The |l Mystery of II Hartley House | ;; Ey CLIFFORD S. RAYMOND ; ’ |l ' i; [ Illustrated by Irwin Myers < > iHHVWmtVVVWMMVWIVWVWVI Copyright by Georgs H. Doran Cos. ?- ' ' ' -T-- O THAT’S DOBSON. Synopsis. Dr. John Mlchelson, lust beginning hls career, becomes resident physician and companion of Homer Sidney at Hartley house. Mr. Sidney is an American, a seml- Invalld, old and rich and very de sirous to live. Mrs. Sidney Is a Spanish woman, dignified and reti cent. Jed, the butler, acts like a privileged member of the family. Hartley house Is a fine old Isolated country place, with a murder story, a "haunted pool,” and many watch dogs. and an atmosphere of mys tery. The "haunted pool" Is where Richard Dobson, son of a former owner of Hartley house, had killed hls brother. Arthur Dobson. Jed begins operations by locking the doctor In hls room the very first night. Doctor John fixe* hls door no he can't be locked In. He meets Isobel, daughter of the house and falls In love at first sight. In the night he finds the butler drunk and holding Mrs. Sidney by the wrist. He interferes. Mrs. Sidney makes fight of It. John buys a revolver. John overhears Jed telling Mrs. Sidney he will have hls way. In reply she says she will not hesitate to kill him. Mrs. Sidney asks John to consent to the announcement of 1 his engagement to Isobel. The young people consent to the make believe engagement. Later they find It Is to "head oft Jed, who would marry Isobel. Jed tries to kill John, but the matter Is smoothed over. John, though "en gaged” to Isobel, conceals hls love. ft- , CHAPTER IV—Continued. j —b Onr charming old gentleman could sot go through the entire Institution, mid the warden led him to the most accessible parts of the Interesting place. We saw the rattnn-chnir works anti the honor men In the gardens. We also took one glance at a tier of cell louses and peeped Into the dining-hall snd into the chapel. The warden would have had us stay to dinner. I had to forbid this. It would have been too much of n physical strain upon Mr. Sidney. I knew that the lit tle diversion was Interesting him, and 1 was glad to have him interested, but 3 did not want to tax his strength. “I’m the doctor’s servant," he said. "Til look Into ihe library if you don’t mind, warden, and then we’ll abejr'the physician.” Warden Williams led us to the li brary, which contained a large col lection of hooks. An elderly convict was engaged In cataloguing some new volumes which had Just been taken out of boxes. He was Interested and paid no attention to us. Sir. Sidney looked at him for a few minutes. “What did you say was his crime?" he nsked of the warden. “That’s Dobson," said Mr. Williams. "Ton must know Ids story. He is the man who killed his brother. You are living in the Dobson house.” 1 looked at ihe frnll, white-haired man with n sudden shock of Interest. Tills was the man who had created the ghost story at Hartley house. He was fumbling registry cards and writing on them. He was frail and insignificant. He had been once, by legend, a sturdy, mnscular, cruel brute. He was now feeble and Interested In cataloguing. Mr. Sidney looked about the room, “This does not seem to be so well protected as the other parts of the prison,” he said. "It is not thought necessary,” said the warden. "Escape front here might not he Impossible for an agile man. It not Impossible from any part of the prison. It can only he made improb able. It would be easier from here, bnt still difficult. But this old man would bo in a harder prison of depri vation and fri endlessness outside than he Is inside.” "Do you mean that he Is (he man who made the ghost story I bought With my house?” Mr. Sidney nsked. “That’s all there is human of your Ifiost story,” said the warden. "It Is more than most ghost stories have,” said Mr. Sidney. CHAPTER V. I could not believe the slightest par ticle In the ghost story. I am ration alistic. But as the legend of the pond took shape, my imagination began to give substance to Its shadows. Yet the place was gonial and cordial. Mr. Sidney’s joviality was the dom inant note In the house. An aging sick man might naturally have been testy. He might have been Impatient, have bad whims and crochets. He nvight have been Irascible In hls demands upon and acceptance of service. Hut Mr. Sidney was always cordial and considerate. A great deal of tlie time he spent In bed. When ho was not In hejl, he sat In u great chair, and very often a yellow Persian cat rested on his knees. It was a difficult If not dangerous matter for any one eNo than Mr. Sidney to touch th< cat. named Algol. "The Wlnk'ng Demon," said Mr. Sidney, fingering the cat’s ruff ns It lay or. his lap. and purred. I knew Just enough of the star Algol and Its vari ability to understand the whimsicality of an old man’s naming n cat for the winking sun. Algol In Mr. Sidney's lap blinked at me. and the old man’s genius for understanding and classi fication seemed uncanny. Mr. Sidney's room was of great size. It had two fireplaces and