Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-06-08
lence of weakness in one / had always

considered as tough and impenetrable
| as flint rock. Thr.isting back the hand
| with which lie had half drawn into
view the weapon l had mentioned,
| put on my iterncst air and led the way
across the street. AS did so, tossed
back the words:
1--WE may come upon gang. You
do not wish me to face some half
dozen men aloncT'
You won't find any half dozen men
there" was his mnttcred reply Never
tlieless he followed me. though with
less spirit than liked, considering that
my own manner was in II measure as
] sumed and that l was not without
sympathy-wcll let me say, for dog
who preferred bowling n dismal ac-
compartment to his masters music to
keeping open watch over IL ncighbor-
hood dominated by the unhullowcd
structure now proposed to enter.
AT the first touch tie door yielded.
1t was not even latchcd.
$50! SOL" thought 1. This is no
FOOLS job; some one is i'll the house"
had provided myself With an ordi
nary pocket lantern. and, when | had
convinced Hubbard that l fully meant
to enter the house and discover for my
self who had taken advantage of the
popular prejudice against it TO make Il
secret refuge or rendezvous of its de-
caycd old rooms, took out this
lantern and held it in readiness.
"NNe may strike hornets nest" 1
explained to Iiibbard. whose feet seem
ed very heavy even for 4 man of his
size. But I'm going in and so are
you. Only, let me suggest first that
we take OFT our shoes. We can hide
| them in these bushes"
II always catch cold when l walk
barefootcd," mumbled my brave com
panion; but receiving no reply, lie
drew off his shoes and dropped them
beside miro in the cluster of stark
bushes which figure SO prominently in
the newspaper illustrations that have
lately appeared. Then he took out his
revolver. and. cooking it. stood wait
ing, while gave II cautious push to
| the door.
| Darkness! Silence!
| Rather had l confronted Il light and
heard some noise, even il it had been
the ominous click to which we are so
| well accustomed. Hubbard seemed to
share my feelings. though from an en-
tirely different cause.
| pistols and lanterns are no good
here" he grrmblcd. What we want
at this blessed minute is Il priest with
a sprinkling of holy water; and l for
one
He was actually sliding off.
With smothcrcd oath drew him
back.
"See here!' cried, you're not n
babe in arms. Come on or Well,
what now?'
He had clinched 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 it alone.' And
in proof of my determination turned
the slide of the lantern ana 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, l was startled
| myself, but l was able to hide the fact
l nd to, h,G oil TO hi
| Hugh"
/ had just heard something.
For a moment we stood breathless,
but as the sound was not repeated l
concluded that it was the crealsing Of
that fnraway shutter. Certainly there
was nothing moving near us.
"Shall we so upstairsf" whispered
Hubbard.
Not till we have made surc,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, strHining
his head over my shoulder.
| There We're signs of this wedding on
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 if 1t, too. had lost heart
and would soon lapse into the deadly
quiet of its ghostly surroundings.
"It's-it it's funeral-like," chartered
Hubbard.
He was right; felt as If 1 were
shutting the lid Of coffin when final.
~ closed the door.
I Our next steps took us into the renr
where we found little to detain us. and
then, with certain dread fully jrstl
fled by the event, we made for the
door defined by the two Corlntlrlan
columns.
1t was ajar like the rest, and, call me
coward or call me fool-I have called
Hibbard both, you will remember
found that 1t cost me an effort to lay
my hand on its mahogany panels
Danger, If danger there was, lurked
here, and while had never known
myself to quail before any ordinary
antagonist, l, 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. 1t was with sense of enter
ing alone upon the scene that l finally
thrust willie the door and crossed the
threshold of this reloubtablc room
where, but two short weeks before, (,
fresh victim had been added to the
list of'those who had by some rnhear(
Of, ulEmaglnablc means found theil
death within its rccesses.
My FIRST glance showed me little save
the ponderous outlines of an old set
flo which i,tta1 from tho cors,ar nj