Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-24

might have been that as the car swept on heard
calling me; I'll never know which: But
the lowering clouds and quickened rush OF wind
did not make a stop inviting; so the car sped on.
Il knew capital little all night restaurant in
it should be chop and mug of ale more sub
stantial steak and potatoes. l was aroused from
this antcipatory mood by the fact that the glitter
ing lamps of my showed me straight ahead two
roads instead of one. Two roads! Here another
unexpected annoyance. l brought the automobile
to a stop, in doubt and perplexity
To the right the road ran OFT into the thckenlng
forest as far the steady light CLEANS showed; to
the left it seemed little more marked. as if more
travelled, and where the light melted into the en-
veloping backness it appeared to widen leaped
out of the and went forward seeking a guide
post something to show my way. There was
nothing.
pocket. Of that would tell me, A grumble
of thunder from far off as drew near the car
to examine the map in the light, Here was Pelham,
and here Mien; here even the little store where
l stopped, marked with star, which meant that
gasolene to be procured there Now l was
Somewhere between that store and Millen. The map
was large one. 1t should show not only the main
road but every little bypath that cut athwart it.
Yet from the little store to Milen the road was an
unbroken line. There was no branch road on the
map; and yet here was one.
Il was perplexed inpatient and incidentally
starving; so hastily made up my mind which road
to take: the left and more beaten one. lleaping
malerlictons upon the head of the who drew
that particular map started to climb into the
again, when the veil of night was CLEFT by vivid
Z1SZdS
almost, and followed instantly by the crash
and of thunder
Then came another sound "a curdling, nerve
rackng scream of agony, OF pam, OF fear
"a hideous awful thing which seemed to stop my
heart for one fearful instant, then was lost in the
thunder of the approaching storm Suddenly all
was silent again for the wind as it whipped its
way through the forest.
d was not a nervous man. so after the first shock
the blood rushed back my heart my head cleared,
and was perfectly calm But stood waiting with
my foot on the steP-waitng ana listening. 1
argued calmly. Some evidently in distress.
But where? In what direction? The singing wind,
the whirling dust, left guess. And then again
came that scream, this time series
of quick, sharp shrieks ending IN a ~
wall which made me clench my hands "
until the nails bit into the flesh, and ia
left me weak and trembling absurdly. &
But had the direction. The In
cries had come apparently from the pIxA
ros d. somewhere behind me.
walked to the of the where
the tail light shot out feeble ray, "
and stood peering off into the black
ness in the direction whence l had W ~
come AT first could distinguish moth "
ing, then a white, intangible something slowly \N
grew out of the night,-somethlng haZy, float W.
ing, indistinct, vet unmistakably something. IA
Fascinated | stood still and continued to stare
The floating white figure seemed to grow sensi-
bly, larger and clearer. 1t was coming toward
me- would cross the path OF the light IN another
moment. | caught my breath and waited.
Suddenly again came the reverberatng crash OF
thunder, nearer and louder but unaccompanied by
lightning Instantly as if in echo came that scream
woman perhaps lost in the woods and in terror OF
the approaching storm If this was true then there
only thing to do: go to her relief
Il stopped and tugged at the tail lamp to release it
from its fastenings. ragged edge cut my hand
cruelty but l hardly felt the sting. At last the
light was free in my hand, and started with it back
along the road to where had seen the figure. With
the lamp thrust straight out front of at arms
1enofh / hack ten ardS we