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THE CIRCIMR STAIRCASE
a2 nnnFnTS
IUNZHART
ttrvtrfHT not ev tuaafruttiica T
CHAPTER I.
I Take n Country House.
Thin la tlio fitory of how a middle
aged nplnstor lost her mind, deserted
her domcBtlc gods In t ho city, took
a furnlnhed house for the Bummer out
of town, and found horseir Involved In
one of thosu mysterious crimes that
hoop our newspapers nnd detective
agencies happy nnd prosperous. For
20 years I hnd been perfectly com
fortable; for 20 yenrti I huil had tho
window-boxes filled In tho spring, the
carpets lifted, the awnings put up and
tho furnituro covered with brown
linen; for as many summers I bad said
Koou-ly to my mends, nnd, niter
watching their perspiring hcglru, had
rottlod down to u delicious Mulct In
(own, whore tho mall comes three
times a day, and tho water supply
does not depend on a tank on tho
roof.
And then tho madness seized me.
When I look back over tho months I
spent in Sunnysldc, I wonder that 1
mirvived at all. As it Is, I show the
wear nnd tenr or my harrowing ex
periences. I havo turned very gray
Llddy reminded mo of It only yester
day by saying that n little bluing In
tho rlnso water would make my hair
silvery Instead of u yellow white. I
hnto to bo reminded of unpleasant
things nnd I (mapped her off.
"No," I said sharply, "I'm not going
to uso bluing at my tlmo of Iiro, or
Htarch, cither."
Llddy's nerves nro gone, sho says,
nlnco that awful summer, but sho has
enough left, goodness knows! And
when sho begins to go around with a
lump In her throat, nil I havo to do
ts to threaten to return to Sunnyslde,
and sho is frightened Into a semblance
of cheerfulness from which you may
Judge that tho summer there wan any
thing but a success.
Iho newspaper nccounts huve been
so garbled and incomplete one of
them mentioned mo but onco, nnd
then only as tho tennnt at tho tlmo
tho thing bnppencd that I feel It my
duo to tell what I know. Mr. Jamie.
Ron, tho detcctlvo, said himself ho
could never hnvo done without me,
although ho gavo mo llttlo enough
crodlt, In print
I Bhall hnvo to go back several
years 13. to bo exact to start my
story. At that tlmo my brother died,
leaving mo his two chl'drcn. llalsey
was It then nnd fiortrudo wns seven.
When Nntscy hnd finished his elec
trical courso and Gertrude her board
ing school both cnino homo to stay.
Tho winter Gertrude cnino out wns
nothing but u succession of sitting up
Into at night to bring her homo from
thlngB, taking her to tho dressmakers
between naps tho next day, and dls
couraglng Inellglblo youths with either
mora money than brains or more
brains than money. Tly spring I was
qulto trnctnblo, So when Halsey sug
gested camping In tho Adlrondncks
and Gertrude wanted Unr Harbor, we
compromised on a good country house
with links near, within motor dls
tnnco of town nnd tolophono dlstnneo
or.Oie doctor. That was how wo went
to Sunnvsldo.
Wo went out to Inspect tho property,
nnd It seomed to deservo Its name.
Its chocrful nppearauco gnvo no Indi
cation whatever of anything out or
tho ordinary. Only ono thing seemed
uniiHiml to mo: The housekeeper, who
had boon loft In charge, had moved
from tho Iioubo to tho gardener's lodge
few days before As tho lodgo was
rnr enough away from tho house, It
seemed to mo that either nro or
thieves could complete their work or
destruction undisturbed. Tho propor
ty waB an oxtensfvo ono; tho houso on
tho top of a hill, which sloped away In
great strotches of green lawn and
clipped hedges, to tho road, r.nd across
tho valloy, perhaps a coup'o of miles
ivwny, was tho Greonwood Club house
Gertrudo nnd HalBoy wjro Infatuated
Tho proporty was owned by Paul
Armstrong, tho president of the
Traders' bnnk, who at tho time we
took tho houso was In tho west witl
his wlfo nnd dnughter, and a Dr
Walker, tho Armstrong family phy
Blclan. HalBoy knew Louiso Arm
strong hnd been rather nttentlvo to
hor tho winter before, but ns Halsy
was nlways attentive to somebody 1
had not thought of It seriously, al
though sho was a charming girl. 1
know of Mr. Armstrong only througl
his connection with tho bank, when
tho children's money was largely In
vested, and through an ugly atorj
nbout tho son, Arnold Armstrong, win
, was reported to havo forged his fa
thcr's namo for a considorablo amoun
to Bomo bank paper. However, tin
story had hnd no interest for me.
