Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-07-15
CHAPTEB III Continued

&Ila ! I'D IL ktOlltlIIicC.j
See here 1 cried, you're not a
babe in arms. Come on Or Well,
what now:'
He had clinchcd my arm and was
pointing to the door which was slowly
swaying to behind us.
Notice that" he whispered. mo
key in the lock! Men use keys, but
My patience could stand no more.
With shake rid myself Of his clutch,
muttering:
There, go. You're too much Of a
fool for me. I'm in for 1t alone" And
in proof of my determination I turned
the slide of the lantern and flashed the
light through the house.
The effect was ghostly; but while the
fellow at my side breathed hard, he
did not take advantage Of my words
to make his escape. as half expected
him to. The truth is. was startled
myself. but was able to hide the fact
and to whisper back to him fiercely:
"Hush"
had just heard something.
For moment we stood breathless,
but as the sound was not repeated I
concluded that 1t was the creaking of
that faraway shutter Certainly there
was nothing moving near us.
shall we go upstairsY whispered
Hubbard.
Not till we have made sure that all
is right down here"
A door stood slightly ajar on our
left
Pushing it open, we looked in. A
well furnished parlor was before US.
Here's where the wedding took
place." remarked Hubbard, straining
his head over my shoulder.
There were signs Of this wedding on
every side. Walls and ceilings had
been hung with garlands, and these
still chung to the mantelpiece and over
and around the various doorways. The
clock occupying the center Of the man.
telpiece alone gave evidence Of life. 1t
had been wound for the wedding and
had not yet run down. Its tick-tick
came faint enough. however, through
the darkness, as II 1t, too, had lost heart
and would soon lapse into the deadly
quiet Of its ghostly surroundings.
Its It's funeral-like," chartered
Hubbard.
He was right: felt as II I were
shutting the lid Of coffin when l final
~ closed the door.
Our next steps took US into the rear,
where we found little to detain US, and
then, with a certain dread fully justi-
fled by the event. we made for the
door defined by the two Corinthian
columns.
1t was ajar like the rest, and, call me
coward or call me fool have called
Hubbard both, you will remember
found that 1t cost me an effort to lay
my hand on its mahogany panels.
Danger, II danger there Has. lurked
here, and while I had never known
myself to quail before any ordinary
antagonist, 1, like others Of my kind,
have no especial fondness for unseen
and mysterious perils.
Hibbard. who up to this point had
followed me almost too closely, now
accorded me all the room that was nee.
essary. It was with a sense Of enter.
ing alone upon the scene that I finally
thrust wide the door and crossed the
threshold of this redoubtable room
where, but two short weeks before, q
fresh victim had been added to the
list Of those who had by some unheard
of, unimaginablc means found their
death within it's recesses.
My first glance showed me little save
the pOnderOus outlines Of an old set
tie. which jutted from the corner OF
the fireplace half way out into the
room. As it was seemingly from this
seat that the men. who at various
times had been found lying here, had
fallen to their doom. a thrill passed
over me as noted its unwieldy bull
and the deep shadow it threw on the
ancient and dishonored hearthstone
To escape the CHASTITY memories II
evoked and also to satisfy myself tina,
the room was really as empty as 1,
seemed, l took another step forward
This caused the light from the lantern
carried to spread beyond the point
on which 1t had hitherto been 80 ef
fectively concentrated, but the result
The dead bride