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Page 4
"In what way?" asked Harley, leaning back in his chair and studying the
fierce face.
"On several occasions on turning out the light in my bedroom and
looking across the lawn from my window I have observed the shadow of
someone--how do you say?--lurking in the garden."
"The shadow?"
"Precisely. The person himself was concealed beneath a tree. When he
moved his shadow was visible on the ground."
"You were not deceived by a waving branch?"
"Certainly not. I speak of a still, moonlight night."
"Possibly, then, it was the shadow of a tramp," suggested Harley. "I
gather that you refer to a house in the country?"
"It was not," declared Colonel Menendez, emphatically; "it was not. I
wish to God I could believe it had been. Then there was, a month ago,
an attempt to enter my house."
Paul Harley exhibited evidence of a quickening curiosity. He had
perceived, as I had perceived, that the manner of the speaker differed
from that of the ordinary victim of delusion, with whom he had become
professionally familiar.
"You had actual evidence of this?" he suggested.
"It was due to insomnia, sleeplessness, brought about, yes, I will
admit it, by apprehension, that I heard the footsteps of this
intruder."
"But you did not see him?"
"Only his shadow"
"What!"
"You can obtain the evidence of all my household that someone had
actually entered," declared Colonel Menendez, eagerly. "Of this, at
least, I can give you the certain facts. Whoever it was had obtained
access through a kitchen window, had forced two locks, and was coming
stealthily along the hallway when the sound of his footsteps attracted
my attention."
"What did you do?"
"I came out on to the landing and looked down the stairs. But even the
slight sound which I made had been sufficient to alarm the midnight
visitor, for I had never a glimpse of him. Only, as he went swiftly
back in the direction from which he had come, the moonlight shining in
through a window in the hall cast his shadow on the carpet."
"Strange," murmured Harley. "Very strange, indeed. The shadow told you
nothing?"
"Nothing at all."
Colonel Menendez hesitated momentarily, and glanced swiftly across at
Harley.
"It was just a vague--do you say blur?--and then it was gone. But--"
"Yes," said Harley. "But?"
"Ah," Colonel Menendez blew a cloud of smoke into the air, "I come now
to the matter which I find so hard to explain."
He inhaled again deeply and was silent for a while.
"Nothing was stolen?" asked Harley.
"Nothing whatever."
"And no clue was left behind?"
"No clue except the filed fastening of a window and two open doors
which had been locked as usual when the household retired."
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