The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1910-12-09

uoWH against Lne driving rain, OrOOp-
ing and detected. Then we went
toward the house.
1t was a long walk. The path bent
and twisted, and now and then we lost
1t. We were climbing as we went.
Oddly there were no lights ahead. al
though it was only ten e'clock-not
later. Hotchkiss tapt a little ahead
OF me. knocking 40 trees now and
then. but finding the path In half the
time | should have taken. Once. as
! 1elt my way around a tree in the
blackness. l put my hand unexpected.
ly on his shoulder and felt a shudder
go down my back.
What do o expect me to do?" he
protested. when demonstrated. Hang
out a red lantern? What was that.
Listen"
We 10Th stood peering into the
gloom. The sharp patter Of the rain
on leaves had ceased and from just
anead there came back to us the
stealthy padding OF feet in wet soil.
MY hand closed on H%otchkiss' Shout.
der and we listened together, warily.
Fhe sters were close by. unmistak-
! Die. The next flash of lightning
showed nothing moving: the house
was In full view now. dark and unin.
wiling. looming huge above a terrace,
with an Italian garden at the side.
Then the blackness again. Some
hody's teeth were chattering: I &C.
cused Hotchkiss but he denied it.
although I'm not very comfortable.
I'll admit" he confessed: there was
something breathing right at my el-
bow here a moment ago."
"~Nonsense!" l took his elbow and
steered him In what made out to be
the direction OF the steps of the Ital-
ian garden. II saw a deer just ahead
by the last flash; that's what you
heard. BY Jove. I hear wheels"
We paused to listen and Hotchkiss
put his hand on something close to
us. Here's your deer" he said.
Bronze"
AS we neared the house the sense
of surveillance we had in the park
gradually left us. Stumbling over
flower beds. running afoul of a sun
dial. cropping u way savagely along
hedges and %thorny banks. we reached
the steps finally and climbed the ter
race.
1t was Their that Hotchkiss fell over
n of the two stone urns which, with
tall lockwood trees in them, mounted
guard at each side Of the door. He
didn't make any attempt to get up.
He sat in a puddle on the brick floor
Of the terrace and clutcned his leg
and swore softly in government Eng
lish.
The occasional relief Of the light
ming was gone. could not see an
outline Of the house before me. We
had no matches and an i~nstant's in
vestigation showed that the windows
were boarded and the house closed.
Hotchkiss. still r%ecumbent, was ascer-
tanning the damage, tenderly peeling
down his stocking.
Upon my soul" he said finally. ~
don't know whether this moisture is
blood or rain. l think I've broken a
bone"
blood is thicker than water" l
suggested. "Is it sticky? See if you
a move your toes"
There was a pause: Hotchkiss
moved his toes. BY that time l had
found a knocker and was making the
night hideous. But there was no re-
sponse save the wind that blew sod.
den leaves derisively in our faces,
Once ~fIotchkiss declared he heard a
window sash lifted. but renewed VIC
lence with the knocker produced nc
effect.
said. finally. "Ill go back and try tC
bring the buggy up for you. You cam
walk, can you?"
Hotchkiss sat back in his puddle
and said he didn't think he could stir
but for me to go back to town and
leave him, that he didn't have any
family dependent on him and that II
he was going to have pneumonia he
had probably got 1t already. l left
him there and started back to get q
horse.
If possible, it was worse than be
fore. There was no lightning and
only by a miracle did I find the little
gate again. drew a long breath Of
relief, followed by another, equally
long, of dismay. For / had found tht
hitching strap and there was nothing
at the end of 1t! In a lull of the vino
l seemed to hear. far OF. the eager
thud of stable-bound feet. So for the
second time l climbed the slope t
the Laurels and on the way l thought
of many things to say.
struck the house at a new angle
for l found a veranda, destitute Of
chairs and furnishings. but dry ant
evidently rooted. 1t was better thar
the terrace, and SO. by cropping alont
the wall, l tried to make my way K
Hotchkiss. That was how l found thu
open window. l had passed perhaps
six, all closed, and to have my hant
grope for the next one and to find in
, stead the soft drapery Of an innel
. curtain waC cfartlinp tn saw TIL