The Columbus journal., 1910-11-23
- f1ARY WBFRIc RNEHAR1

| in Just then, and the flame turned over
on its side and threatened demise.
There was something almost ridicu-
lous in the haste with which We pat
down the window and nursed the
| flicker to life.
The peculiarly ghost-like appearance
! of the room added To the uncannineSS
of the situation. The furniture was
! swathed in white covers for the win
ter: even the pictures wore shrOuds.
| And in a niche between two windows
bust on a pedestal. similarly
| wrapped. one arm extended under its
winding sheet, made 4 most life-iike
| ghost, if any ghost can be life-like.
In the light of the candle We sur
! veyed each other. and we were OBJ
! jocts for mirth. Hotchkiss was taking
| of his sodden shoes and preparing to
| make himself comfortable, while |
| hung my muddy rainCoat over the
! ghost in the corner. Thus hahited. he
presented :. rakish but distinctly moro
J comfortable appearance.
When these people built" HOtCh-
kiss said. surveying the huge dimen-
siors Of the room, they must have
, bought a mountain and built all over
! il. Mat a room
II seemed 10 be a living room. al
! WIS much more like dead oac 1t
was probably 30 feet cong and % feet
wide Ii was very high. too. with a
domed ceiling, and 4 gallery ran
around the entire rcom, about II Sect
above the ilCur. Tn. candle light did
not penetrate beyond the dim out
lines OF the gallery rail. but fanCied
The wall there hung with smaller pic
lures.
fiotchkiss had discovered a fire laid
in the enormous fireplace. and in a
. few minutes We were SteaminS before
4 cheerful blaze. Within the radius
of its light and heat. we were COM
Portable again. But the brightness
merely emphasized the gloom OF the
ghostlv corners We talked in sub
GuCd tones. and | smoked box OF
Russian cigarettes which ] found in
4 table drawer. We had decided to
stay all night. there being nothing
else to Go. | suggested a game OF
double dummy bridge. but did not
urge il when my companion asked if
il resembl,d euchre. Gradually. as
the ecclesiastical candle raIed in the
freight. We grew drowsy. | drew a
divan into the cheerful area and
stretched myself out for sleep Hotch
kiss. who said the rain in his leg
made him wakeful. sat wide-eyed by
the fire. smoking pipe.
have no idea how much time had
raSSed when something threw itself
, violently on my chest. l reused with
: start and leapod on my feet. and j
, large ArSo-a cat fell with a thumI
! to the floor. Th- fire was still bright
and there was an oGor of SCorchej
leather through the room. from Hotch
, kiss shoes. The little detective was
sound asleep. his dead pine in his
, fingers The cat sat back on its
launches and walled.
The curtain az the door into the
hallway beilied slowly out into the
! IbOIu anu len L. Csil itohtG
toward it and opened its mouth fol-
another howl thrust at il with my
foot. but it refused to move. Hotch
, kiss stirred uneasily, and his pipe ciat
tered to the floor.
: The cat was standing at my feet
= staring behind me. Apparently it was
: following with its eyes an object un
/ seen to me. that moved behind me
: The tip of its tail waved threatening
: ly. but when | wheeled saw nothing
: l took the candle and made circuit
I of the room. Behind the curtain thai
I had moved the door was securely
closed. The windows were shut ant
r locked. and everywhere the silencs
was absolute. The cat followed mt
] majestically. l stopped and stroket
D its head, but 1t persisted in its uncan
e ny watching of the corners Of The
room
l When / went back to my divan. aft
e er putting fresh log on the fire.
e was treasured took the precaution