I clenred Hnlsey and Gortrudc
away to a house party, and moved on
to Sunnysldo tho first of May.
Tho first night passed quletlj
enough. I have nlways been gnitofu"
Tor that ono night's peaco; It showi
what tho country might bo undor fn
vornblo circumstances. Nevor af
that night did I put my hend on mj
pillow with nny ussuranco how lonj
it would bo thoro; or on my Bhouldors
lir that matter.
On tho rollowlng morning Llddy am
Mrs. Kalston, ray own housokeopei
!nd n difference of opinion, nnd Mrt
Ralston left on tho 11 train. Just afto
liuicheoa, Uurko, the butler, was talcoi.
NrtT
f!tCrU,l
' ' mi t . i ,.
1 . I iw !! ii IJ ' I n IT 'IV'tUf il
I ,,- . Sn !J - i-Ah i ISO.. ..... I M
rBJ-Hll
W- f I rmmn
tun hr I
- LjjiJ
tiinwiHiXm
tJW
Tll "His
1
-m
unexpectedly with pnln In his right
Bide, much worso when I was within
hearing distance, and by afternoon he
was started cityward. That night the
cook's sister had a baby tho cook,
seeing Indecision In my face, made It
twins on second thought and, to bo
short, by noon the next day tho house
hold staff was down to Llddv and
myself. And this In u houso with 22
rooms nnd live baths!
Mddy wanted to go back to tho city
at onco, but tho mllkboy Bald that
Thomns Johnson, tho Armstrongs
colored butler, was working ns a
waiter at the Greenwood club nnd
might como back. I havo tho usual
Bcruples about coercing pcoplo's serv
ants nwny, but row of us havo any
conscience regarding Institutions or
corporations witness tho way wo
beat railroads and street car compan
ies when wo can so I called up tho
club, nnd nbout eight o'clock Thomns
Johnson camo to sco me. Poor
ThomaB!
Well, it ended by my engaging
Thomns on tho Bpot, nt outrageous
wages, and with permission to sleep
In tho gardener's lodgo, empty slnco
tho houso was rented. 'Tho old ninn
ho was white-haired nnd a little
stooped, but with an Immense ld"ja or
his personal dignity gavo mo his
reasons hesitatingly.
"I nln't snyln nothing', Mis' Innes,"
he Bald, his hand on tho door-knob, "but
there's been goln'son hero this las'
few months us nln't natchal. 'Taln't
ono thing an' 'tnlnt another It's Jest
a door squoalln' here, an' a winder
That Completed Our
closing" there, but when floors nn
winders gets to cuttln' up enpers and
Micro's nobody nigh 'em, It's tlmo
Thomas Johnson sleops somowhar's
olso."
Llddy, who seemed to bo nover
mora than ten feet away from mo that
night, and wns afraid of her shadow
n that great barn of a place, screamod
i little, and turned a yellow-graen
Hut I am not easily alnrmed.
It was entirely In vain I represented
'o Thomas that wo wero alone, and
hat ho would havo to stay In tho
houso that night. Ho wns politely
Inn, but ho would como over early
ho next morning, and If I gavo him a
ttoy, ho would como In tlmo to got
no Bart of breakfast. I stood on
ho hugo veranda and watched him
sliunio along down the shndowy drlvo
with mingled feelings irritation at
his cowardleo and thankfulness nt get-
'Jug him at all. I am not nshnmed
o say that I double-locked tho hall
loor when I wont In.
"You can lock up tho rest of tho
ioubo and go to bed, Llddy," I Bald
ovorely. "You glvo me tho creeps
itandlng there. A woman of ypur ago
night to havo bottor sonso." It usual
y braces Llddy to mention her ng?j
dio owns to 40 which Is absurd, liar
nother cooked for my grandfather,
mil Llddy must bo nt least as old as
. nut that night sho rjfuocd to
mice. "''
"You're not going to nsk'ino to lock'
WW MClW I "I H,lJwMDAnM It
1 t
no
i
DitivuMt
" "'"I rifi Hi-ll 1
riasTFiooalbu
up, Miss Rachel!" sho quavered.
