The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1909-04-29
/ thaIr door close. retuTned q tae cot..

their door close, returned to the cot.
7fee.roor1. #
Wen. I;suppose the bets off7y said
the stout commercial. pollng the tire
and then standing with his legs apart
on the hearthrng; Though. as far as
can see,s I won It. q never saw a man
50 scared In all my life Sort Of
poetic justice about It, Isn't there7s
Never mind about poetry or JUS,
] tice, said one Of his listeners; who's
going to sleep with ne Z, y
- wili,,G said Malcolm, affably. Is
i.And j suppose we share a room to-
gether, Mr.. Leek2Y said the third
man, turning to the fourth.
No, thank YOU, said the other.
briskly; Il don't believe In ghosts. II
anything comes into my room 1 shall
shoot IT,
"That won't hurt a spirit. Leek,'
said Malcolm, decisively. NJ
"well, the noise'll be like company
to me- said Leek. and it'll wake the
house, too But II you're nervous
SIR he added, with grin, to the man
who had suggested sharing his room,
-Georgell be only too pleased to
sleep on the door-mat inside your
room, know"
"That I will. SIR said George, fer
vently; "and If you gentlemen would
only come down with me to the bar
to put the gas out could never be
sufficiently gratefulH
They went out In body, with the
exception Of Leek, peerlng carefully
before them as they went. George
turned thelight out III the bar and they
returned unmolested 10 the coffee
room. and, avoiding the sardonic
smile of Leek, prepared to separate
for the night.
aGive me the candle while you put
the gas out, George, said the traveller
The waiter handed 1t to him and ex-
tinguishedS the gas, and at the same
moment all distinctly heard step in
the passage outside. 1t stopped at
the door, and as they watched with
bated breath, the door creaked and
slowly opened. Malcolm fell back
.open-mouthed, as a white, leering
face, with sunken eyeballs and close
cropped bullet-head, appeared at the
opening.
For few seconds the creature
stood regarding them, blinking in a
strange fashion at the candle. Then,
with siding movement. 1t came a
little way into the room and stood
there as IL bewildered
Not man spoke or moved, but all
watched with a horrible fascination
as The creature removed its dirty
neckcloth and its head rolled on its
shoulder. For minute 1t paused and
then, holding the rag before 1t, moved
towards Malcolm.
The candle went out suddenly with
flash and a bang. There was a
sms.:. of powder, and something writh-
| Ing in the darkness on the floor. A
faint, choking cough, and then
silence. Malcolm was the first to
speak. Matches he said, in a
| strange voice George struck one
Then he leaped at the gas and burn
| er famed from the match. Malcolm
| touched the thing ON the floor with
his foot and found it soft He looked
at his companions. They mouthed In
quiries at him, but he shook his head.
He lit the candle. and. kneeling down,
examined the silent thing on the floor
1 Then he rose swiftly, and dipping his
handkerchief in the watering, bent
down again and grimly wiped the
! white face. Then he sprang back with
4 a cry of incredulous horror. pointing
at It. Leek's pistol fell to the floor
and he shut out the sight with his
hands, but the Others. crowding for.
ward gazed speil-bound at the dead
face OF Hirst.
Before a word was spoken the door
opened and Somers hastily entered
| the room. His eyes fell on the floor.
Good God!" he cried. "You didn't"
Nobody spoke.
Il told him not to-" he said, In a
4 suflocating voice. Il told him not to.
II told hini.--"
He leaned against the wall. deathly
! sick, put his arms out feebly, and fell
fainting into the travellers arms,
-