arm and we passed Immediately into
the hail. A3 we did so I heard voices,
one of them shrill and full of distress,
but the sound was so quickly smoth
ered by a closing door that I failed to
discover whether that tone of suffering
proceeded from a mm of a woman.
MIfs Knolly, who was preceding me,
glanced back In some alarm. But as
I gave no token of having noticed any
thing out of the ordinary, she speedily
resumed her way upstairs. As the
sounds I had heard & .proceeded
from above I did not follow her with
much alacrity. But reflecting that
whatever was going on In this house,
It could by no possibility have any ref
erence to myself, I resumed my cour
age, which, however, perceptibly weak
ened when I'found myself passing door
after door down a long hall to a room
as remote as possible from what
seemed to be the living portion of the
house.
"Won't I have any one near me," I
began, as my young hostess paused and
waited for me to Join her on the .thres
hold of the most forbidding room it had
ever been my fortune to enter.
"Oh," she smiled, "you need not be
afraid. . tyothllTg can happen to you
here; I am only sorry that we are
obliged to offer you Buch mean lodging.
But all our other rooms are are out
of order' she explained, firmly, "and
to our great regret you will have to
sleep, In this one for tonight."
"But cannot I sleep with one of you?"
I persisted. "1 won't put you to any In
convenience. I am not accustomed to
be. put off by myself." . ,
"I am sorry," she again repeated,
"but It Is quite Impossible. If I could
give' you 'the comforts you are accus
tomed to, I should be glad. But we are
unfortunate, we girls, and" She
said .no more, but began to busy herself
about the room, which I tried to see In
as favorable light I could. Per
haps she saw my failure In my face
perhaps she felt herself the dreariness
of the gray discolored walls, which the
fire that had been lit On the' hearth did
not serve to lighten, for she pointed to
a bell-rope near the head of the bed and
kindly remarked:
"If anything dlsturbe you, pull that.
It communloates with my room, and I
will some at once and speak to you."
I glanced up at the rope, ran my eye
along the wire communicating with it
and saw that it was broken sheer off
before it even entered the wall.
"I am afraid you will not hear me,"
I answered, pointing to the break.
She flushed a deep scarlet, and for a
moment looked as embarrassed as ever
her sister had done.
"I did not know," she murmured.
"The house is so old, everything Is
more or less out of repair." And she
made haste to quit the room.
I ran after her In alarm.
"But there Is no key to the door," I
objected.
She came back with a look almost
like anger on her stern face.
"What do you fear?" she cried. "Is
this a public house where you would
be liable to Intrusion. You are In a
private dwelling, my dear, and good
Ood!" she murmured, beneath her
breath, but not so low but that my ex
cited senses caught the words she ut
tered. "Can she have heard anything?
Has the reputation of this place gone
abroad? Miss Grant," she repeated
more loudly, "you are as safe here as a
babe on Its mother's knee. Nothing
threatens you, nor need you have the
least fear whether tbe night passes In
quiet or whether It is broken by unac
customed sounds. They will have no
reference to you."
Her look, her manner were encourag
ing and for a moment I felt ashamed of
my foolish tremors. What If I were
banished to a remote corner In a dis
mal and strangely ordered house! Was
I not under the protection of two ami
able girls, daughters of my father's old
est friend? Certainly my conduct was
ridiculous and could but add to Miss
Knollys' trouble.
Tuking her by the hand, I craved her
pardon, and begging her to have no
more concern about me, I returned to
my room and carefully closed the door.
But no sooner did I And myself thus
shut in than all my vague doubts re
turned and I would have given any
thing for the meanest and smallest
apartment In a crowded country tavern
with normal commonplace people.
But my fate was to be shut In, in this
den of darkness and discomfort, and
I forced myself to make the best of it.
The candle which she had brought
with her and set down on a small table
by the hearth was too short to last
long another circumstance which did
not add to my happiness; while the fire
was one of those light and flashy ones
meant only to burn till bed is reached,
and there was no wood to add to It. So
that I had before me the prospect of a
dark and cold room, If my foolish fears
triumphed over my fatigue and kept
me awake. So it evidently became my
duty to sleep, and recognizing this fact,
I looked to see how a sense of security
could be obtained. The bed was light
and could be pulled in front of the
door; the windows but there was but
one and that was heavily draped with
thick dark stuff. Going to it, I dragged
the heavy folds aside and looked out.
A multitude of wintry boughs over
shadowing a stretch of unbroken snow
met my eyes, repelling me by its lone
someness. I let the curtain fall again,
and allowing my good sense to reassert
Itself, I prepared myself for the night,
merely yielding enough to my fears to
pull the bed in front of the door; then
I lay down, and with the light still
burning, fell fast asleep.
