The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1909-05-20


self righteous, leaving a badly fright.
sned but very grateful amateur Grim.
inal to pursue his self appointed career
Of crime.
He had no choice other than to con-
tinue. In point Of fact. 1t had been
Insanity just then to back out and run
the risk of apprehension at the hands
Of that ubiquitous bobby, who, for all
he knew. might be lurking not dozen
yards distant, watchful for just such
sequel. Still. Kirkwood hesitated
with the best Of excuses. Reassuring
as he had found the sentinel's extern
porized yarn. proof positive that the
fellow had had no more right to pro-
hibit a trespass than Kirkwood to
commit one. at the same time he found
himself pardonably prey to emotions
OF the utmost CONSERVATION and alarm.
IL he feared to leave the house he had
no warrant whatever to assume that
he would be permitted TO remain many
minutes unframed within its walls of
mystery.
The silence Of It discounted him be-
yond measure. It was. In word. IN
canny.
Before him ms he fingered Mt the
door. vaguely disclosed by a wan II.
Elimination penetrating dusty and
begrimed fanlight, broad hal
stretched indefinitely toward the rear
Of the building. losing itself In black.
ness beyond the foot of a flight of
stairs. Save for few articles Of fur.
niture-a hall table, an umbrella stand.
tall. dumb clock flanked by high
backed chairs-it was empty. Other
than Kirkwood's own restrained res.
piration not sound throughout the
house advertised its inhabitation. not
a board creaked beneath the pressure
Of foot. not a mouse rustled In the
wainscotfng or beneath the floors. not
n breath Of air stirred signing In the
stiffness.
And yet a tremendous racket had
been raised at the front door within
the sixty seconds past. And yet with.
In twenty minutes two persons at
least had preceded 'Kirkwood into the
building. Had they not heardl The
speculation seemed ridiculous. Or had
they heard and. alarmed been too eff.
fectually hobbled by the coils Of their
nefarious designs TO dare reveal them.
selves. to investigate the cause Of that
thunderous summonsl Or were they.
perhaps. aware Of Kirkwood's en-.
trance and lying hidden In some dark
corner TO ambush him as he passed?
True. that was hardly like the girl.
True. on the other hand. II was posi-.
BILE that she had stolen away while
Kirkwood was hanging In irresolution
by the passage TO Quadrant news
Again. the space Of time between Kirk
woods dismissal and his return had
been exceedingly brief. Whatever her
errand. she could hardly have fulfilled
II and escaped. At that moment she
might be In the power and at the mer.
cy OF him who had followed her. pro
vided he were not friendly. And IN
that case what torment and what peril
might not be hers.
Spurred by solicitude. the young man
put personal apprehensions In his pock.
ct and forgot them. cautiously picking
his way through the gloom TO the foot
Of the stairs. Slowly be began TO as
cend. a hand following the balusters
the other with his cane exploring the
obscurity before him. On the steps G
carpet. thick and heavy. mufiied his
FOOTBALLS. He moved noiselessly. To-
ward the top the staircase curved. and
presently foot that CROPPED for n
higher level failed TO find IL. Again be
halted. acutely distrustful.
Nothing happened.
He went on. guided by the balus-
trade. passing three doors. all open
through which the underlined proper
tons of a drawing room and boudoir
we're barely suggested In a ghostiy
dusk. BY each he paused. listening.
hearing nothing.
Ills lOBt stfuCh Win u ufNutut1 tuut
against the bottom step OF the second
flight. and his pulses fiuttered wildly
for a moment Two minutes three
he waited In suspense. From above
came no sound. He went on. as be
fore. save that twice step yielded
complaining. to his weight.
Again the raised foot found no Level
higher than its fellows. He stopped
and held bis breath. oppressed by o
conviction that some one was near
him. Confirmation Of this came star
tlingly-an eerIe whisper In the night.
so close TO him that be fancied be
could feel the disturbed air tanning
his face.
'Ts Il You. EccIesr
He had no answer ready. The voice
was masculine. II he analysed Il cor.
rectly. Dumb and stupid. he stood
poised upon the point Of panic.
"Eccles. Is II your
The whisper was both shrfll and
shaky. As IL ceased Kirkwood was
half blinded by a fash of light strik.
Ing him squarely In the eyes. Involun.
tar,ly be shrank back a pace. 70 the
FIRST step from the top. Instantane-
ously the light was eclipsed.
Halt or-or firer'
n. r..., a.. ra.ff1..f ttat a.. IA k..n..