The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-09

lee. -
Hotchkiss could not drive. Born a
clerk, he guided the roam much as he
would drive bad pen. And the roam
spattered through puddles and splashed
ink-mud, that s-uniil [ was in a
frenzy of irritation.
What are we going TO say when
we get there2' ] asked after I had
finally taken the reins in my one use
ful hand, 'Get out there at midnight
and tell the servants we have come to
ask few questions about the family Z
~ $ an idiotic trip anyhow; | wish /
had stayed at home. -
The roam fell just then, and we had
to crawl out and help him up. BY
THE time We had partly embarrassed
him our matches were gone, and the
small bicycle lamp on the buggy was
waverlng only too certainly. We were
covered with mud, painting with ever
ton, and even Ilotchkiss showed dis
position to be surly. The rain, which
had lessened for time, came on again,
the lightning flashes doing more than
anything else 10 reveal our isolated po.
sition.
Another mile saw us, if possible,
more despondent The water in our
clothes had had time to penetrate. the
roam bad sprained his shoulder. and
drew us along in series of convulsive
spattered window of the blanket, I
saw "A light, 1t was a small light,
rather yellow, and it lasted perhaps
thirty seconds. Hotchkiss missed it,
and was inclined to doubt me, But in
a couple of minutes the roam hobbled
to the side Of the road and stopped,
and ! made out break in the pines
and an arched gate.
1t was small gate, too narrow for
bucru,, I pp1loI fbn bnrco into C
much shelter as possible under the
trees, and VIC got out. Hotchkss tied
the beast and we left him there, head
down against the driving RAIN droop-
ing and detected. Then we went to-
ward the house.
1t was a long walk The path bent
and twisted, and now and then we lost
IT, We were climbing as VIC went; Odd
y there were no lights ahead. although
it was only 10 o'clock-not later,
Hotchkiss kept a little ahead of me,
knocking into trees now and then, but
finding the path IN half The time l
should have taken. Once, as ] felt my
way around tree in the blackness,
I put my hand unexpectedly on his
shoulder, and felt a shudder 60 down
my back ,,,
he protested, when l demonstrated,
'' Hang out a red lantern9 What was
that? Listen. -
We both stood peering into the
gloom. The sharp patter of the rain
on leaves had ceased, and from Just
ahead there came back to us the
stcaIthy padding of feet in wet soil. My
band closed on Hotchiiss's shoulder,
and we listened together. warily. The
next fash of lightning showed nothing
moving; the house was in full view
now, dark and uninvit,ng, looming huge
above terrace, with an Italian gar
den at the side, Then the blackness
again. Somebody's teeth were chat
terlng ! accused Hotchkiss but he de
MED IT,
able, ! II admit, he confessed; "there
was something breathing right at my
elbow here a moment ago
"Nouscnse, | took his elbow and
steered him in what [ made out to be
the direction of the steps of the Italian
garden. 81 saw deer Just ahead by
the last fash; that s what you heard.
BY Jove, I hear Wheels
We paused 10 listen and Hotchkiss
put his hand on something close to us.
% Here s your deer, he said.
4" Bronze,
AS we neared the house the sense
OF surveillance we had had in the park
gradually left US Stumbling over
flower beds, running afoul of sun.
dial, cropping our way savagely along
hedges and thorny banks, VIC reached
the steps finally and climbed the ter
race.
1t was then that ITolchkiss fell over
one of the two stone urns which. with
tall lockwood trees IN them, mounted
guard al each side OF the door He
didn t make any attempt TO get up,
He sal in puddle on the brick floor
Of the terrace and clutched his leg
and swore in government English.
The occasional relief Of the lightning
was gone ] could not see an outline
of the house before me We had no
matches, and an instaDt's invcstiga-
ton showed that the windows were
boarded and the house closed. Eotch.
kiss, still recumbent, was ascertaninc Q
the damage, tonderly peeling down his
stocking.
"Upon my sou" +" he said finally.
81 don't know whether this moisture
is blood or rain, / think we broken
"Blood is thicker than water
suggested Sis it sticky? Sec If you
can move your toes
There was n pause; Iiotchliss moved
his toes. By that time l had found
lSuocker and WAS making The night
hldcoUS. iSut tDcTC WIS no response
save the wind that blew sodden leaves
dcrsively in our faces. Once Hotch-
kiss declared he heard a window-sssh
lifted. but renewed violence with the
knockcr produced no effect.
"Therc S only one thing 10 do J
said 6uaIlv. "T'll 90 back and try
to bring The buggy mn for YOU. You
can + walk, can YOU?
HotchSiss sat back in his puddle
and said he didn t think he could stir
but for me 10 go back 10 town and
leave him. that he didn e have any
family dependent on him, and that If
he was going TO have pneumonia he
had probably got it already. | loft
him there and started back to get the
! horse.
r. possible, il was worse than he.
| fore There was no lightning. and
only by miracle did ! find the little
gate again. I drew long breath OF
! relief. followed by another. equally
long, of dismay For ! had found the
bitching strap and there was nothing
al the end of it, IN lull of the wind
| I seemed 10 hear. far off. the eager
thud of stable bound feet, So for the