The Argosy, October 1906 — page 203: what you’re looking at

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

‘THE NEW NEIGHBOR - Mr. Mandell, when you were standing -on a hilltop so far to the north?” “In this way,” plied, with « good deal of assurance: “The silvery lake, the position of the Robert Mandell re= tae - ACROSS THE HALL. 573 son. the state ae the atmosphere, the pe- culiar topography. of the landscapes, all “combined at that particular spot and hour of the day to produce a mirage of special) distinctness.” The New N eighbor Across the Hall. BY MARTIN M. FOSS. The astounding tale told by the stranger, with its sequel that fell on the mystified one like a bolt from the blue. | WAS re: in a reverie by. the grate fire in my bachelor “apartments when there came a soft knock on the door. “Perhaps I had been dozing, — I did not hear the: footsteps: on the stair; but T had ne sooner reused myself “with a cheery “Come in” than I realized that - my new “neighbor from across the. hall was calling on me. ? “IT rose, with a- ‘definitely fixes : eaeairé of him in my mind, for ‘though tT had never seen the man, to my knowledge, yet I had seen his name that day on the ss packing-cases at the door, and there was a quality in it—Montague Grant— which made me sure of him. ‘Surely I had heard it ee perhaps at the club, or as” oe -auther of some ‘book or play. At least, I felt con- fident that he would be tall and dark, with thin, aristocratic features, and a ‘great dignit of presence. ~ door opened softly I for by some strange psychological proc- ess I had painted his” portrait on my mind exactly. I bowed gravely, as- he spoke : z You will ei ee intrusion upon “He had “seemed nervous a enbar “rassed as he entered, but he became more calm, and smiled as he came forward in answer to my invitation. “ This is,” = said, Grant.” He ‘stopped suddenly, in great sur- rf 4 Mr. prise, and looked at me in a queer, nerv- ~ ‘his apparent trouble, framing my sen- “ous way, hesitating a moment before he ‘answered. But as I drew a chair to the fire, he replied: : ett Yes; but how did you know?” to gue I explained my simple deductions with a little pleasure; for I have a cer- tain pride im=my ability to diagnose incidents which often perplex other peo- ‘ple—no step on the stairs, therefere he must be from the top fleer, and he alene, besides myself, lived on the top: fleer. He laid his hat and ceat aside and sat down in front of the fire, and for the first time I saw deep lines in his face, the footprints of -werry, and the nervous twitching of his leng fingers teld me that he was even new under some great strain. “Have you had difficulty in prepar- ing your reems fer the night?” I asked. I was on the point ef offering him my ‘couch when it occurred to me that this neighbor, with whom I heped to be friends, might resent the advance. = Ves: ” he said. - “Tt-is trying, but I am sure you will So much did= T believe in my picture that when the cnew him at-once; = find it very comfortable here when you are settled. The conversation lagged whenever I ceased speaking, and I noticed ab he gazed blankly into the fire. Why had he come? Obviously he had planned to go out ef doors, from his dress and overcoat, and his manner did not show the vivacity which I should have expected from a friendly caller on his first visit. His face grew more troubled, and his eyes, deep-set as they were, filled with apparent pain. I sympathized with his “care, which I could see lay beyond the mere detail of. settling a pair of rooms. ‘I spoke to him, after a long pause, of tence as carefully as pessible. He an- swered me quickly :- 7 “Yes, there. is. something — very comicbooks.com