a large cove of windows bulging toward the west. At the smaller of the two fireplaces he had his breakfast. Either at the large fireplace or In the outward bulge of windows, he had hls dinner. In spite of the Persian cat, Mr. Sid ney had throe canaries In the room. Algol respected them after a fashion that I thought uncertain. I have seen a canary sitting on the cat’s head, but I thought it was a decided case of mis placed confidence. Algol wanted that canary and would continue to want It He was deterred from natural action In the matter by his affection for the strange but kindly master who want ed cats and canaries to live together In omlty I know I never fully grasped Mr. Sidney’s scheme of life, but I thought that he found existence Ironic. Hls graciousness and his cheerfulness, I thought, represented the garlands of hls conquest of morbidity. His per sonal charm was extraordinary. Every one In the house felt It. But an aston ishing thing about Mr. Sidney was an occasional emotion which, as It mani fested Itself In hls expressions—and that was the only fashion I saw It for a long time —was one of savage hate. It was only by coming on him when he was not expecting me that I saw this. I remember that the first time I saw the expression on his face I was dumfounded. That I was not expected in hls room was entirely without Inten tion on my part. People who were ac customed to being with him walked Into the room without ceremony. • Hls bedroom and bath were to one side. Hls living-room he Insisted should be open without formality. On the occasion I speak of I had come in quietly, but it was without Intention to surprise ray patient. He was sitting In hls large chair with Algol on his knees. Ills eyes were closed, and on hls face was an expression of malevol ence that was almost demoniac. It was so startling that the sight of It stopped me In my step and made me feel more than uneasy, almost afraid. Mr. Sidney was quiet, except that with one hand he stroked Algol about the head and ears. The caress was al most Imperceptible in motion, but Al gol was purring so loudly that the sound filled the otherwise quiet room. The malevolence—the malignancy, hatred, concentrated essence of feroc ity—in Mr. Sidney's face would have stopped anyone. To one who had af fection for him as I had, it was ab horrent to see him so. It was a con fession of something 1 did not want to know. 1 was In fear that he might hear mo and, opening his eyes, find that I had discovered him. I was embarrassed and uncertain what to do. It was a silly predicament, as I saw afterward. My part was quite simple. I should have paid no attention to any such phenomenon as the expression on a man’s face and have acted perfectly naturally. The common-sense thing—and I con sider myself fairly sensible—was ap parent afterward. It indicates the as tonishing shock of the thing that I was unable to act sensibly. What was the expression in an amiable, charming man's face, to knock a sensible person out of nil his senses? Here was a dozing man merely toying with a cat’s ears, and the very sight of whaf was expressed In his face, made me numb. I cannot understand it now, the ter rifying sensation being one which dis appeared as the recollection of the emotions faded. What I did was to back toward the door, open it as quiet ly as I could, back out, and then re enter the room noisily. Mr. Sidney was looking at me smil ingly. Hls charm of manner never seemed more positive and active. “Hello, doctor!" he said. “I needed company and just your company. If you would only drink wine!” • 4t ) • * * * • A broken pipe In the laundry made It necessary to call a plumber from Hartley, and to get quick service, It was agreed that we should send a car for the man and hls helper. The day was pleasant, and for the soke of Ihe drive 1 went with the driver. The plumber was a fat man of the comic type. I thought he must he the embodiment of all the plumbers’ jokes. They seemed to have created him ; lie was the product of the comics. I even asked him If he were sure he had all hls tools. I thought he would be sure to send ns back for a wrench. He was amiable, laughed at* anything or nothing and was saved from being THE STARKVXLLE NEWS, STATtKVTLLE, MISSISSIPPI a nuisance only by un abounding aul nml optimism which was Infectious. Driving through the Findley house grounds we mine to the pool, and the pl imher—named Harkins—chuckled. Thus fnr, whenever he or something else amused him, he had laughed. Now he chuckled ns If In recollection of an experience -richer or deeper than any he had been talking of. "That place Is going to be remem bered by me," he said. "I have been out here only onee since the night I made n bet I was not afraid to sit on the bank here for an hour. They’ve got a good many stories of this place In town. I hud been drinking a Utile. I don’t do it steady, but once In a while I get out. You’ve got to do It to keep the house going happy. (live the wife something to talk about. My wife would rather scold