"Why, thero's a dozen French win
dows In tho drawing room and the bil
liard room wing, and every ono opens
on a porch. And Mary Anno said that
lust night there was n man standing
by tho stablo when she locked tho
kitchen door."
"Mary Anno was a fool," I said
Bternly. "If there had been a man
there sho would havo had him In the
kitchen nnd been feeding him what
wbb left from dinner, Inside of nn hour,
from forco of habit. Now don't bo
ridiculous. Lock up tho house a?d go
to bed. I am going to read."
Hut I.lddy set her lips tight and
stood still.
"I'm not going to bod," she snld. "I
nm going to pack up, and to-morrow
I am going to leave."
"You'll do nothing of tho sort," 1
snapped. Llddy nnd I often desire to
part company, but never at tho same
time. "K you are afraid, I will go
with you, but for goodness' sake don't
try to hldo behind mo."
Tho houso was n typical summer
rcsldenco on nn extensive scale.
Wherever possible, on the first floor,
tho architect had done away with par
titions, using arches and columns In
stead. Tho effect was cool and spaci
ous, but scarcely cozy. As Llddy and
I went from ono window to another,
our voices echoed back at us uncom
fortably. There was plenty of light
tho electric plant down In tho village
supplied us but there wero long vis
tas of polished floor, and mirrors
which reflected us from unexpected
Demoralization.
corners, until I felt somo of Llddy's
fooMshness eommunlcuto Itself to mo.
Tho houso was very long, a rectun
glo In general form, with tho main on
trnnco In tho center or tho long sldo.
Tho brlck-pnved entry opened Into a
short hall, to tho right of which, sepa
rated only by u row of pillars, was n
hugo living room. IJoyond that was
tho drawing room, nnd In tho end tho
bllllnrd room. Off tho billiard room,
in tho extreme right wing, was a den,
or cardroom, with a small hall open
ing on tho cast veranda, and from
there went up a narrow circular stair
case. Llddy and I got as rnr as tho card
room and turned on nil tho HghVi. I
tried tho small entry door thoro,
which opened on tho vcrandn, aud ex
amined tho windows. Everything wns
secure, and Llddy, a llttlo less ner
vous now, hnd Just pointed out to mo
tho dlsgrncoful dusty condition or tho
hard-wood floor, whon suddenly tho
lights went out Wo waited a mo
mont; I think Llddy was stunned with
fright or sho would havo screamed.
And then I "clutched hor by tho arm
and pointed to ono of tho windows
opening on tho porch. The sudden
chango throw tho -window Into roller,
uii obfong'of grayish light, nnd showed
tfa 1a-"'flgth'o- Standing close;, -peering In.
ti& -I -.looked It darted (ncro'sa tho ver
anda nmToAi'tf ot'slglithn th'd-dflrftriess.
8 I DiuwinaRaoM XLn f?"4 I
L-J
CHAPTER II,
A Link Cuff-Button.
Llddy's knees seemed to glvo away
undor hor. Without a sound sho sank
down, leaving mo staring at tho win-
dow in petrified nmnzement. Llddy
began to moan under her breath, and
In my excitement I renchod down and
shook her.
"Stop It," I whimpered. "It's only a
womnn mnybo a maid or tho Arm
strongs'. Get up and help mo find tho
door." Sho groaned ngaln. "Very
well," I said, "then I'll havo to lonve
you here. I'm going."
Sho moved nt that, and, holding to
my sleovo, wo felt our way, with nu
merous collisions, to tho bllllard-room,
and from thoro to tho drawing-room.
Tho lights camo on then, nnd, with
tho long French windows unshuttered,
I hnd a creepy feeling that each one
sheltered n peering fnce. In fact, In
the light of what happened nrterwnrd,
I am pretty certain wo were undoi
survelllnnco during tho entire ghostly
evening. We hurriul over tho rest of
tho locklug-up nnd got upstairs ns
quickly as wo could. I left tho lights
all on, and our footsteps echoed ca
vcrnously. Llddy had n stiff neck tho
next morning, from looking back ovor
her shoulder, and sho refused to go
to bed.
