Adventure, June 1911 — page 190: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

376 my father’s name and the fact of his having spent a part of his life in India, he fairly beamed. ** Are you really the son of Edward Mor- gan?” he cried, rising. “Why, my boy, I knew him well! I was in the Indian service for fifteen years, and who did not know him, who has spent much time in that benighted country? He was a fine man, and, if I remember rightly, he refused a knighthood for his services.” He came up to me and took my hand. “It’s all very sudden, I must say, but I should be very glad to see Muriel happily © married, and if she believes..you to be the right man, I shall interpose no objections. But I should advise you both wait a reason- able time, until you are certain that you have not made any mistake. As for me, I am an old man, and I have traveled all over the world, but the only real happiness I have ever found was in the love of my wife. . She went out to India with me, and. she never came back.” He turned and gazed into the fire to hide his emotions. “T have become half mad over this busi- ness of collecting antiquities and curios,” he resumed presently, “‘but it isn’t real—it’s only an insane hobby after all, and I have only just realized how selfish it all is.”’ ©) noticed that the door of the green room stood partly open, and, filled with a curious fascination, I once more peered into its dark and silent interior. I could see only the faint outlines of the tall, old-fashioned bed against the dim light of the sky without the windows. I stepped inside, acting upon the impulse of the mo- ment, and lit one of the gas-jets in the heavy, old-fashioned bronze chandelier. The room seemed comfortable enough, though I felt that peculiar stifling sensation I had noticed upon my first entering it. I wondered for the thousandth time what strange secret lay concealed within its walls —what mysterious influence existed which was potent to strike down man or beast alike without warning, as though by the hand of death itself. I longed to penetrate to the heart of this mystery—to satisfy my- self that what had occurred herein had not been supernatural, but merely some working of well known natural laws. Suddenly I was seized with an idea. Why should I not spend the night here and possi- AS I STOPPED at my doorway, I Adventure- bly thus determine the grim secret? The idea grew upon me so strongly that I at once returned to my own room, undressed, ptt on my pajamas and, taking a small pocket revolver, crossed the hall into the room opposite, carrying with me some extra coverings for my bed. I did not feel at all sleepy, so, after closing the door and climbing into the high poster bed, I lay back comfortably upon the pillows and. proceeded to occupy myself in read- — ing a- magazine. ‘CHAPTER XVIII -A NIGHT OF HORROR [Te night was in many ways like the one Robert Ashton spent there. A heavy rain had set in, and the wind from the southwest was driving it against the windows of the room, just as it had done that other night. I had attempted to raise one of the windows before turning in,;but it was impossible to keep it open for any length of time as the rain drove in fiercely and threatened. to flood the room. I began to reconstruct in my mind the scene that* had been enacted in this room but a few nights before—the stormy interview with Muriel, the hiding of the jewel in the soap and the use of her forgotten handkerchief for catching the flakes dug out by his pen- knife. Then, I thought, what next? No doubt Ashton had turned off the gas and climbed into bed. I say climbed advisedly, for the bed, one of those old-fashioned four-posters with a feather mattress under the hair one, was far higher from the floor than are our modern beds, and to facilitate getting into it there stood beside it a little low, wooden stool, by which one ascended to its snowy heights. : Presently, over my imaginings, I felt my- self growing unaccountably sleepy and tired. I realized that the strain of the long day had been a heavy one, and I could see no reason for going. without a good night’s rest. ‘There was. no priceless jewel con- cealed spon the premises to bring down upon me either the vengeance of Buddha or the murderous attacks of my fellow men. I laughed a little at my earlier fears as I rose in bed, reached over to the chandelier ‘and turned out the light. | i I must have slept for several hours, dur E@ JOO ANG <SiG@