me than eat, and she U vea her food. “We were at the White Pigeon, hav ing a good time hut thinking of going home, when someone started on this Hartley house story. Everybody had something to say, and 1 said that there was no ghost that could scare me, at least no ghost that ever was within a hundred miles of Hartley. That’s where I made a fool of myself. I’ve got to admit that’s where I made a fool of myself. “I bet five dollars I would sit an hour on the bank at this place. I for got all about the dogs, or I’d not have made the bet. Anyway, they didn’t bother me. We got un automobile and drove out here. The fellows left me at the pool and went a mile back. They were going to take ray word for It. I was to stay un hour and then start walking hack. At the end of an hour they would start toward me and pick me up. They had beer and sand wiches. I had a couple of bottles and some cheese and crackers. "I wasn't afraid of that place. I’m not afraid of any place unless I get to thinking about this one. It was along In October. A hoot-owl was somewhere hack of me, and there was a whippoorwill up toward the house. “I’m used to hoot-owls and whip poorwills, but I hadn’t drunk more than half a bottle of beer before even these things began to sound different. “The current of the river kept knock ing at the big rock at the up end of the pool, and you began to think that things were reaching for you out of the dark. I’d have given ten dollars to quit, but I got so that I didn’t want to move. I felt safer sitting still. “Then I began to hear things that I don’t suppose were making a noise at all. It may be it was rabbits In the bush. I nearly died wlien I heard a cry about fifty feet back of me. I did hear that. I guess a ferret had got a rabbit. Yon know how a rabbit cries —like a baby. “I was sitting In the open, and I thought I’d feel better If I got my hack up against something. So I crawled over to some bushes and sat down be hind them. "Maybe I had been there a half an hour, feeling scary and uncomfortable, when I heard a regular yell. There wasn't any fooling about that. It sounded like someone being hurt but yelling not so much because of the hurt as because he was mad. “You've beam fellows talking about (heir hair standing on end. I never knew what It really meant before, tint my hair just stood right in’. I felt like someone was trying to scalp me, and I was gooseUesh all over. “It had been dark on account of clouds, hut just then the moon came out and lighted ujr the place. There was a man standing on the edge of the pool, just about where I had been sit ting. He was leaning with both hands on a cane and standing perfectly still. He didn’t seem like a man. He looked like one, hut you had a feeling that he wasn’t one. “I don’t want c\**r to be so scared again. I didn’t know who had yelled, hut I thought this man hatj, and I didn't think he was a man. I thought he was a ghost. I’m not saying what I think now, but If I had to, Pd say that I saw the ghost of this place— and anybody that want’s to laugh can laugh. He can come down here at night and get cured of laughing. "I couldn’t move foe a while. The man stood still, leaning on his cane. I watched him until I began to feel that I could use my legs again. I don’t know why I was so scared, but I was. I crawled away through the brush for a hundred feet or so. Then I got up and ran. “I heard that yell behind me again I’ll bet nobody around here ever ran a mile as fast as I did. 1 scared the fellows who were waiting for me. They didn’t poke any fun at me. They looked at me and got that automobile started. I paid the bet, but they didn’t have any laugh on me. There Isn’t one of them would come down here at night now.” "When was this?” I asked. “Four or five years ago,” said the plumber. “Some time In October.” We came to the house, and he went Into the laundry to fix-the pipes. “It doesn't look haunted around here,” he said as he perceived the tangible joviality of the place, “but you’ve got to get me out before dark.” That was virtually the complete sub stance of the Hartley house ghost— the picture of a man leaning on a cane by the edge of the river. Romance had to he content With It. • •••••* One evening In late October, which had fumed chill and brought up a high wind, Mr. Sidney produced anew phenomenon. He had a strange flash of strength. When I went to his room after dinner I found him walking about without help. Ordinarily, If lie walked at all. Jed was his strength. "Occasionally I can do It, doctor,” he said. "The strength comes. I usual ly pay for It next day, however.” “I'd he very careful, then,” I sug gested. “Yes, but you do not know how grateful It Is to feel vigor once In a while," he said, continuing to walk forth and back In the room. I sat down and watched him without remonstrating. It was astonishing to see him so agile ami. strong hut I had learned that timid prudence was very ineffective. I had confessed my Inabil ity to understand him. He did not seem to want to continue life for