The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-02-12
CHAPTER XIV.

dismiss her II she touched them"
CHAPTER XIV.
The Trap Door.
BY Sunday evening, a week after
the wreck, my forced inaction had
goaded me to frenzy The very sight
of johnson across the street or lurk
ing, always within sight of the house,
kept me constantly exasperated. It
was on that day that things began to
come to focus, a burning-glass of
events that seemed to center on me.
l dined alone that evening in no
cheerful frame of mind. There had
been . polo game the day before and
I had lent a pony, which is always a
bad thing to do. And she had wrench
ed her shoulder, besides helping to
lose the game. There was no one in
town; the temperature was 80 and
climbing, and my left hand persistent
ly cramped under its bandage.
Mrs. Klopton herself saw me served,
my bread buttered and cut in tidbits,
my meat ready for my fork. She how
cred around me materially, obviously
trying to cheer me.
The paper says still warmer" she
ventured, "The thermometer is 90
now"
And this coffee is $50" l said put
ting down my cup. Where is Eu.
phemia? l haven't seen her around,
or heard a dish smash all day"
"Euphemia is in bed" Mrs. Klopton
said gravely. rs your meat cut small
enough, Mr.. Lawrence?" Mrs. Klop.
ton can throw more mystery into an
ordinary sentence than any one I
know. She can say, Are your sheets
damp. sir?" And I can tell from her
tone that the house across the street.
has been robbed. or that my left hand
paighbor has appendicitis. So now
looked up and asked the question she
was waiting for.
whats the matter with Euphe-
mia?" l inquired idly.
Frightened into her bed" Mrs.
klopton said in a stage whisper.
| She's had three hot water bottles
and she hasn't done thing all day
but moan"
| She oughtn't to take hot water
bottles" | said in my severest tone
| "One would make me moan. You need
not wait, I'll ring if l need anything.
Mrs. Klopton sailed to the door
where she stopped and wheeled indig
| nantly. Il only hope you won't laugh
on the wrong side of your face some
morning, Mr.. Lawrence" she declared
with Christian fortitude. But / warn
you, l am going to have the police
watch that house next door,"
| | was half inclined to tell her that
both it and we were under police sur
veillance at that moment. But l like
Mrs. klopton, in spite Of the fact thai
l make her life torment for her, sc
l refrained.
| Last night, when the paper said il
was going to storm, ] sent Euphemia
to the roof to bring the rugs in. Eliza
had slipped out. although it was her
evening in. Euphemia went up to the
roof-it was II oclock-and soon
heard her running downstairs crying
When she got to my room she lust
folded up on the floor. She said there
was black figure sitting on the para.
pet of the house next door-the empty
house-and that when she appeared il
rose and waved long black arms at
her and spit like cat"
I had finished my dinner and was
oh nj
any one up there, which doubt, they
probably sneezed," suggested. But
il you feel uneasy, I'll take a look
around the roof tonight before turn
in AS far as Euphemia goes, |
wouldn't be uneasy about her-doesnt
she always have an attack of some
sort when Eliza rings in an extra
evening on herr"
So | made a superficial examination
of the window locks that night, visit
ing parts of the house that | had not
seen since | bought it. Then | went
to the roof. Evidently it had not
been intended for any purpose save
to cover the house, for unlike the
houses around, there was no staircase.
A ladder and trap-door led to 1t, and
it required some nice balancing on
my part to get up with my useless
arm. made it, however, and found
this uncxpIored part of my domain
rather attractive. 1t was cooler than
downstairs, and l sat on the brick
parapet and smoked my final cigarette.
The roof of the empty house adjoined
mine along the back wing. but inves-
tigation showed that the trap door
across the low dividing way was
bolted underneath.
There was nothing out of the or
binary anywhere, and so l assured