Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26

my left-hand neishbor has appendicitis
! So now | looked up and asked the ques
ton she was waiting for.
| What's the matter with Euphemia? p
1 inquired, idly.
Frightened into her bed Mrs. Klop
! ton said, in stage whisper. Shes ha(
, three hot-water bottles and she hasn'
done thing all day but moan"
She oughtn't to take hot-water bot
! ties | said, in my severest tone. "On'
! would make me moan. You need no
wait. I'll ring if 1 need anything
! Mrs. Klopton sailed to the door, wher,
she stopped and wheeled. Indignantly. -
only hope you won't laugh on the wrong
| side of your face some morning, Mr.
| Lawrence" she declared, with Christian
! forttude. But / warn you. l am goine
to have the police watch that house mex
| door,
| l was half inclined to tell her that boil
| it and we were under police surveillance
at that moment. But l like Mrs. klopton
in spite of the fact that l make her lift
! a torment for her. so | refrained.
! Last night. when the paper said 1t wa.
/ going to storm. 1 sent Euphemia to the
roof to. bring the rugs III. Eliza hat
! Slipped out, although it was her evenint
! in. E,uphemia went up to the roof-i
was IL oclock-and soon l hearo her run
ming downstairs, crying. When she gO
/ to my room she just folded up on ths
| floor. She said there was a black figure
sitting on the parapet of the house mex
! door-the empty house-and that wher
she appeared it rose and waved slone
| black arms at her and spit like cat
| l had finished my dinner and was light
| ing a cigarette. If there was any one
up there, which / doubt. they probabl,
| sneezed, ] suggested. But if YOU fee
uneasy. I'll take look around the ROOT
| tonight before l turn in. As far as Eu-
plemia goes, 1 wouldn't be uneasy about
i her-doesn't she always have an attack
of some sort when Eliza rings in an eX-
| ira evening on herr
! So / made a superficial examination OF
the window locks that night, visiting
parts of the house that l had not seer
since / bought it. Then l went to the
| roof. Evidently it had not been intended
| for unlike the houses around, there was
| no staircase. A ladder and a trap-dool
| led to it. and it required some nice
| balancing 'on my part to get up with my
! useless arm. l made 1t, however, and
| found this UNEMPLOYED part of my do
main rather attractive. 1t was cooler
than downstairs, and l sat on the brick
parapet and smoked my final cigarette
The roof of the empty house adjoined
mine along the back wing, but investiga-
ton showed that the trap-door across the
low dividing wall was bolted underneath.
There was nothing out of the ordinary
anywhere. and SO / assured Mrs. Klop-
ton. Needless to say. I did not tell her
that / had left the trap-dOor open. TO see
il it would improve the temperature OF
the house. l went to bed at midnight,
merely because there was nothing else to
do. | turned on the night lamp at the
head of my bed. and picked up volume
| of Shaw at random tit was Arms and the
Man, and l remember thinking grimly
that ] was a good Bit of a chocolate
cream soldier myself. and prepared to
go TO sleep. Shaw always puts me u
sleep. l have no apologies to make for
what occurred that might, and not even
AN explanation that i am sure of. ! did
a foolish thing under impulse and | have
not been sorry.
1t was something after when the
door-bell rang. 1t rang quickly, twice.
| got up drowsily. for the maids and
Mrs. Klopton always lock themselves be-
yond reach of the bell at night. and put
on dressing gown. The bell rang again
on my way downstairs. | lit the hall
Tight and opened the door. / was wide
awake now, and l saw that it Was john
son. His bald head shone in the light
his crooked mouth was twisted in a
smile.
Good heavens. man.. l said. irritably.
. Don't you ever go home and go to
bed"
lie closed the vestibuie door behind
him and cavalieriy turned out the light.
Our dialogue was sharp. staccato.
Have YOU key to the empty house