The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-03
PART IL.

I must confess that. as we assembled
the four water-soaked steps to the rot
ten porch before the door my sensa-
tions were not as remote from fear as
l would have wished, but Budthorne
was unmOved. He seemed to treat the
matter as a commonplace occurrence.
He put the key into the lock and tried
to turn it as calmly as he would have
done the same thing at his own home.
The bolt resisting, l helped him until 1t
slid back, and we went into the wide
hallway. The atmosphere of the place
was sufficient to fill one with fear. but
it was only ordinary disgust for damp
and mold and slime. The house had be-
come freehold to them. We came
provided with digging implements and
a candle. Budthorne lighted the latter
and we entered the room on the right.
The loathsOme things that fatten upon
decay had glutted themselves there at
their ease. Even the light that seeped
through the Stats of the shutters and
the reeking panes seemed unclean.
After some cropping we found the cell
lar stairway and went down the weak
ened steps with care. AS may be imag-
ined, the cellar was in worse condition
than the house. I had become struck
with my companions GOODNESS. and
when l looked at him then l saw no
signs of the loathing felt, as we walked
to the front. The mold was so thick
upon the earthen floor that we tapped
some time with the mattock before
striking the stone. l held the lantern
and Budthorne soon dug out the object
of our search. He lifted it out of the
pit with his hands without hesitation.
AS he held it up to the candle could not
help looking over my shoulder into the
foul shadows, but whatever connection
there was between the ball and the fear
that came upon one in the night, had
been broken. at least for the time. The
sphere was covered with earth, but the
young man tapped it with his finger
nails and expressed his pleasure that 1t
had not rotted.
We returned to the side room up
stairs, where he put the ball upon the
wide window sill and began to Scrape
off the dirt with his knife. He became
completely absorbed in the task and
thought nothing of his fetid surround
ings. My mind was divided between
wonder at his interest and my repug-
nance. At last the sphere was clean and
he held 1t up triumphantly. l could not
help admiring the wonderful skill dis
played In its construction, but at the
same time was powerfully affected by
thoughts of the places from which the
frenzy of the brains they had helped to
encase.
"A brave scion of the third genera
tion." he said to himself. as he ex-
amined the Arabic words upon the lid,
which still moved easily upon the hinge.
AT the instant an insight into his mo-
tives came to me in a flash. He was not
merely curious about the sphere and
the blight it had brought upon his
house; he was the scion of the third gen
GRAFTON and that he was brave one
his demeanor had already amply
proved. | decided not to tell him of my
guess then, and merely asked;
What will you do now"
Il shall leave this curiosity here and
come back tonight tn feel this fear
that escaped from it 1t hope it is not
all imaginary for ii would add to it's
value if ] could tell Of an actual eX-
perience with it,"
will it be agreeable if / come with
YOU"
Perfectly"
He placed the ball carefully i'm q
corner. and we left the house. So
curely locking the door. We returned
to Phillips and told the eagerly wait
ing company of the finding of the ball,
but. as we had agreed together. with
held our intentions for the night.
About o'clock in the evening. we
excused ourselves from the other
guests and started for the house. The
clouds had cleared from the sky and
the waning moon was just rising. |
shall not attempt to tell my eXpecta-
tions. They We're not pleasant yet my
curiosity concerning the influence that