"Let mo stay In your dressing room,
Miss Rachel," sho begged. "If you
don't I'll sit lu tho hall outside tho
door. I'm not going to be murdered
with my eyes shut."
It was 11 o'clock when I finally pre
pared for bed. In spite, or my assump
tion of indifference, 1 locked tho door
Into tho hall, and finding the tran
som did not catch, I put a chair cau
tiously bororo tho door It was not
necessary to rouse Llddy and climb
ing up put on tho ledgo or the tran
som a small dressing mirror, so that
nny movement or tho frame would
send it crashing down. Then, secure
In my precautions I went to bed.
I did not go to bleep nt once. Llddy
disturbed mo Just as I was growing
drowsy, by coming In nnd peering un
der the bed. Sho was afraid to speak,
however, because of her previous
snubbing, nnd wont back, stopping In
the doorway to sigh dismally.
Somowhero down-stnlrs a clonk
with a chlmo sang awily tho hours
cloven-thirty, forty live, twelve. And
then tho lights wont out to stay. Tho
Casanova Electric Company shuts up
shop and goes homo to bed at mid
night: when ono has a party, I be
lievo it Is customary to fee tho com
pany, which will drink hot coffee and
keep nwnko a couplo or hours longer.
Uut tho lights vera gone for good
that night. Llddy had gono to sleep,
jib I knew sho would. Sho wns a very
unreliable person: always awako and
ready to talk when she wasn't wanted
and dozing off to sleep when sho was
I called her onco or twice, tho only re
sult being nn cxploslvo snoro that
threatened her very windpipe then 1
got up nnd lighted a bedroom cnndlo.
My bedroom and dressing room
wero nbovo tho big living room on
tho first floor. On the second floor a
long corridor rrn tho length of tho
houso, with roocis opening from both
eldcs. In tho wings wro small cor
ridors crostlng tho main ono tho
plan was simplicity Itsolf. And Just
as I got back Into bed, I heard a
sound lrom tho east wing, apparently,
thnt made mo stop, frozen, with one
bedroom slipper half off, and listen. It
was a rattling metallic sound, and It
reverberated nlong tho empty halls
like tho crash of doom. It was for all
tho world ns If something heavy, po1--hups
a pleco or steel, bad rolled clat
tering and Jangling down tho hard
wood stairs leading to tho card-room.
In tho silence that followed Llddy
stirred and snored again. I was ex
asperated; first Bho kept mo awake
by silly alarms, then when sho wns
needed sho slopt like .Too Jofferbon, or
IMp they nro always tho same to ino.
I wont in and aroused hor, and I give
hor credit for being wldo awako tho
mlnuto I spoke.
"Got up," I said, "if you don't want
to bo murdored in your bod."
"Whoro? How?" sho yolled vocifer
ously, and Jumped up.
"Thero's somebody In tho houso," I
snld. "Get up. We'll havo to go to
tho tolophono."
"Not out In tho hall!" Bho gasped;
"Oh, Miss Itachel, not out In the
hall!" trying to hold mo back. Hut 1
am n largo womnn nnd Llddy Is small.
Wo got to tho door, somehow, nnd
Llddy held a brass andiron, which It
was all sho could do to lift, lot alone
brnln anybody with. 1 listened, nnd,
hearing nothing, oponed tho door a
llttlo and peored into tho hall. It was
a black void, full of terrible suggos
tlon, and my cnndlo only enlmslzei!
tho gloom. Llddy squealed and drow
mo back again, and us tho dooi
slammed, tho mirror I hnd put on tho
transom came down and hit hor on
tho head. That completed our de
moralization. It wns somo tlmo before
I could porsuado hor sho had not been
attacked from behind by a burglar,
and whon sho found tho mlrro
smnshed on tho floor she wasn't nuicn
bcttcr.
' ' ' (TO BE CONTINUED.)
JUST A "LITTLE MITE DEAF"
Circumstantial Evidence That Emma
Salter Needed Some Artificial
Aid In Hearing.
