Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-07-09

Yes. he told me. Is II SeriOuS?'
80 serious that a sudden shock
would kill him. won't answer for the
Consequences II he fancies he sees that
red light
Poor beegar! Is that SOP said Ell
wyn. feelingiy. You heard that last
night, / SUPPOSE
Yes. You were there, he told me-"
Il was. / went in and found him
lying back In his chair staring at the
'Crucifixion picture. His face was
drawn with fright, and l had to speak
to him three times before he would
answer me. There was d look of abject
horror in his eyes, as he pointed to the
picture and whispered, The green light
on the cross! Don't you see it?' OF
course there was no such thing, and /
told him So l got quite angry with
him, in fact, hut he wouldn't believe
me. Poor Alfred! I'd give anything to
see him in his right mind again. What
can we do to rid him of his fancies o.
Nothing that can see, unless we
could get hold of the person that wrote
the letter. That might convince him..
Have you any notion who it could have
been?"
Not the slightest" replied Elwyn,
with despairing gesture. 1T is
cruel joke, whatsoever is responsible
for it,
Mr.. Turton felt much better in the
afternoon, and insisted on coming
down to dinner
He had his way, but we weren't a
very cheerful party at dinner
Soon after dinner Elwyn pleaded a
headache and went off to his own room,
leaving us to smoke in the study.
Il wonder whether it will come to-
night?" said MIR. Turton. after long
interval Of silence
What do you mean?' l asked inno-
Gently, though ! knew perfectly well to
what he referred.
The red light" he replied in low
whisper.
Really" l said, pretending to lose
my temper, for an otherwise sensible
man. you are terribly provoking. Cant
you drive that childish nonsense out of
your head?"
'tBertie. he said solcmnly. Il saw
the green light; why should / not see
the red2"
AT any rate i said decidedly I'm
not going to let you sit up in this room
by yourself tonight. In your present
state you'd be certain to fancyyou saw
that thing again. Better go to bed.
and leave me to interview the ghostly
emissary if he comes
Don't jest about it, lad, but / think
I will go to bed. I'm feeling tired"
l went with him as far as his bed
room door, and then returned to finish
my pipe and think out the problem. I
had just begun to evolve new theory
to explain the mystery, when some
thing happened which made me jump
out of my chair in amazement.
The electric light had turned green.
SO Ii was no delusion at all. What
does 1t mean?" l gasped: ''and how
was ii that Elwyn couldn't see it.
There's some devilment going on that
don't understand
l gazed at the light in hopeless be-
wilderment, and as ! looked l saw it
slowly change color until the whole
room was bathed in a red glow.
THE Red Light on the Cross" !
cried. and sank back into a chair, star
ing vacantly at the picture Of the cru
oifixion.
With the idea of fetching Elwyn to
see the red light | left the room, but
had hardly gone three steps along the
passage when my attention was at
tracted by slight noise in the room
next the study, a sort of combination
workshop and lumber-room, which
was generally kept locked. The door
was open and l looked in cautiously.
| almost betrayed myself by an ex-
clamation of establishment
Elwyn was there in his dressing
gown and slippers, and he had a dark
lantern in his hand. On the table |
could make out dimly a large bottle,
and as I watched | saw him pour some
thing into it which caused the contents
TO bubble and gurgle.
! crept back to the study and shut
the door as quickly as ! could. then
threw myself on the couch to think
What did it all mean? Good heav-
ems. Was Elwyn trying to brighten
his brother to death? l could not be-
lieve it and yet what was he doing in
the lumber room2
The red tint began slowly to fade
the light became green again and fin
ally regained its original Wilderness
Hardly had it done 50 when / heard
Elwyn come cautiously out of the lum-
ber-room. As he opened the door OF
the study something prompted me to
feign sleep. / don't know why, but /
did
They We're waiting breakfast for me
next morning when I arrived down
stairs Mr.. Turton had had a good
nights rest, and l chaffed him about
lis fears, and told him we would man
age yet to rout the mysterious agen-
cies that threatened him Elwyn joined
me in my banter, and j could not help
the man. He was consum-
mate actor.
After breakfast I asked for a book
on chemical physics, and in it 1 found
what l wanted.
THAT completes itr' l said, closing
the book with a bang.
Completes what, Bertie?" said Mr.
Turton. looking up from his mornings
paper.
There was small conservatory
opening out of the breakfast-room. and
Elwyn had gone in there to water the
plants. ! raised my voice so that he
could hear every word.
II find from this book" / said, chat
in an atmosphere of carbonic acid gas