The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1909-04-02
CHAPTER v.
Blind CIeWs.

"But this is preposterous, cried
Mrs. Melville, you must have seen
him had he come out of the room; you
were directly in front of the doors all
the time"
81 was" admitted the colonel; can
can the boy be hiding to scare u.s.?
He spoke to Miss Smith, She had
grown pale; he did not know that his
own color had turned. Millicent stared
from one to the other.
''How ridiculous" she exclaimed;
"of course not; but he must be some
where; let me look"
Look as they might through all the
staring empty rooms, there was no
vestige of the boy. He was as clean
vanished as if he had fallen out OF
the closed and locked windows. The
colonel examined them all; had there
been one open, he would have peered
outside, frightened as he had never
been when death was at his elbow.
But 1t certainly wasn't possible TO
lump through a window, and not only
shut, but lock it after one.
Under every bed, in every closet, ne
prowled; he was searching still when
Mrs. Winter returned. BY this time
Mrs. Melville was agitated, and. natur-
ally. irritated as well. Il think 1t Is
objectionable in Archie to sneak out
in this, fashion, she complained.
81 suppose the boy wanted to see
the town a Bit" observed Aunt Re-
becca, placidly. Rupert, come in and
sit down; he will be back in mo-
ment; smoke a cigar, if your nerves
need calming"
Rupert felt as if he were a boy OF
ten, called back to common sense out
of imaginary horrors of the dark.
But, if he wanted to go out, why
did he leave his hat and coat behind
him." asked Miss Smith.
"He may be only exploring the
hotel" said Mrs. Winter. Don't be
SO restless, BERTHE; sit down."
The colonels eye was furtively pho
tographing every article of furniture
in the room; it fingered longest on
Mrs. Winters wardrobe trunk, which
was standing in her room. Randall
had been dispatched for hot-water
bottle in lieu of one which had sprung
a leak on the train; so the trunk
stood, its door ajar.
Maybe he is doing the Genevra
stunt there's that what you are
thinking?" she jeered. well, go and
look"
Light as her tone was, she was not
unaffected by the contagion OF anx-
iety about her; after moment, while
Rupert was looking at the wardrobe
trunk, and even profanely exploring
the swathed gowns held in rigid safety
by bands of rubber, she moved about
the rooms herself.
There isn't room for a mouse in
that box" growled the colonel.
"Of course not" said his aunt,
Ianguidly, sinking into the easiest
chair: but your mind is easier. Archie
will come back for dinner; don
worry"
"How could he get by me?" retorted
the colonel.
perhaps he went into the neigh
boring rooms" Miss Smith suggested
ssShail l go out and rap on the door
of the next room on the left?" On the
right the last room of the party was
a corner room.
'.Why, you might" acquiesced Aunt
Rebecca; but Mrs. Melville cut the
ends of her words.
pray let me go, Aunt Rebecca'
she begged, suiting the action to the
words. and was out of the door almost
ahead OF her sentence.
The, others waited; they were 81
TENT. little fiecks of color raddled
Mrs. Winters cheeks. They could
rear Millicent's knock reverberating
Tbere was no answer. Telephone tc
the adjacent ROOM" proposed the
colonel.
.I,ll telephone" said Mrs. Winter
and rang up the number OF the mex
room. There was no response; but
.~hen she called the number of the
room adjoining, she seemed to get an
snswer. for she announced her name
Have YOU seen a young lad?" she con
.,n1ad after an apology for disturbing
thsm ~He belongs to our party; has
he by chance got into your room? and
a. he there?" In a second she pu
So-n the receiver with a heightened