Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-11-26
The Argus Daily Short Story
A Mystery-By F. A. Mitchell.
Copyrighted. 1910. by Associated Literary Press.

1 prefer the autumn for automobil-
ing. The country is then beautiful,
and 1 am comparatively free from the
dust Of other autos. In these rides 1
love to commune with nature and usu-
ally go alone.
One October I was riding through
the beautiful hills. of Vermont when
evening came upon me in thinly set
tied region, and l encountered a break
down at the same time. / couldn't,
| like Joshua, turn the sun back in his
course. and l saw at a glance that l
couldn't repair the break in my auto.
Fortunately near me was house. 1t
was a queer looking structure built of
brick and hexagonal in form. Leaving
my auto beside the road where it was
stalled, with a light before and be-
hind, 1 went to the house resolved II
admitted to spend the night there.
There was not much encouragement
of a welcome for me since it was now
quite dark and not light was to be
seen at single window.
On reaching the premises 1 went to
the front door and beat on 1t with the
old fashioned brass lions head knock
er. 1 failed to rouse any one. Then 1
went around the house, looking for
possible entrance. l found one
through a window the sash of which
had been left unlocked. Entering, 1
struck match and saw that was In
q house furnished in colonial style.
Not a bed or bureau could have been
less than a hundred years old. 1t was
evidently the home when occupied of
refined and educated people.
Going upstairs, 1 found a bedroom
that suited me, with a four post bed
stead and a broad open fireplace. A
wood box stood beside the latter. and
L soon had half a dozen logs burning
brightly. Then, returning to my auto,
took my lunch basket, which / al
ways carried in case of necessity. con-
tanning both meat and drink, and re-
turned. There were lamps in the
house and dishes, but no eatables.
took of the dishes what few needed,
went upstairs, pulled a small table to
the fire and ate my supper, washing it
down with pint of wine.
I had been riding in the wind all day
and was very sleepy. Instead of get
ting into the bed, on which there was
what was required for comfort except
sheets and piIlowcases, l fell asleep in
my chair. / don't know how long l
slept, but when awoke the fire gave
out only the glow of Goals. Remem-
bering that l was alone in a deserted
house, 1 instinctively looked about me
to make sure that was perfectly safe.
On wooden partition separating the
room from another hung an unframed
print, the head and shoulders of a
young girl, life size. There was some
thing about the eyes that arrested my
attention. By the imperfect light they
seemed strange. In fact they looked
like human eyes inserted in a paper
picture. I am not superstitious or
nervous, but the uncanny effect star
tied me. Throwing some light wood
on the fire, started blaze, but when
it came and looked again at the pic
ture the eyes were merely printed. l
got up from my seat. went to them
and, seeing that they were paper,
threw of my outer garments, lay
down on the bed and went to sleep.
The next morning 1 was awakened
by hearing a sound as though some
thing had been set down outside my
door. Remembering the eyes on the
picture, 1 was somewhat curious at
any happening. Getting up, went to
the door, opened it, and there at my
feet was a pitcher of hot water.
My mind went back at once to the |
fairy tales Of my boyhood. 1 was |
surely in the house of a magician, and |
hoped that the princess" was there |
too. Performing my additions, l put |
on my clothes and, opening the door, /
went downstairs The first room I |
struck was the dining room, and what |
was my establishment to find the table |
set for breakfast, with but one plate.
Hello, fairy!" 1 called jocularly-
that is, tried to call tocularly, but |
failed, and when the wall gave back |
no sound but that of my own voice 1 |
confess / felt a very uncanny sensa-
ton. Had / suffered some sudden
brain trouble?
1 was ratified. The eyes I had seen
the night before, the pitcher of hot
water, the breakfast table set with |
dishes only-had completely upset me-
1 determined to explore tie house and
bolted right into the kitchen. / found
no one, but a fire was lighted in the
stove. and on it coffee was spoutiuG I'D !