The Washington times., 1907-05-05

Not this time. Well ride"
They went on, chatting aimlessly,
to the corner. A car approached and
passed with Weldon standing absently
on the curb. Carr looked at him curl
ously. Wasn't that yoursF'
well" Weldon regarded him
oddly. Il guess wen cross and take
one going the other way"
"whst for9"
Tive got little business uptown.
You don't mind coming along?"
Not at all. but"
There's ours, then!'
Weldon hurried across in front of
the approaching car and his companion
came after. Together they stepped
aboard. and finding seats Carr looked
at him inquiringly. Where the dick
ems ere we going TO on this line. Wei
DOM
Uptown"
Doubtless, but whereT'
Weldon tapped the floor with HIS
cane for little. then he turned TO
the other with something Of a grin,
About to sAereley avenue, / fancy"
''Ehr'
My dear boy. I'm going to take you
into that eopfounded House Of sus-
pieion that Maltby was telling aboutr
What" Carr laughed shortly You
don't take stock enough in that tale
to make such a tremendous Journey"
IF must confess II. do" replied
Weldon That yarn has made me so
Internally curious thst-that--"
That you're going TO work to justify
Maltbys theory o. the attraction OF
mystery"
Well. perhaps / am"
But what's the sense OF Il? Here Il
Is getting on to eleven o'clock at
night; each OF US has a business day
ahead tomorrow and plenty demand
for all the freshness and energy we
can bring to It. and yet you're set on
taking three-quarter-hour ride for
well, for whatT'
Just to see II those remarkable
gates viii openr' said Weldon. with
some defiance
Which they won'tI"
IF they don't, the jokes on me.
that's all. There isn't any real neces-
sity Of your coming, anyway. II
you're disInclined"
Well. 90" Carr broke off and
laughed outright There! I may as
well own up. l suppose I'm as curious
as you are. II # comes 20 that but
i seems so devilish absurd to be TAX
ing the trip at this hour. and-ana all
that
TIN be the ideal hour for spoolls
and mystery. II there are any doing
business chuckled Weldon.
Conversation Jagged after that. Each
man was. in a way. absorbed with the
tale and the prospect ahead. Weldon
probably more than his companion.
To the latter the whole thing seemed
rather foolish and unnecessary. and
more than once he regretted that he
had not alighted farther downtown
and allowed Weldon 10 proceed alone
Still, il there was anything in Maltbv's
weird tale-Weldon might get into di,-
hcuities where a companion would b.
Of assistance. II It were the incredible
fact that people entered the gates
never to return, there was indubitahIe
evidence Of crooked work: II there
was crooked work about it. IL wer.
better not 10 approach the house alone.
Almost before either realized # the
car whizzed past sboreley avenue
Ihey arose hurriedly and stepped off.
half block beyond their destination
As Maltby had said. the nefrhborbood
was dark and lonely. TypicalIy sub.
URBAN the houses stood well anart
some with really spacious grounds
around them. The curbs wero Iipod
with fairly well grown trees The
roads were little more than dirt and
the street lamps appeared only at Ionr
intervals, bespeaking commendabIe
economy on the part OF the lighting
authorities but making progress afoot
more or less guesswork. Tho ebo-,
space back to shoreley avenue showed
only silent houses, with lighted win
dow here and there in the upner stor-
les. Turning into the broader thorough
fare. the vista was repeated except
that the dwellings were larger and
perhaps more pretentious.
Wei. the streets aren't crowded. AT
any rate"' Weldon observed dryly.
They hardly seem to he. do they?'
Carr picked his way gingerly along:
Il wonder whore our particular spot
isl" said Carr
"A block or two ahead. / imagine
Holly street lies this way, unless I'm
q good deal mistaken"