The Montgomery tribune., 1910-11-18


kiss shoes. The little detective was
sound asleep, his dead nipe in his
fingers. The cat sat back on its
launches and walled.
The curtain at the door into the
hallway bellied slowly out into the
room and fell again. The cat looked
toward 1t and opened its mouth for
another howl. l thrust at 1t with my
foot, but 1t refused to move. Hotch-
kiss stirred uneasily, and his pipe clat-
tered to the floor.
The cat wGs standing at my feet,
staring behind me. Apparently It was
following with its eyes an object un.
seen to me. that moved behind me.
The tip of its tail waved threatening.
ly, but when l wheeled saw nothing.
took the candle and made circuit
of the room. Behind the curtain that
had moved the door. was securely
closed. The windows we're shut and
locked, and everywhere the silence
was absolute. The cat followed me
majestically. stopped and stroked
its head, but it persisted in its uncan-
ny watching of the corners of the
room.
When l went back to my divan, aft
er putting fresh log on the fire, l
was reassured. took the precaution,
and smiled at myself for doing 1t, to
put the fire tongs within reach of my
hand. But the cat would not let me
sleep. After time l decided that 1t
wanted water, and l started out In
search of some, carrying the candle
without the stand. wandered
through several rooms, all closed and
dismantled, before | found q small
lavatory opening off billiard room.
The cat Tapped steadily, and I filed
| a glass to take back with me. The
candle flickered In a sickly fashion
| that threatened to leave me there lost
| in the wanderings of the many hall
| ways, and from somewhere there
came an occasional violent puff OF
| wind The cat stuck by my feet, with
| the hair on its back raised menacing
ly. I don't like cats; there is some
| thing psychic about them.
| Hotchkiss was still asleep when
got back to the big room. ! moved
his boots back from the fire and
| trimmed the candle. Then, with sleeT
gone from me, lay back on my divar
and reflected on many things; on
my idiocy in coming; on Alison West
and the fact that only week before
she had been guest in this very
house; on Richey and the constrain
that had come between us. From tha
drifted back to Alison, and to the
barrier my comparative poverty woult
be.
The emptiness, the stiffness were
oppressive Once I heard footsteps
coming, rhythmical steps that neither
hurried nor dragged, and seemed tt
mount endless staircases withou
coming any closer + realized finall!
that had not quite turned off the tap
and that the lavatory, which had cir
cled to reach, must be quite close.
The cat lay by the fire, its nose OIL
it's folded paws, content in the warmth
and companionship. l watched 1t idly
Now and then the green wood hisse'
in the fire, but the cat never batte'
| al eye. Oil uhohubtSiSu VIII
dow the lightning flashed. Suddenl,
the cat looked up. 1t lifted its hea'
and stared directly at the CALLER.
above. Then it blinked, and stare,
: again. / was amused. Not until
had got up on it's feet, eyes still riy
eted on the balcony, tail waving 1
the tip, the hair on it's back bristL
brush, did ! glance casually over m
head.
From among the shadows a fac
gazed down at me. face that SCENE
fitting tenant of the ghostly roor
below. l saw 1t as plainly as l Nigh
see my own face in mirror. Will
stared at it with Mortified eyes, tn
apparition faded. The rail was there
the Bokhara rug still swung ts: 1
but the gallery was ema'y.
: The cat threw back it's head an
J. walled.