New-York tribune., 1906-08-12
THE LATE TENANT
Continued from page II

WAS dWdkt lie lildNlt al IuSI hIpIlS IlC iOiiSCA
corridor into the hall, caught up the hall chair
and table and threw them against the door,
and heaVIng up the hat stand placed It
also with them, thus blocking the enemy
retreat He crept back in the dark along the
wall again, noSelcSSy, into the corridor, into
his bedroom locked the door, and, with finger
on trigger switched on the light Keeping his
alert for whatever might happen outside,
he searched the room No one was under the
bed. or anywhere there He turned of the
searched behind a locked door wherever he
found a KEY in the lock, each of the other two
bedrooms, and the bathroom
Along the corridor he crept again, and
entered the drawing-room, locked the door,
turned on the light. looked round to search.
At that instant he heard, he felt. the flight
of steps out of the dning-roOm down the short
passage between the kitchen and the servant 5
room, and, quick as thought, he was after
them.
The door of the servants bedroom was on
the left of the cross passage that of the kitchen
on the right lust opposite the other He went
like a cat which sees in the night swift and
soft. along the left wall, his breast pressed to
it. until. coming to the servants bedroom
door he gave a twist to the handle to go in.
The handle turned a little, but not much
The door would not open. II seemed to be
held by some one within, for it was not locked
since there happened to be no key in It
Here, at anV rate something tangible
at last And when it came to be question
OF main force. natural or supernatural, DAVID
was in his element He set himself TO get
that door handle round. and It turned. He
put himself into the effort TO press that door
open. and it opened little But all at once
it opened too much and he plunged stagger-
ing within At the same time he was aware OF
something rushing out and he had Just tune
to snatch his revolver from the walSt OF ms
paiamas and fire, when his silent adversary
was gone and had Vehemently slammed the
door ,,DOo him Almost al the same moment
another door slammed-the kitchen door
Then all still again.
1t was as when a mighty momentary wind
seizes upon house in the dead OF night, slams
two doors. causes something TO bark, and
passes on its wav The two slammings and
the bark of the revolver were almost slmuta-
rleous. and silence swallowed them together.
David flew after the thing which had evaded
him to the kitchen door; but the door would not
open. After some vain effort 10 force It, he
stopped painting, thinking what he should DO
There was a little pointed poker IN the dining
room by which he might pick the lock; but be
fore deciding upon this he again tired hiS power
of shoulder and will against the door, and tins
time felt something give within The door
too was not really locked, having no key III
it. as n general the keys of old flats become
displaced 1t was apparently only fastened
if it Vas fastened at all, by some eaten ol
hook for, after two or three more thumps II
flew wide.
David catching the handle, held it a little
ajar and now again the stiffness OF the night
was outraged by his shout through the slit
= Hands upi or fire." At the same instant
he rushed in and had the kitchen flooded witt
light
the corners OF his mouth 70 his check, ever
| while his brow was flushed, and he stoo'
r aghast. with an astounding question in HI
> eyes and IN his heart
t. 10 ------r,sJ rsYf Sunday