.WHIM
"You know how Emma Salter used
to say she was a mito deaf, but when
she wns real deaf she'd buy her somo
kind of n contrivance so's to mnko It
easy for her friends," snld Mrs. Jen
nings to her daughter; and tho young
woman nodded, forbearing to remind
her mother that tho span of hor recol
tlons wns not precisely thodupllcdtc
of tho old lady's.
"Sho never bought one, and she
never will, now," snld Mrs. Jennings.
who had an exhausted nlr.
"1 hollered to her nil tho way out to
tho Light, and all tho way back; and j
while we vcro vlsltln' Mis' Gorhani
tho sunset pun sounded and made n
great noise.
"I thought sure she'd hear that, and
I didn't suspicion how she'd hoar It till
licit Gorhatn como Into the room a
second niter.
" 'You'vo grown considerable heavl- '
sr'n you were, Uort,' Emma snld to
n!m. 'I henrd you coming up tho stairs
plain as day!'" Youth's Companion
Catarrh Cannot Be Cured
with LOCAL APPLICATIONS, m tlry cnnot rrscli
tho feat of tho llscasc. Catarrh is a blooj or niiiatl
tutloial dbea.iT, and In order to euro It ou must take
Internal rcmedlt. Unira Cntarrli euro 11 takrn in
trmal l. find AMI, .llrnntlw rAn . I.t.l .... .
surfaces. Hair Catarrh Cure Is not n quaek medl
cine. It was pnscrlbcd by oao of tho best pMnithm
to this comtry or years nnd Is ft regular prrt.rlptlon.
i..h .c.omLKT1...0' ih0 br,t Xor),n known, combined
lth tho best clood purifiers, ncthic dlreetly on the
mucous mrfaeci. The perlect combination of tho
two hcredlents Is what produces ruth wonderful re
sults In curi-w .atarrh. fend for testimonials, free.
Ri,i h rF' J-CIIKNBV & CO.. ttops.. Toledo. O.
Bold by Dru""lsts. prlra Tie.
THO UaU's r imlly puis for constipation.
His Future.
Ella What did your aged suitor say
when ho proposed to you?
Stella Will you bo my widow?
Arithmetic.
Teacher ir I give you ono npple
Young American Don't do It, teach
er, and you won't start any or that
trouble that Adam and Evo got Into.
Too Lavish.
Mrs. Dobbs was trying to find out
the likes and dislikes of her new
boarder, nnd all she learned Increased
her satisfaction.
"Do you want pie for brenkfast?"
she nskod.
"No, I thnnk you," Bald tho new j
oouruer, with n smllo. "Pie for break
rast seems a little too much."
"Thnt's Just the way I look at It,"
raid Mrs. Dobbs, heartily. "I say plo
lor dinner Is a necessity, nnd pic Tor
supper gives a kind o' finishing touch
to Iho day; but plo for breakfast is
what I call putting on nlrs." Youth's
Companion.
Importation of Leeches.
Leeches are enumerated by the bu
reau of statistics under Its general
head of animals Imported, tho total
value of tho Imports or this species
In 1008 having been $5,311; In 1907.
5G.U22; In 190G. $4.19 1 ; In 1905, $3,802;
In 1901, $3,589; in 1903, $3,210. and In
1902. $2,412 tho commerce In leeches
being thus or a growing character.
The total value or tho leeches Im
ported Into tho United States In the
decade ending with 190S, Is nbout $40,
000. Leeches are Imported Tree or
duty. Snails wero nt ono time enu
merated ns nn nrtlclo of Importation,
the records from 1891 to 1898 showing
snails Imported to tho extent or about
$5,000; but tho snail trado so dwin
dled, showing only $21 or Imports In
1898, that the bureau discontinued Its
statements or this article.
Really a Serious Dilemma.
"The chap who works on ono side or
mo," snld nn office man. "has been mar
ried six weeks and ho sneaks to the
tolophono ntout four times a dny and
calls up his wlfo, and then I hear him
saying: 'Dear, how Is your headacho
now? I hope you aro feeling bettor."
Then pretty soon ho comes back to his
desk and goes to work again all smi
ling. "The man who works on tho other
sldo of mo hns been married six years
and he goes to tho tolophono only
when he's called and then I hear him
saying: 'Why, I can't possibly do that,
I can't spare tho money,' and then ho
comes back to his desk all scowling.
