Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-24
THE GRINNING GOD
Continued from page 4

except that something, vague, underlined
curiosity, seemed to impel me. And with
that sense of personal danger to myself-the
feeling that had possessed me ever since l en-
tered the house.
81 CROPPED my way through the darkness to
the top Of the stairs. then my hand ran along
a wall till l came to an open door. stood
there moment undecided whether to investi-
gate further or to retrace my steps, ! was on
the point of going back down the stairs; but
the flare of a candle almost in my face stopped
me. The old man held the candle, shading it
with his left hand, from which the forefnger
was missing. The wavering light gave the
withered old face strangely drawn express
sion. j..
He was within three feet of me, gazing
he didn't me. 1t occurred to me even then
that it was the first time l had seen his eyes.
They were white and CLASSY. Blindi l do
not know. For one moment he stood there
staring, then passing me entered the room
beyond, where he put down the candle. l fol-
lowed him into the room moth follows a
fame. 1t was the light, think, that lured me
in. Here once for all l would make an end of
the thing. The old man, still noiselessly, went
out the door by which he had entered. off
through the darkness-somewhere. The door
swung to. Like mailman l sprang forward
and shot the bolt. l don't know why.
q felt Gagged. Whatever was to come, was
to come here! 1t was an intuition more strongly
clean little bed and stared thoughtfully
at the single door,-that only way out save
by one of two small windows which / imagined
overlooked the yard l examined my revolver
cylinder whirled easily. Well and good.
waited What for? l don't know.
The candle burned with a straight, I'm
wavering flame, while l crouched there on the
bed for long time. The grumble of the thun
der was growing faint and far away; but the
he in
Here was a vigil, it seemed, and a long one
for sleep seemed hopelessly out of the question
despite the insistent drowsiness of exhaustion
l wondered if the candle would last throughout
the night. 1t was not yet half burned. l gazed
at it with certain returning sense of assur-
ance; and as gazed it flickered, hared up sud
denly, and went out.
II don't know what happened then. 1t
might have been ten minutes later, or it might
have been half dozen hours, when strangling,
choking fumes of smoke aroused me. My
lungs were bursting for air l struggled up on
the bed, and was instantly conscious of the
cracking sound of burning wood-of fire.
The house was on fire! l rushed toward the
bolted door, to find the flames already eating
through the thin panels, and little red tongues
shot out at me. l was cut off from the stairs.
From there to of the little windowsi
The glow far out through the rain told me in
stantly that the structure was ahame. /
glanced downward. Sinuous forks were below
me, on each side of me, above me- There was
nothing to do but jump. l had only moment
to decide. 1 drew in my breath and pulled
myself upon the ledge.
And then again I heard that scream. Far
across the open field where the glow from the
blaze dimmed off into the shadows, / saw
family misty white figure with outstretched
arms fleeing toward the forest A little behind
the floating white figure, and nearer to me.
well within the range of the freight, the old
man was following Even at the distance l
could see that his chin dropped upon his chest
and his hands clasped behind his back. That
was all saw.
1.-The next instant l had jumped.
81 found myself in my automobile skimming
along smooth, hard road that led through
forest. 1t was not familiar, and don't know
in what direction l was headed, nor did it
matter then so long as got away from those
things behind Ny ankle was broken, my
clothing torn and burned in spots, and my
head throbbing with pain.
Then found myself in what seemed to be
a street in small city. A faint, rosy line was
just tinging the eastern sky. Houses to right
and left of me were closed forbiddingly: but
just ahead was the solitary figure Of man,
walking slowly along, swinging stick. l ran
the automobile alongside him, shouting some
senseless question, then fell forward fainting.
My last recollection was of shutting off power.
when l recovered consciousness it was to
find myself upon cot in strange room. per-
haps a hospital. physician was bandaging