Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-08-19

/ find shelter ID at that house,
They or)c i'd towards the gloomy
looking house ov-r which the night
had set,l "a down dark and lowering.
Not a light was visible. Once Carew
thought he saw a dusky shape fit
across the yard and disappear in the
deeper shadow Of the house, but he
was not certain.
The ftful gusts Of rain had sn0w
changed into a steady pour, and the
wind now swayed the trees with half
shrek half swishy sound that made
Carew feel almost certain he could
hear someone calling his name as they
slowly walked through the soft and
grassy lane to the house. They
paused in the yard, and concluded
that Carew should approach, ana il
anyone was there, to explain that
they were b9lated by an accident, and
ask shelter for an hour, and if the
storm was not then over to be given
team 70 take them over to the next
village.
Carew went to the porch, which
groaned under his tread, and gave the
oldfashioned doorbeu a pull The
bell could be heard echoing through
the house. Once, twice, three times
he pulled il, but only the tinkling
sounds Of the bell came back in
answer.
Here Ellington stepped upon the
porch behind Carew, 10 get ont Of the
storm, which was voting him
through, and the sudden creaking Of
the porch made Carew jump, betray-
ing a nervousness he wished to con
zeal.
"Thera appears to be no one here,
and the next question Is what shall
we do about going in, for this is get
ting to be q nasty night" remarked
CaTew.
TRY the door, said Ellington, II
don't believe there is anyone about"
Carew tried the door-knob. Il
turned and the door swung open.
They entered and closed the door to
shut ont the wind and rain. As they
did SC the sound Of hurrying footsteps
came indistinctly to them and then a
death like stiffness followed.
eff anyone lives here they are
strange people, !" whispered Ellington,
as the light from q match he struck
revealed 9 large empty hall devoid Of
furniture and wish bare discoJ0red
walls.
sLet Us explore this ROOM and he
opened the nearest door and striking
another match was about to step in,
when he drew back with an exolama-
ton Of fear, for the dckering fame
Of the match showed him that, not
only was th5 room without inmate or
furniture. but the floor was missing,
and black yawning gulf confronted
him into which n had nearly fallen.
81 think this house must be vacant
he continued, and he shivered just q
little as he thought Of the black hole,
and the footsteps they had heard.
"Iaybe We had best remain here
unit! the rain lets up lit.}e," The
rain had been slashiag down in cease
less torrents, swirling around and
beating At tha windows. as Il deter
mined to get at them.
II viii get q nice cold IN my wet
clothes. ''er3wled Ellington. ''suDp0se
We So Up stairs and try and find a
steve or fireplace, there must be one
or tho other around" He started up
the stairs followed by Caraw. lie was
half way up when again the sound Of
stea 't5v steps came to them, Neither
Of the young men were 8uperstiGous.
but they paused right there. There
was not much gaysty Il BiHiagcon's
voice when he spoke: I've may BE
run out Of here on the keen jump like
those unlaozy people ia Canada, Ca
rev. FOR this ranch has creepy at
uosphera about ii thatI don't ike"
ct think we had best 60 up and see
the door above said Uarew, who had
no gveat desire to Do go himself, for
he felt that netting was wrong and
he wanted the rain to stop SO thay
could get away At the head Of
the stairs they struck q match
and behald another hall, and q long
row Of doors, one Of which Oarew
was Just reaching to open, when out
Of the dim shadow doomed up form
at least seven feet high, and 6 long
clawike hand stretched forth and
saufed the dying flicker ofthe match,
uttering at the same time some hor-
rio3e noise. Both young mon had
seen It, and as one, they turned to fly,
and coming together with a crash,