It must have been after midnight
that I awoke in a violent tremble, and
with the perspiration streaming from
every pore. Some one or something was
at my door. I heard the stealthy step,
the swishing dress, which proved the
Intruder to be a woman, and then the
quiet, almost noiseless. Insertion of a
key into the lock, followed by the quick
turn which mads me a prisoner. Bound
ing to the floor, I gasped out Miss Knol
lys' name, but no answer came in re
ply to my smothered appeal, and next
moment I heard the step gliding softly
away, filling me with so much alarm
that I should certainly' have shrieked
aloud 'if at that moment there had not
risen from somewhere in the house a
cry so much more wild and unearthly
than any I could have uttered that my
own tongue became paralyzed and I
sank to the ground In terror.
A murmur of voices quickly sup
pressed followed, but no second cry,
and presently all was as still as if no
sound had arisen to disturb the mid
night I cowered, however, for many
minutes longer against the floor, and
then, stiff with the told and blinded by
the darkness, for my candle had long
ago burned out, I groped my way to
the chair where I had laid my clothes
and began with trembling Angers to
dress myself.
As I did so I paused every now and
then to listen, but beyond the faint fall
of a distant footstep, or the smothered
sound of whispering voices, , I heard
nothing, though every fibre in my body
told me that some dreadful thing had
happened, and that that event, what
ever it was, had been a premeditated
one, or why had my door been locked.
Alive to my helplessness, and recall-
J M Baiag's
yJt Realm
His life
long CURES
Rheumatism. Neuralgia.
Coughs, Colds, . Lumbago,
Sore Throat, Inflammation,
Influenza, Frostbites,
Bronchitis, Headache,
Pneumonia, Toothache,
Asthma.
Cted Internally aa well aa Externally.
A half to tmupoenful in half a tnmhler of water
mrea Btamach troubles. Cold Chill,. Malarial FeTtra,
Wind tn ttao Bowola, and all Internal paina.
fifty Cents a Bottle. Sold by DrnUisU
HADWAY & CO., New York.
RADWAY'S
PILLS.
Purely vegetable, mild and reliable.
Cause perfeot digestion, complete assimila
tion and healthful regularity. Cure con
stipation and Its long list of unpleasant
symptoms and rejuvenate the system. X
cent a bos. AJ1 prufglflU,
ing for my comfort the parting assur
ance of Miss Knollys that nothing
which might occur would have any ref
erence to myself. I sat down In my
clothes and waited with mingled hope
and dread for daybreak.
But I had miscalculated my amount
of nerve. I could not sit thus passive
ly for hours, and jumping up at last, I
pushed my bed aside and laid my hand
on the knob of my door to see If the lat
ter was really fastened. I found that
It was, and not knowing what to do
with myself I leaned acalnst thn llnri
and listened, counting my own heart
Deats and vaguely hoping that some
where In the house a clock would soon
strike, telling me the hour.
But no such relief came; on the con
trary, the leaden moments went by
without a sound to relieve them, and I
was beginning to query whether It
would not be better for me to avail my
self of the warmth of my bed than to
stand any longer shivering on the bare
floor, when a faint noiBe, the first I had
heard In some time, came from without,
and the stealthy footfall returned to
my door, paused a moment, during
which I held my breath and almost
Btopped my heart's beating; then the
key was again inserted, turned and
drawn out, leaving me again In com
munication with the family.
My first Instinct was to open the door,
call out to the person who was gliding
off, and ask what had happened. But
natural timidity restrained me, and not
till the step had quite disappeared did
I venture to open the door and give one
quick look down the tunnel-like hall.
Darkness and darkness only met my
eyes, and halting between the fear of
what that darkness inclosed and the
phamtoms of dread and horror with
which my room was peopled, I stood
halting on the threshold, when a sound
of distant sobbing reached my ear,
sounding so pitifully In the dismal si
lence that, forgetting my own fears,
forgetting the cause I had to dread
that stretch of shut-up rooms before
me, I dashed lightly into the darkness
and sped, without thought or reason,
In the direction from which these to
kens of grief had seemed to come.
lint this strange house is anything
but simple In its construction, and be
fore I had gone many steps I realized
that I had left the main hall and was
lost in another and a smaller one, from
which I did not know how to emerge in
the profound darkness. The sobs had
The Only Remedy in
Kinds Purchase Price if It Fails fo Ciire
the Tobacco Habit in 4 fo 10 Days Is
It Ciires While Yoii Continiie th? Us? of
Tobacco.
The greatest discovery of the agel
A certain, pleasant, permanent
euro.
A lifetime's suffering ended for
$5.00.
Why smoke and spit your life
away? Why suffer from dyspep
sia, heartburn, and drains on your
vital forces?
Stop using tobacco, but stop the
right way I Drive the nicotine from
your system by the use of this
wonderful remedy.
Narcoti-Cure Is warranted to
remove all desire for tobacco in
every form, including Cigar, Cigar
ette and Pipe Smoking, Chewing
and Snuff Taking.
Use all the tobacco you want
wliilo under treatment, and in
from four to ten days your "hank
ering" and "craving" will disap
pearthe weed won't taste good.
