The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-01-27
CHAPTER lli.
A Weird Discovery.

My part of the adventure. as It
seemed. was to fill my tank and get
the Rlppler ready to start Whether
Destiny. who was arranging details,
would permit her to get under way.
or me 20 reach Clankton u time for
dinner. was quite another matter.
However. / was actor and not auth.
on. 50 / fulfilled my part-my ap.
pointed part. | presumed by search.
inh for the petrol. | soon discovered
the orthodox red case, and having
unscrewed it with some difficulty
walked back To the car, which stood
some little distance away directly
in front of Anne Caldershaw's shop
IL took me some minutes TO fiji up,
Lut during that time | did not hear
q single sound. And yet as / con.
iectured. while replacine the cap
OF the tank. there must be SOM"
house or houses about. since the
shop argued customers Perhaps
when | turned the corner-for the
shop stood Just on the angle OF the
road would find a collection of
cottages. not likely to be- so de-
serted as Anne Caldershaw's cmpo.
rum
Shortly the tank was filled, and af.
ter seeing that all was ready to
start | took the empty can back 20
the dark house and placed the nee.
essary money on the counter. 1 would
have shouted again. but that IL
seemed useless, as apparently no one
was about. for my former cries
would have awakened the dead. For
one or two minutes stood in
the darkness listening for some
sound in the house. and stared
through the open door az the streams
OF light from the acetylene lamps
OF the Rippler There was something
very weird about the situation.
Suddenly l heard a soft faint
moan, which seemed TO come from
behind the locked door at the back
OF the shop. On the impulse OF
the moment and with rather a grue-
as the Scotch call it, for the sound
was sinister and unexpected
sprang forward and gr-pped the
handle OF the door To my surprise
the moment twisted il the door
opened at once, and yet swear
that II sas locked when | had last
tried il. l looked into q dark room
and could see family 20 the right a
barred window, which showed against
the fast-darkening evening sky. No
further moan could hear, although
! listened with all my ears Won
doring if | had been mistaken, and
yet uneasy about the now unlocked
door, | stepped into the back room.
holding on TO the inside handle As
1t afterward turned out the floor of
the room was lower than that OF
the shop. and reached by three
shallow steps. therefore stumbled,
and, pulling the door after me with
some violence, so that II clicked to,
Tell sprawling and bruised nv
elbow somewhat painfully.
Still | heard no sound, but seated
on the floor 10 collect my senses
somewhat dazed by the unexpected
fall put out my hand TO explore
the darkness, II fell on soft flesh
warm to the touch, and on rough.
tangled hair Thoroughly startled
and with every excuse. withdraw
my hand and fumbled In my pockets
for match, regrettinG that | had
not brought one Of the lamps. had
half a mind to go out and fetch IL,
but my curiosity was so great and
to be plain-my nerves were Sc
unstrung that struck the lucifer
anxious TO know the best or the
worst al once
As the pale tiny light grew strong.
Ell ] beheld the form of woman
lying on the stone floor. face up
permost. And that face-I shuddered
as ! looked, for il was distorted in.
To an expression of pain, with "A
twisted mouth and CLASSY, express
slonless eyes. Framed In loose
masses of iron-gray hair, IL glim.