Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-04
CHAPTER XXXIII-Continued.

a new KIND OF knot that couldn't slip and
that the horse must have chewed the
halter through lie WAS less enthusiastic
than had expected about the window
1T looks uncommouly like a trap lie
said. 4 tell you there was some one in
the park below when We Were coming up.
Man has sixth sense that scientists ig
And all the time you have been gone
some one has been watching me
Couldn't see YOU | maintained; Il
can't you now. And your sense of
contiguity didn't tell you about that
flower crock
In the end, OF course. ne consented to
go with me. He was Very lame. and
helped him around to the open window.
He was fun of moral courage. the little
man; II was only the physical in him
that quailed. And as We CROPPED along he
insisted on going through the window
first.
two arms 10 your one. and. besides, IS |
said before. life holds much for you As
for me. the government would merely
lose an Indifferent employe.
When he found | was going first he
was rather hurt, but | did not wait for
his protests. | swung my feet over the
sill and dropped made clutch at the
window frame with nay good hand when
was too late. I dropped probably ten
feet and landed with crash that seemed
to split my ear-drums | was thoroughly
shaken. but in some miraculous way the
bandaged arm had escaped injury.
For heavens sake, Hotchkiss was
calling from above. have you broken
your back?'
NO. l returned. as steadily as l
could. merely driven it up through my
skull This is a staircase I'm coming
up to open another window
II was eerie work. hut | accomplished
1t finally. discovering. not without mis-
hap, room filled with more tables than
/ had ever dreamed of. tables that seemed
to waylay and strike at me. When
had got a window open IiotchkiSs crawled
through. and We We're at last under
shelter
Our first thought was for a light. The
same laborious investigation that had
landed lis where we were. revealed that
the house was lighted by electricity, and
that the plant was not in operation.
By accident l stumbled across a tabouret
with smoking materials and found half
dozen matches The first one showed us
the magnitude of the room We STOOD in,
and revealed, also, a brass candlestick by
the open fireplace, a candlestick almost
four feet high, supporting a candle of
similar colossal proportions. 1t WAS
HotchkiSs who discovered that il had
been recently lighted. He held the matci
to il and peered at it over his glasses.
Within ten minutes, he announced.
mpressively. this candle has been burn
ing. Look at the wax, And the wick,
Both soft
Perhaps it's the damp weather.
ventured. moving a little nearer To the
circle of light. \ gust of wind came IN
Just then. and the fame turned over on
its side and threatened demise. There
was something almost ridiculous in the
haste with which we put down the win
dow and nurSed the flicker to life.
The peculiarly ghostllke appearance of
the room added 10 the uncanniness of tile
situation. The furniture was swatl2ed i'll
white covers for the winter. even the pic
lures wore Shrouds. And in a niche be-
tween tWo windows bust pedestal
similarly wrapped, one arm extended
under its winding sheet, made a most
lfelike ghost, If any ghost can be life
like.
In the light Of the candle W. surveyed
each other. and We're oLccts for
mirth. Hotch<ss was taking off his sod
den shoes and preparing to make him
self comfortab BILE. while / hung my muddy
rstiucuat over the ghost in the corner.
Thus habted he presented rakish but
distinctly more comfortable appearance.
when these people built" Hotchl.ss
said surveying the huge dimensions OF
the room, they must have bout;at a
mountain and built all over it. What a
room~
1t seemed to be a living room. although
Hotchkiss remarked that it was much
more like a dead one. i was proha hly
fifty feet long and twenty-five. feet wide.
ing. and gallery ran around tic entire
room, about fifteen feet above the floor.
The candle light did not penetrate he
yond the dim outlines OF the gallery rail.
but | fancied the wall there hung witt
smaller pictures.
Hotchkiss had discovered a fire laid in
the enormous fireplace, and in "A few miu-
utes were steamlng before a cheerful
blaze. Within the radius of its light ami
heat We were comfortable again. But
the brightness merely emphasized tic
gloom of the ghostiy corners. We talked
in Subdued tones, and | smoked box OF
Russian cigarettes which I found in a
table drawer We had decided to stay
all night. there being nothing else To do
| suggested a game of doubie-durnmN
bridge. but did not urge IT when my COM
p Mon asked me If it resembled euchre.
Gradually. as the ecclesia sticai candle
paed in the freight. we grew drowsy.
/ drew divan into the cheerful area
and stretched myself out for sleep.
Hotchkiss who said the pain in his leg
made him wakeful. sat wide-eyed by the
fire, smoking pipe.
have no idea how much time had
passed when something threw Itself VIC
lently on my chest. l reused with a
start and leaped to my feet. and large
angora cat fell with thump to the floor.
The fire was still bright, and there WAS
an odor of scorched leather through the
room. from Hotchkiss shoes. The little
detective was sound asleep, his dead pipe
launches and walled.
The curtain at the door into the hall
way bei!ied slowly out into the room and
fell again. The cat looked toward II ami
opened its mouth for another howl. l
thrust at it with my foot. but it refused
to move. HOtchkiSs stirred uneasily, and
his pipe clattered to the floor.
The cat was standing at my feet. star
ing behind me. Apparently it was fol-
lowing with its eyes an object unseen to
me that moved behind me. The tip of its
tail waved threateningly, but when L
wheeled l saw nothing.
/ took the candle and made circuit
of the room. Behind the curtain that lad
moved the door was securely closed lne
windows were shut and locked. and every |
where the silence was absolute The cat
followed me majesticaily. i stopped and
Stroked it's head, but il persisted in Its
uncanny watching of the corners OF the
room.
When 1 went back to my divan, after
putting a fresh log on the fire, | was re- |
assured I took the precaution. and |
smiled at myself for doing ii. to put the
fire tongs within reach OF my hand. But |
the cat would not let me sleep. After a |
time I decided that ii wanted water and |
/ started out in search of some, carrying |
the candle without the stlnd. l wan |
dered through several rooms. all closed |
and dismantled. before l found d small |
lavatory opening off billiard room. The /
cat Tapped steadily, and i filled a glass
to take back with me. The candle flick |
cred in a sickly fashion that threatened !
to leave me there lost In the wanderings |
of the many Railways, and from some
i'll