Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1910-05-04


lures.
HOtchkiSS had discovered fire laid
in the enormous fireplace, and in a
few minutes we were steaming before
a cheerful blaze Within the radius
of it's light and heat, we were COM
| Portable again. But the brightness
merely emphasized the gloom of the
ghostly corners. We talked in sub
dued tones, and 1 smoked a box of
Russian cigarettes which I found in
table drawer We had decided to
stay all night, there being nothing
else to do. 1 suggested a game of
double-dummy bridge, but did not
urge it when my companion asked if
it resembled euchre. Gradually, as
the ecclesiastical candle paled in the
freight, we grew drowsy. l drew
divan into the cheerful area and
stretched myself out for sleep Hotch-
kiss, who said the pain in his leg
made him wakeful, sat wide-eyed by
the fire, smoking pipe.
l have no idea how much time had
passed when something threw itself
violently on my chest. | reused with
start and leaped on my feet, and a
large Angora cat fell with a thump
to the floor. The fire was still bright,
and there was an odor of scorched
! leather through the room, from Hotch-
kiss shoes. The little detective was
sound asleep, his dead pipe 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 it and opened its mouth for
another howl. l thrust at it with my
foot, but it refused to move. Hotch-
kiss stirred uneasily, and his pipe clat-
tered to the floor.
| The cat was standing at my feet,
staring behind me. Apparently it was
| following with its eyes an object I'M
seen to me, that moved behind me.
| The tip OF it's tail waved threatening
ly, but when I wheeled 1 saw nothing.
| took the candle and made circuit
of the room Behind the curtain that
| had moved the door was securely
closed. The windows were shut and
locked, and everywhere the silence
was absolute The cat followed me
majestically. l stopped and stroked
it's 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, 1
was treasured / took the precaution,
and smiled at myself for doing it, to
put the fire tprgs within reach of my
hand. But the cat would not let me
sleep. After a time decided that it
wanted water, and / started out in
search Of some, carrying the candle
without the stand. / wandered
through several rooms, all closed and
dismantled, before l found small
lavatory opening off a billiard room.
The cat Tapped steadily, and I filled
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 it's back raised menacing-
Iy. 1 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 sleep
gone from me, lay back on my divan
and reflected on many things; on
my idiocy in coming; on Alison West,
and the fact that only week before
she had been a guest in this very
house; on Richey and the constraint
that had come between us. From that
1 drifted back to Alison, and to the
barrier my comparative poverty would
| be.
The emptiness, the stiffness were
oppressive Once l heard footsteps
coming, rhythmical steps that neither
hurried nor dragged, and seemed to
mount endless staircases without
coming any closer 1 realized finally
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, it's nose on
its folded paws, content in the warmth
and companionship. l watched it idly.
Now and then the green wood Kissed