"And really, when I henr the way
these two men go on I don't know
what to do. I don't know whether to
get mnnlod or stay a bachelor."
Some Sweet Day
tACJ H'JI.nUirn.c. ' .
rostum CcXXr-hr.
I
Popular pkg. 10c
Family size 15c.
Sold by Grocers.
tl
Postum Cereal Co.,
- m
A Pleasing Sense of Health and
Direngui Renewed and ct
Ease and Comfort
follows tho ubo of Syrup of Tigs and
Elixir of Scnnn, as it acts gently on
jlio kidneys, liver and bowels, cleans
ing the system effectually, when con
stipa'cd, or bilious, and dispels colds
and headaches.
To get its beneficial effects, always
liny tho genuino, manufactured by;
the California Fig Syrup Co.
Is what you nro worrying nbout
really worth while?
It nprce'sj'lcnrant Pellets rt-irnlafei nnd Inila
nto hlntniii.il, lirer nnd bowel. hugar-cuatcTl
ui y, Kru null's, ejty to lako. Im nut crlpo,
cuatcl.
Truth is said to bo stranger thnn
lotion, yet it Is only In fiction they get
married and llvn happily ever after.
1G0 Acres Land Free
In Co'orado. Good water, rich soil,
lino climate. Write W. P. Jones, 750
Majestic lildg., Denver, Colo., for frco
Hook nnd Map or Land.
His Way.
Knlckor In Jones chnritable?
1 locker Well, bo doesn't let his
right loot know whom his loft foot
kicks.
CUT THI8 OUT
And mall to the A. II. Lewis Meillclnn Co..
St. Ivonls. Mo., nnd tliey will ncnd you free
?J. nv treatment of NATUKK'S ItEME
m (Nil tnutcta) QuiirnntPrd for Ilheu
niutlxm, Constipation, Blrlt Headache, Uv
i'r. Kidney anil Blood Dlnennrg. Bold by
nil DrtirariAtH. Better thnn PUN for Liver
Ilia. It's frco to you. Wrlto today.
New Work for Women.
Mrs. Frederick II. Snyder Is tho
on'y woman impresario on earth, she
says. She decided that grand opera
would be a good thing for St. .Paul and
mado hor first venture so successful
that sho has continued In tho buslnoss
ufter tho fashion of mon ongaged In
tho same work.
One Type of Religion.
"Too many peoplo," snld Rev.
Charles P. Aked, at a luuchcon In Now
York, "regard their religion as did tho
llttlo boy in the jam closet.
"Ills mother pounced on him sud
denly, lie stood on tiptoe, ladling jam
with loth hnndB from tho Jam pot
to his mouth.
'"Oh, Jncky!' his mother cried.
'And last night you prayed to bo mado
a saint!'
"His face, an expressionless mnsk
of Jam, turned towards her.
" 'Yes, but not till ufter I'm dead,' he
explalnl'd."
Shows Value of Steel Car.
That the steel car Is or groat valuo
ns a protection to passengers In tho
event or collision was demonstrated
In n recent clash or two trains In
tho Hudson tunnel. New York city.
There was no such telescoping ns
would probnbly havo occurred with
wooden cars, and tho Injurlos wero
merely such ns resulted from the pas
sengers' being thrown down by tho
shock of the collision.
An Interruption.
Among the primary pupils" enrolled
In a Baltimore Gchool this term Is tho
t-on of n prominent business man of
that city.
One afternoon, at closo of school, tho
youngster sought out his father In his
odl cc, to him ho said:
"Dad, I'm getting tired of school. I
think I'll quit."
"Why?" asked tho astonished par
tnt; "whnt'3 tho mnttor, Tommy? I
thought you wero fond or going to
school."
"So I am, dad," responded tho young
ster, suppressing n yawn, "but It
breaks up tho day so." Harper's Mag
azlne. You may be served
with
Post
Toasties
and Cream
Then you will know
what a dainty, tempt
ing food you have been
missing.
Every serving wins
a friend
TheMemory Lingers"
Ltd., Battle Creek, Mich.
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