New-York tribune., 1907-11-24

ne had disappeared into the sitting room.
Stalked away noiSelessly without even u glance
IN my direction, leaving me dripping, chilly,
and overcome by that indetnable sense OF
impending danger.
i paused there in the hall and poudcred
the situation. Surely the old man had seen
me. But | had spoken Of course, II waS pos
slblc that he had neither seen nor heard me
Vct-vet-
I'm going in there and | am going u
stav until the storm moderates | told mv~e!t.
Perhaps II Is just a peculiar old man's way
removed my automobile coat, hung II
upon peg. walked along the hallway with
hrm tread, and stepped INTO the sitting room
IL Wa deserted
There are moments in every mans life
when the weight OF "a revolver III his hand Is
tremendously rc,,SsurIug This was mine. l
drew the weapon from nv hip pocket. exam
med It, and thrust II into my coat within easy
reach of my right hand Then | stood by the
table drumming my fingers upon II idly, and
debating with myself aS To- what | should io |
was looking toward the door bv which | had
entered No one came in. and vet Suddenly
the gray bearded old man Was throwing a log
on the hre. The flames shot UP and the sparks
flew, but there WIS not the crackle of fresh
burning wood as there should have becu-Ilsst
this silent old man. Nv heart WAS IN nv
throat, and laughed sheepi>hv.
You startled me. explained fooliShly IN
apa'43sy 4s il, no, look -, ,r.. h., h,,.t. ,i,,...
about the room Tor a moment, and laid his
hat upon a couch. Then he went out bv the
door INTO the hallway.
Well, upon my soul" | calculated
Il sat down and deliberately waited for the
old man to return. The unc,lnnineSs of 1t all
w,.s growing upon me. the silence of his great
boots IS he walked, the FIRE which didn't
CrIcklc as II burned the Lack of auv sign or
movement to Indicate that he had recognized
my presence Was the old man rcaIs / came
t. my feet with an exclamation. OR was it
w,.s II some weird continuation of that horrible
thing IN the forest,
put out a cold. clammy hand 10 the FIRE
That seemed rcJl-at least a warmth came to
me. and gradually my fingers lost their numb
nteS, and looking upon my own hand l fell To-
remembering the hands of my strange host
They were knotted toll worn. and the lett
torrhngcr WAS missing That fact struck
sharply upon my memory, and | remembered
too scar over one eve when he removed his
hat That all seemed real too aS did these
things upon the mantel here in front OF me:
An empty spool an alabaStcT cat glaringlV
rcd AMI white. piece OF crystal OF peculiar
shape upon the tarthermoSt corner And
near IT. So close that AZ FIRST II seemed part of
II, WAS queer little ivory god sitting upon his
launches. grInniug hidcuuSly.
httcd the ivory image and examined il
curouSly- II was real enough. | had stepped
back from the mantel a pace 70 let the fire
hight tall upon II, when suddenly | knew that
the old man had returned. l didn hear him.
l hadn seen hIm,-l merely knew he WIS
there. felt It | slipped the little image INTO
my pocket Iuvuluntarily aS | turned. for all
my interest WAS instantly transferred to a trlv
ot food which the old man carried. | remeul-
bcrcd | was hungry.
He placed the things upon the table in the
same ghoStly silence There WAS i iuq OF
milk, some Jelly. little pat of butter and sev-
eral biscuits. | went forward and thanked him.
lie was absolutely impaSSive seeing nothing.
hearing nothing. and seeming to have no CON
necuon with the things around HIM lie didn't
invite me to eat,-l assumed that privilege
and gingerly poked a finger into a biscuit it
telt hike biscuit | bit it; II tasted like a
biscuit In fact. | am convinced t. this dav
that II was Il biscuit And against the reality
OF that biscuit WAS the silent old man and his
EhoStly tread
Real, or unreal, the food was refreshinq
and good. and | tell to with a will The OH
man sat down IN u rocker bv the fire and folded
hiS hands IN his lap. | ventured a remark
about the storm He didn't answer. really
had not expected that he woulu The modest
supper brought tingle TO my blood again.
MY noting nerves were Calmed. the room COW
the tre comfortable. | was beginning 10 en-
JOY this singular experience: but an occasional
glance at the Swaying rocker where the old
man sat by the fire kept expectation on the
qui Vlve. The rocker Swaved diSmallv but
without the slightest sound
he