Rocky Ford enterprise., 1910-12-16
CHAPTER XIV.
The Trap Door.

tne trap Ooor.
By Sunday evening. week after
the wreck. my forced inaction had
gosdcd me to frenzy. The very sight
OF Johnson across the street or lurlk-
ing. always within sight OF the house,
kept me constantly exasperated. II
was on that day that things began to
come to n focus. burning.glass OF
events that seemed to center on me.
| dined alone that evening In no
cheerful frame of mind. There had
been n polo game the day before and
i had lent a pony. which is always a
bad thing to do. And she had wrench
cd her shoulder. besides helping to
lose the game. There was no one In
town: the temperature was 30 and
climbing. and my left hand persistent
iy cramped under its bandage. r.
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 80
now"
And this coffee is 25O.' said. put
ting down my cup. Where is Eu-
phemiaf ] haven't seen her around.
or heard n dish smash all day
"Euphemia is in bed Mrs. Klopton
said gravely. lis 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
a Nr9 At,I III -
ZONE that the house across the street
has been robbed. or that my left hand
neighbor has appendicitis. So now
looked up and asked the question she
was waiting for.
What's the matter with Euphe-
mia inquired idly.
Frightened into her bed" Mrs.
kIopton said In stage whisper.
shes had three hot water bottles
and she hasn't done a thing all day
bu' moan"
she oughtnt to take hot water
bottles" I said in my severest tone.
One would make me moan. You need
no; wait, I'll ring II 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 II and We were under police sur
veillance at that moment. But like
Mrs. klopton. in spite OF the fact that
1 make her life n torment for her. so
I refrained.
Last night. when the paper said IT
was going to storm, I sent Euphemia
to the roof to bring the rugs in. Eliza
had slipped out, although IL was her
evening in. Euphemia went up to the
rrof-it was IL o'clock-and soon I
heard her running downstairs crying.
When she got to my room she Just
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 II
rose and waved long black arms at
her and spit like cat"
| had finished my dinner and was
lighting cigarette, If there was
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 Euphemla goes. l
wouldn't be uneasy about her-doesn't
she always have an attack OF some
sort when Eliza rings in an extra
evening on herr
So I made n SUP erflcial examination
of the window locks that night. visit.
ing parts of the house that l had not
seen since / bought H. Then I went
II 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 a trap-door led 10 II. and
it required some nice balancing on
my part TO get up with my useless
arm. | made II. however. and found
this unexplored part OF my domain
rather attractive. II was cooler than
downstairs. and I sat on the brick
parapet and smoked my final cigarette
The roof OF the empty house adjoined
mine along the back wing. but inves
sixation showed that the trap-dooI
seross the low dividing way was
bulted underneath.