Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-08-14

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 n dozen
yards distant. watcbful for Just such
sequel. STILL Kirkwood hesitated
with the best OF excuses. Measuring
as he had found the sentinel's extern
porized yarn, proof positive that the
fellow had had no more right TO pro-
hibit Il trespass than TIirkwood 10
commit one, at the same time he found
himself pardonably IA prey. TO emotions
OF the utmost CONSERVATION and alarm.
If he feared to leave the house he had
no warrant whatever TO assume that
ne would be permitted to remain many
minutes unframed within it, walls OF
mystery.
The silence Of IT discounted him DO
yond measure. 1t was. I'm word. un-
canny.
Before him az he fingered ut the
door. vaguely disclosed by wan IL
Elimination penetrating dusty and
begrimed fnnllght. broad hall
stretched Indefinitely toward tBe rear
OF the building. losing itself ins~blaek-
ness beyond the foot OF hlght of
stairs. Save for few articles OF fur
niture-a hall talJie. an umbrella stand.
tall, dumb clock Ranked by high
backed chnirs-it was empty. Other
thnn KirkwOod's own restrained res
piration not n sound throughout the
house advertised it's inhabitation, not
board creaked beneath the pressure
OF a foot, not mouse rustled I'm the
wainscoting or beneath the floors, not
n breath OF air stirred signing I'm the
stiffness
And yet n tremendous racket had
been raised at the front door within
the sixty seconds past And yet with
I'm twenty minutes two persons mt
least had preceded Kirkwood into the
building. Had they not heard7 The
speculation seemed ridiculous. Or had
they heard and, alarmed. been too eff
fectually hobbled by the coils Of their
nefarious designs 10 dare reveal them
selves, 20 investigate the cause OF that
thunderous summonsr Or were they,
perhaps, aware, OF Kirk woods en-
trance and lying hidden I'm some dark
corner TO ambush him as he passed.
True. that was hardly Ike the girl.
True, on the other hand. It wns posi-
BILE that she had stolen away while
KIrkwoOd was hanging I'm irresolution
by the passage 90 Quadrant news.
Again, the space OF time between Kirh-
woods dismissal and his return had
been exceedingly brief Whatever her
errand. she cohld hardly have fulfilled
II and escaped. At that moment she
might be I'm the power and at the mer-
cy OF him who had followed her pro
vlded ne were not friendly. And I'm
that case what torment and what peril
might not he hers!
S1urred by sollcitude tho young man
put personal apprehensions In hrs peck
ct and forgot them, cautiously picking
his way through the gloom 90 the foot
OF the stairs. Slowly ne began 20 as-
cend, a hand following the hnlustcrs
the other with his cane exploring the
obscurity before him On the steps n
carpet. thick and heavy. mufcd his
footballs lie moved nOiselcssly. To
ward the top the staircase curved. and
presently n foot that CROPPED for a
higher level failed to find it Again ne
halted. acutely distrustfuI.
Nothing happened.
He went on. guided by the balus
through which the underlined proper
tions af a drawing room and bOudoir
were barely suggested I'm ghost1y
dusk. BY each he paused, listening
hearing nothing.
His foot struck with n dondcned thud
against the bottom step OF the second
flight, and MS pulses huttcred wildly
for moment Two minutes three
ne waited I'm suspense From above
came no sound. Tic went on. rs be
fore, save that twice n step yielded.
complaining, to his weight.
Again the raised foot found no level
higher than its fellows. He stopped
and hold hls breath. oppressed by
conviction that some. one WINS near
him Combination ofSthis came star
tingly-an ecrie whisper I'm The night.
so close 10 him that he fauclcd he
could feel the disturbed afr tanning
his face.
els it you, Ecclos?"
lie had mo- answer ready. The voice
was masculine. ~ he analysed il cor
rectly. Dumb and stupid. he stood
poised upon the point Of panic.
"Ecclcs IS It your
The whisper was both shrill and
shaky As il ceased Kirltwood was
hair blinded by n fash Of light stris-
ing him squarcly iu The eyes. Involun-
tarily be shronk bncl, n pace. 20 the
first step from the top Instantanc.
ously the Light was eclipscd.
Hat or or ] fire."
BY now inc realized that he had been
Fcrutluizcd by the ala OF an electric
hand lamp The trcmuious whisper
told him something else that the
speaker suffered from nerves as hlgH
strung as hI. own. The knowledge
gave him Inspiration lie cried az a
venture. in q guarded voice Hands
up" md struck ont smartly with hts