the purpose of preserving Its sensations but for the purpose of some accomplishment. His conditions were so pleasant that It might be reasonable to desire a prolonging of them. Evi dently he was not set upon that. He was not trying to accomplish anything. He did nothing. He had no unfinished work. And yet his will to live, I knew, was a will to see the fruit of some thing. He seemed to have a spiritual incentive; something that had other than a physical impulse controlled him and gave him resolution. I was marveling at his strange ac tivity when Isobel and Mrs. Sidney came In. Mr. Sidney .proposed whist, and we began a game. The wind In creased In violence, and the log fire grew In comfort. We had a pleasant game, disturbed for me only by specu lations as to the cause of Mr. Sidney’s strange animation and strength. Shortly after ten o’clock the ladisn said good night, and Jed came in with a fresh log for the fire. The wind had been Increasing In volume, sound and power. I was thinking of bed. “Sit a while longer, doctor,” Mr. Sid ney urged. “Jed and I shall be the better for some other company. This Is the sort of night we like to sit up to enjoy. Esthotlcally one ought to make the most of such a night” Jed went out and presently came In again with two bottles of wine. “What are we drinking tonight Jed?” Mr. Sidney asked. “I thought the evening suggested a warm sherry.” said Jed. “I think It does,” said Mr. Sidney, "There Is body and a live soul In sherry.” “But certainly,” I suggested In alarm, “you will not drink sherry." “Indeed not,” said Mr. Sidney. “Jed drinks It for me, and I watch him. You must have a glass with him—just one. He’ll have a dozen —I don’t ask you to follow him —but just one.” Jed opened a bottle, and when he offered me a glass I yielded. I wanted to Increase the sense of protective comforts against that shrill wind out side. Jed drew n comfortable chair close to the fire and took his wine in large hut appreciative gulps. I took mine In small but appreciative sips. The fire roared, and the wind howled. Jed. drinking by gulps, soon was ex hilarated. Mr. Sidney and I had been rational. We had been talking, I re call, of the substitution of a Syrian Idea of Immortality, concerned chiefly with precious metals and stones, for the nqrth European idea of Valhalla, when Jed began to sing, and with gusto and affection opened another bottle of wine. The wind grew In vio lence. “It Is a night for any of the living dead about a place,” I said. “I like a wind that has many voices,” said Mr. Sidney. “It produces certain or emotions that are primi tive. It suggests a threat and Increases the sense of shelter and comfort. We sit like peasants about the fireplace and are inclined to legends.” Story of the Dobion Murder. (TO BE CONTINUED.) Happiness Not Found in Crowds. Contact with great crowds Is no guarantee of happiness. Almost every man at some time or another gets the fever for the great city. If he could only mingle with the crowds that throng the streets and rub shoulders with multitudes striving for success or Unlimited pleasures he would be sure to revel In happiness. How rude the awakening must be when he tries It. The great city doesn’t know you have entered It. Yon may be the oracle of your own town hut you may stand on the street of the city and watch the passers-hy for hours at a time and no one will say a word to you. There Is no more lonesome feel ing In the world than that of feeling yourself alone In the midst of people. It’s ns bad ns being thirsty In the mid dle of the ocean. Crowds do not give happiness.—Exchange. The Spanish government will permit experiments In tobacco cultivation and will inspect the seeds and plants and supervise the disposal of the crop. GOOD GROCER GOOD^MEDIGINE An East Nashville Grocer Says He Has Used Black-Draught for Years, Whenever Troubled With Torpid Liver. East Nashville, Tenn—" You ask me about Black-Draught. It Is without doubt the best liver medicine made, and I don’t believe I could get along without it," declared Mr. W. N. Parsons, recently. Mr. Parsons, who Is a prominent grocer at 243 North First street, says further: “I take It (Black-Draught) for sour stomach, headache, bad liver, Indigestion, and all other troubles that are the result of a torpid liver. I have known and used it for years, and can and do highly recommend It to every one. I won’t go to bed without It In the house. It will do all It claims to do. I can’t say enough for it.” Thedford’s Black-Draught, which has been in successful use for more than 70 years, is a medicine especially adapted to the treatment of many liver troubles. It has proved helpful to thousands and thousands of per sons suffering from stomach and liver complaints, and should be helpful to you. Black-Draught is easy to take and has not the bad after-effects, so com mon with many mineral drugs. Most good druggists sell It. —Adv, A man full of himself is as disagree able as a man full of whisky. 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