The Argosy — page 82: what you’re looking at

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

Number Twenty-five. Og “Killed her? what put such a horrible notion into my head?” I pulled down the blind and left the room at once. It was impossible to resist a further experiment that night. ‘‘ Come this way, Schmidt, for a moment,” I said, taking his arm and leading him down that accursed corridor, as we were going up to bed. ‘I want to satisfy myself —— ” Paul! What is it?” he broke in. “I heard it again. It says Srelp! Murder!’” I had heard nothing; but, while he spoke, the frantic beating at the door commenced and then the low moaning and wailing. It sank into silence as we stopped speaking, and we looked at one another in dire amaze. ‘‘T must have that room to-night, whatever it costs,” I declared. Oscar cordially approved the idea, and we sought out the manager and effected the change. Oscar sat talking with me in the bright July moonlight for some hours, which passed in perfect quietness. I told him the story of my previous visit, and showed him my little sketch of Mrs. Loseby which I found in the old portfolio. He was profoundly interested, he averred: but soon his head fell back on the sofa cushion, and he became lost to all outer impressions. Throwing myself on the bed, I sank into a dreamless sleep, from ‘ which I was awakened by a sound as of someone moving near me. ‘ Hallo, Schmidt,” I called out. There was no answer. Oscar had got tired of his sofa and retreated to his own room an hour before. ‘*‘ A dream, I suppose,” I said to myself. But in the same moment I distinctly heard the sound again. Someone seemed to be moving gently, as with bare feet, across the floor. I struck a match and lighted a candle. Nothing visible except my own uncomfortable form reflected in a mirror over the fireplace. Then I got up, undressed, and went to bed in earnest, leaving two candles alight near me. Sleep again, not so deep as before on account of the lighted room: and again awakened by the soft patter of footsteps; then the rustle of paper and the cautious closing of a drawer. I was sitting up, wide awake, and staring around before the sound ceased. Silence: emptiness; and the quiet morning light filling every corner of the room through the uncurtained windows. My night’s rest was over now. I got up and dressed, considering the while what I should say to Schmidt. ‘The footsteps all sounded on this side of the room, I thought, between the bed and dressing- table—and then would come the sound of the drawer closing. The toilette table was an elaborate affair with many drawers large and small. I began to pull them open. They were all neatly lined with fresh white lining paper. I looked into every corner and under the lining of each, but saw nothing. Then I pulled them quite out. One stuck fast, and on feeling round its edge I found a sheet of crumpled paper that had got between the drawer and its case. I drew it out care- ECORMICOOOKS (C(O)