The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1910-10-05
CHAPTER XIV.
The Trap Door.

NJ ~ttEh, lplt'u f''','tc" '
goaded me TO frenzy The very sight
Of Johnson across the street or Turk
ing. always within sight Of the hCUSe'
kept me constantly eNaspcrated- II
VAS or that day that things began To
come to Il focus, burninS-glaa oi
t.y,.uts that seemed 10 center on me.
dincd alone that evening lii no
cheerful frame Of mind. There had
been a poio game the day before anu
| had tent 4 pony. which Is always
bad tiiing to do. And she had wrench
III her shoulder. besides helping 10
'nSc the game There Was no one III
own inc Temperature" WAS 80 and
climbing, and my icit hand persistent
iv cT3mped under its bandag".
Mrs. klopton herself saw Elc served.
NV bread buttered and cut i'll tidbitS.
gny meat ready for my fork Sn" NO.
RCD around me materially, obviously
irving la cheer me.
The paprr says still warmer. she
yrutured The thermometer is -
ROW
And this coffee is 80" said. put
ing down my cup Where is hui
niemia? haven't seen her around.
or heard dish smash all day.
"Euphemia is in bed" Mrs. kiopton
aid gravely is your meat cut small
enough. Mr. Lawrence?" Mrs klop-
ton caI throw more mystery INTO an
ordinary sentence than any ono
Know. She can say. Are your sheets
damp. SIR" And | can tell from her
one that the house across the street
has be. n robbed. or that my left hand
neighbor has appendicitis. So now
looked up and asked the question she
MAS waiting for
What's the matter with Euphe-
mia?" inquired idly.
Frightened into her bed" Mrs.
Nlopton said in stage whisper.
She had three hot water bottles
and she hasn't done "a thing all day
I'm mean"
She oughtnt TO take hot water
bottles ] said in my SpvereSt tone.
One would make me moan. You need
not wait. I'll ring if l need anything.
VII htpptcu ~ ''S ~~-'
where she stopped and wheeled indiG
nantly Il only hope you won't laugh
an thu wrong side of your face some
morning. Mr.. Lawrence" she declared
with Christian fortitude. But l warn
Hcu. am going to have the police
watch that house next door.
was half inclined to tell her tina,
both il and we were under police sur
yeillance at that moment. But l like
Mrs klopton. in spite Of the fact thai
make her life torment for her. 81
1 Tefraine6
Las; night. when the paper said II
MAS going TO storm. | sent Euphemii
10 the roof TO bring the rugs i'll. Ellis
Gad slipped out. although il was hei
rvening in. Euphcmia went up 20 The
roof-it was IL o'clock-and soon
heard her running downstairs crying
When she got to my room Sh" JUS
soidcd up on the floor. She said there
WIS = black figure sitting on the para
net uf the house next door--the empty
hous,-and that when she appeared j
rose and waved long black arms d
leT ana SPIT ilht al tdt
had finished my dinner and va
lighting a cigarette. IF there VA
any one up there which l dOubt. the.
probably sneeZCd." | suggested. 'EIi
If you feel uneasy. III take a looI
around the roof tonight before | turl
N As far as Eupheruia goes.
wouldn't be uneasy about hpr--doeSn
she always nave an attack al som
sort when Eliza rings in an eNtr
evening on her?
So made superficial eXaminatio
OF the window locks that night, visit
inc parts OF the house that | had no
zen since | bought ii. Then | Wen
= the roof. Evidently il had &c
been intended for any purpose say
TO cover the house. for unlike In
houses around. there Was 70 Stalrcaa'
A ladder and trap-door led To il. an
il required some nice balancing o
,ly part 10 get up with my useieS
arm. made il, however, and iouil
this UNEMPLOYED part o. my Gon!ai
ya,her attractive Ii was cooler tina
i,Mnstairs. and sat on the brio
narlpSt anu SfllOkeO lllN iliI.S. SiS.ii ~
The roof of the empty house adione
mine along the back wing. hut inve
.;cation showed that the tral-doo
across the low dividing way VA
bnltcd underneath.
There was nothing out OF III" o
binary anywhere. and so l assure
Mrs. KIopton. Needless to say. l dl
rot tell her that had left the ira
door npen to see il it would improH
the temperature OF the house. l wei
10 bed at midnight. merely becaus
there was nothing else to do. l turne
On the night lamp at the head OF III
bed, and picked up volume OF Sha
a, random lit was Arms and III
Man" and l remember thinking grin
y that l was a good bit of chocola1
cream soldier myself. and prepare
to 20 to sleep. Shaw always puts N
70 sleep. / have no apologies to mai
for what occurred that night. and N