Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1907-01-03
CHAPTER /.
The Dead CITY,

along river In the early sunlight OF
. September morning. Death had
seemingly not been long upon II, nor
had IL made any scar. No breach or
rent or disorder or sign OF violence
could be seen. The long, shaded
streets breathed the still airs OF utter
peace and quiet. From the half-circle
around which the broad river bent It's
moody current, the neat houses, set in
cool. green gardens, were terraced up
the high HILL and from the summit OF
this a stately marble temple, glitter
Ing of newness. lowered far above
them in placid benediction.
From a skin In mid-river, young
man rowing toward the dead city rest
ed on his oars and looked over his
shoulder to the temple on the hilltop.
Landing presently at the wharf. he
was stunned by the hush OF the
streets. This was not like the city OF
10000 people he had left three months
before. In blank bewilderment he
stood, turning to each quarter for some
solution OF the mystery. Perceiving at
length that there was reai.y no life
either way along the river, he started
wonderingly up street that led from
the waterside-a street which, when
ne had last walked It. was auickening
with the rush OF a mighty commerce.
Soon his expression OF wonder was
-darkened by shade Of anxiety. There
was an unnerving quality In the
trance-like stiffness: and the mystery
of It pricked him to forebodings. He
was now passing empty workshops,
hesitating at door after door with ever.
mounting alarm. Then he began to
call. but the sound of his voice served
only to aggravate the silence.
Growing holder. he tried some of
the doors and found them to yield. let
ting him into a kind of smothered.
troubled quietness even more OPP
pressive than that outside. He passed
an empty ropewalk. the hemp strewn
untidily about, as II the workers had
left hurriedly. He peered curiously at
idle looms and deserted spinning.
wheels-deserted apparently but the
instant before he came. II seemed as
II the people we're fed maliciously just
in front, to leave him in this fearfullest
of all solitudes. He wondered II he
did not hear their quick. furtive steps.
and see the vanishing shadows OF
them.
At last, halfway up the next block,
he thought his eyes caught for short
half-second the mere thin shadow OF
a skulking figure. It had seemed to
pass through a grape arbour that all
but shielded from the street a house
slightly more pretentious than its
neighbors. He ran toward the spot
CALLING az he went. But when he had
vaulted over the low fence. run across
the garden and around the end OF the
arbor, dense with the green leaves and
clusters Of purple grapes, the space in
front of the house was bare. IL more
than a trick-phantom OF his eye had
been there. 1t had vanished.
He stepped inside and called. There
was no answer. but above his head 9
board creaked. He started up the
stairs in front OF him. and, as he die
so, he seemed to hear cautious steps
across bare floor above. He stopped
climbing; the steps ceased. He start
ed up, and the steps came again. He
knew now they came from a room a
the head Of the stairs. He bounded VI
the remaining steps and pushed opeI
the door with a loud ''Hallool"
The room was empty. Yet across 4
there was the indefinable trail of I
presence-an odor, vibration, h
knew not what-and where a bar o
sunlight cut the gloom under a half
raised curtain. he saw the notes II
the air all astir. Opposite the doc
he had opened was another. leading
apparently, 90 a room at the back o
the house.
Determined TO be no longer eluded
he crossed the room on tlptoe ant
gently tried the opposite door. II wa
locked. As he leaned against Il, al
most In q terror of suspense. he knew
he heard again those little seeming
of a presence doors thickness away
He did not hesitate. Still holding tn
turned knob In his hand. he quickl.
crouched back and brought his hexe'
shoulder heavily against the door. l
few open with breaking sound. and
with a little gasp Of triumph. he wa
in the room 70 confront It's unknown
occupant.
Then, from behind the door he hal
opened, a staggering blow was deal
him, and. before he could recover, o
had done more than blindly crook on
arm protectingiy before his face. h
was borne heavily 70 the floor, with
ang IN q grasp that centered all It
crushing power about his throat.
CHAPTER u.