Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-04
CHAPTER v.
The Goblin Night.

over a small leather trunk that stood In
one corner OF the room. In the act OF
opening il he glanced over his shoulder.
What" he demanded. sharply.
II was only thinking: there's something
can't see through in that babus will
ingness to GO
He was afraid to stay"
Why"
Rutton. rummaging in the trunk. made
no reply. After moment Amber re-
sumed.
You know what Bengalis are: that
fellow'd do anything, brave any ordinary
danger. rather than try to cross that
sandbar again-if he really came that
way; which I am inclined to doubt. ON
the other hand. he's intelligent enough
TO know that a night like this in the
dunes would kill him. Well. what them"
Rutton was not listening. As Amber
concluded he seemed to find what he had
been seeking. thrust il hurriedly into the
breast pocket of his coat and with
muttered word, uninteligibe. dashed to
the door and flung ii open and himself
out
With a shrek of demoniac glee the
wind entered into and took possession of
the room. A cloud of snow swept across
the floor like veil. The door battered
against the wall as II trying to break IL
down. A pile of newspapers was swept
from the table and scattered to the four
corners of the room The rug lifted be-
meath the table and tapped against II
like broken wing. The cheap tin kero-
sene lamp jumped as though caught up
| by a hand: its flame leapt high and blue
above the chimney-and was not. In dark
ness but for the fitful flare of the fire
that had been dying in embers on the
hearth. Amber. seeking the doorway. fell
over chair. laundering fiat into the wall.
and stumbled Unexpectedly out OF the
house.
His concern was all for Rutton he had
no other thought. He ran little way
down the hollow, heartsick with horror
and cold with dread. Then he paused,
bewildered. Other than the wan gimmer
of the snow-clad earth he had no light to
| guide him: with this poor aid he could
see no more than that the vale was de-
serted. Whittier in that white, whirling
world Rutton might have wandered 1t
was impossible to surmise. In despair
| the Nirginian turned back.
When he had found his way to the
door of the cabin il was closed: as he
! entered and shut it behind him a match
| fared and expired in the middle of the
| room and man cursed brokenly.
"Rutton?" cried Amber. in a flush of
| hope.
rs that you. Mr.. Amber? Thank Gawd!
\ second match spIuttered, it's flame
waxing in the pink cup OF Doggott's
| hands. The servants head and shoulders
stood out in dim relief against the dark
ness. I've burnt me and somethin'
| 'orrid on this d-n' 'ot chimney he COM
planned. nervously
He succeeded In setting fire to the wick.
| The light showed him barefoot and shiv-
ering in shirt and trousers. He lifted a
| bemussed red face to Amber, blinking and
nursing his scOrched hand. For PHYS
| syke. sir. watts 'appened?"
It's hard to say" replied Amber.
vaguely. preoccupied. He went imme-
a window
looking out.
But w'eres Mr. Rutton. sr?''
.'Gone-out there-I don't know just
where" Amber moved back to the able.
You see he had caller
A caller, sir-on a night like this?''
THE man he came here to hide from"
said Amber.
Il knew e was tryin' to dodge some
thin, sir. but e never told me aught
| about it. What kind of person was e.
sir. and what made Mr.. Rutton go aw'yI
with Imp?
"He didn't: he went after him to - ."
Amber caught his tongue on the verge OF
an indiscretion; no matter what his fears
they were not yet become suitable SUBJ
ject for discussion with RuttonS servant
Il think he amended, lamely. me lad
forgotten something.
And 'e's out there now, My Giwd.
what night He hung in hesitation for
a little. Did e wear is topcoat and at.
sir
he intended to be gone long"
I'D better go after i'm. then. Ell ave
pneumonia . I'll just jump into me
| clothes and" He slipped into the
back room. to reappear with surprisingly
little delay. fully dressed and buttoning
long ulster round his throat. You
didn't 'appen to notice which wy e went
sir?''
LAS well as could Judge to the east. ="
Doggott took down second ulster and
a cap from pegs in the wall ''I'll do my
best to find i'm: e might lose imself you
know. with no light nor nothin''
I'll be all right: I'll follow lis foot
prints in the snow. I've andy little
electric bulrs-eye to 'elp me in my
pocket
BY Mr.. Rutton's orders. sir. I've car
ried a revolver for years. You aren't
thinkin' it's come to that. sir?'
Il don't know If 1 was sure
frowning. ITS only that Mr.. Rutton
may not want me about . wish 1
knew"
It'll be better. sir, for you to stay and
maxim SO free as to advise-in case 'esI
arr froze when e gets back. as is likely.
But I'd better 'urry. specially If
Doggott's color faded little and his
mouth frightened. But I 'ope you're mis-
tyken, sir. Good night
The door slammed behind him.
Alone. and a prey TO misgivings he
scarce dared name to himself, Amber
from the window watched the blot Of
light from Doggotts hand lamp fade and
vanish in the storm: then, becoming SEN
sible to the cold. went to the fireplace.
kicked the embers together until they
blazed and piled on more fuel.
A coy. cracking sound began TO be
audible in the room: sibilant jets of flame, |
scarlet. yellow, violet and green. spurted
I'D from the driftwood. Under the hyp-
motto influences of the comforting warmth, |
WEAKNESS descended upon Amber like a
burden; he was afraid to close his eyes
or to sit down. lest sleep should over
come him for all his intense excitement
and anxiety He forced himself to move
steadily round the room, struggling
against a feeling that all that he had
Witnessed must have been untrue. an evil
dream, akin to the waking visions that
had beset him between the loss of Quain
and the finding of Rutton. The very
mediocrity of the surroundings seemed to
discredt the testimony of his wits.
Enthusiastically camp erected for its
owners convenience during the hunting i
season. alike i'm design and furnishing the
cabin was almost painfully crude and
homely. The walls were of rough-hewn
logs from which the bark had not been
removed: the interstices were stopped
only with coarse plasteri the partition
dividing il into two rooms was of pine,
implanted. In one corner, near Rutton s
trunk bed-hammock swung from |
beam. The few chairs were plain and
rude. There were two deal tables. /
plate rack nailed to the partition and |