' Then throw away tobacco for
ever. N arcoti-Cure is entirely vege
table and free from injurious in
gredients, It never falls to give
tone and new vigor to the weakest
constitution.
Remember If arcoti-Core does
not deprive you of tobacco while
eflectiug a cure; doesn't ask you
to buy several bottles to be on ti tied
to a guarantee; doesn't require a
month's treatment; and, llually,
doesn't enable you to stop tobacco
only to find yoursslf a slave to the
habit of tablet chewing.
TO our patrons:
Washburn-Crosby Co. wish to assure their many fat
rons that they will this year hold to their usual custom
of milling STRICTLY OLD WHEAT until tho new crop
is fully cured. New wheat is now upon the market, and
owing to the excessively dry weather many millers ar
of the opinion that it already cured, and in proper
condition for milling. Washburn-Crosby Co. will tako
no risks, and will allow the new wheat fully three
months to mature before grinding.
This careful attention to every detail of milling hna
placed Washburn-Crosby Co.'s flour far above other
r
brands.
MEGABGEL & CONNELL
Wholesale Agents.
ceased, so I had nothing to guide me,
and a prey once more to the horrors of
my situation, I turned and fled back a
fast as a complete Ignorance of my
whereabouts allowed. With one hand
on the wall at my side, I hastened on
till I came to a turn, and taking It for
the one I hod Inadvertently made a few
minutes before, I whirled to the right
and groped on, breathless and panting,
till I came to an open door.
As this was located Just where I had
expected to find my own, I rushed in
and shut It behind me; and still grop
ing, found the bed, which seemed a
long way from the door (longer than
It had when I sought It before), and
was in the act of feeling for the pil
low, when my hand came In contact
with something so dreadful, so blood
curdling and unexpected, that my lips
opened In a horrified shriek, which ter
ror nevertliless stifled in my throat.
I had touched the clay-cold face of a
corpse.
To Be Continued. i :
ELEPHANT'S PRIVATE CAR.
It is Eight Foot Clear on the Insldo
and AO Feet Long.
The Memphis Car and Foundry works Is
building a circus train of six curs, which,
when completed, will muke a train as long
as two ordinary trains of that size. Thero
are one elephant car and live tint cars in
tha course of construction. They are
nearly twice as long as the ordinary car,
and the timbers and the irons are much
heavier in every respect.
The elephant cur is remarkable. This
animal Is said not to be savage, but of an
Inquiring mind. Ho wants to know what
Is going on without, and he frequently
thrusts his trunk through and rips open
the sldo of a car and views the landscape
at his will until tho keeejwr can have him
more securely closed (n. The builders
flutter thcmKvlves that Jumbo's skill will
not let himself out of this car. It is e!i;ht
feet clear on tho Inside and Is fifty feet
long. Its sides are of double thickness.
The outer wull Is of cypress and the inner
of smoothly dressed ouk. There Is not a
bolt head or a bar that he can get a hold of
to twist out with his trunk. The barrel
windows are covered with wrought iron
bars that are fastened under the walls
with bolts. Memphis Commercial.
Cost of Soldiers rtrave.
During the most peaceful years the
world has 3,700,000 soldiers, who are with
drawn from productive occupations to
pose as soldiers. The pay, equipments,
food and clothing of these men cost the
world's taxpayers nearly JS.OOO.OOO a day.
the World That Re-1
With Narcoti CtTRE, when you
are through with tobacpo, you are
through with the remedy. One
bottle cures.
Send for book of prominent tes
timonies like the following:
Huntington, Mubs., March IS, 1803.
Ton .N Alteon Chemical Co,
Sprluitfleld, Mass.
Gentlemon; I havo used tobaoco ffj
over twonty-Avo years, chewing ana
smoking evory day from 7 a. m. to 9 p. m.
stopping only for meals.
On Monday, Fob. 4, I called at yonr
ofllce in Hpriocflcld. and bought a hot i lo
ot the ("DBS which I used as directed,
nnd on tho tenth day the desire for to
bacco Had left ron nnd it baa not re
turned. I did not loss a meal while t ik
ing tho Cure. My appetitebas improved
nn.l I consider NAncori-Cvna a grand
thine. Very rospoctfully,
CHAS. I LfNCOLN.
Sir. Frank H. Morton, of Chicep-a
Falls. 21 ass., late inspector of publio
buildings for UoGaacuuaotts, says:
I mod tobacco for twenty-flvo yean,
and was a confirmed smokrr, In Jnst
cinht dava' troatmont with Narcoti
Curb! w'a through with tobacco, in fact
tUo deatrs for tobacco vanished lika s
dream, Vory reepectfirtly,
FUAJN'K H. MORTON.
If your druggist is unnble to give
full particulars about Narcoti
Cure, send to us for Book of Par
ticulars free, or send $5.00 for bot
tle by mail.
THE NARCOTI CHEMICAL CO., '
Springfield, Mass.
7