The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-03-03
CHAPTER VI.

Up at the Desterle house Johnny
Johnson was alternately pulling his
front hair and pinchlng his palms to
keep awake. Johnny, with his usual
audacity. had ensconced himself for
the night in the death chamber. Two
Associated Press men were with him:
two reporters from others papers and
three detectives. The Associated
Press Men wanted TO smoke. but John
ny rebelled against either illumination
or smoking.
IF there's anybody comm back
here" he contended. IF he or she
smells smoke or sees lights, there'll be
no comm"
considering the ashes and cigar
cite stubs that we found on the floor"
suggested the first Associated Press
Man. the only way to- invoke the
ghost of Cerisse Wayne would be
through smoke"
What do we want of her ghost"
sneered Johnny. This is no seance
What we want is the fellow who made
the ghost"
The biyouac was nerve tracking. The
old house apparently had a bounteous
rodent population and the little beasts
scampered back and forth in the walls
with spooky gambols. Every window
in the house ratified, and the pail of
emptiness that always hangs heavily
in a deserted human habitation rested
"a dead weight-in the air.
Two blocks distant the elevated
trains rumbled DULY by, and the
morning parade of the milk wagons
had not yet begun-to touch the Wis
ions Of the night with the realities OF
the day.
This is too much for me-" cried one
of the detectives. Let get out and
take n BREATH"
The little group. all except Johnny.
arose with a.acrity. He stopped alone
in the old house, and tried TO keep his
eyes open and. failing, wondered why
he didn't advertise the newspaper BUSH
ness. as a cure for insomnia and accrue
cash thereby, when
What's that?" asked Johnny OF
himself He heard with joyous ears
a scraping and sliding I'm the closet OPP
posite, where he had picked up the
gold and amethyst garter. 1t sounded
as if t.e Dashboard were being forci-
bly, removed. or. rather. as If someone
were endeavorIng TO slide 1t back, and
as If the board were sticking in an I'M
accustomed and stubborn fashion.
Johnny looked for a convenient cor
ner In which TO duck. He couldn't fl.
into the drawers of the chiffonier or
the bureau. and the bed, stripped of
all its coverings. even Of the mattress
and pillows. was fiat against the wall.
On a chance Johnny crawled beneath
1t, with one eye fixed steadily upon the
closet door.
He had not long to wait Stealthily
the door opened, and through the crack
came gIeam of a pocket electric
hashlight The man who was holding
room. scanning 1t closely as II to make
sure he was unobserved.
oh" groaned Johnny. and slunl,
oser into the corner. rolling himself
till more tightly into a ball. and pull
ing his coat up over his fiery head. The
| intruder walked over to the bureau
| drawers and began to search hurried
ly. They were empty. and at this dis
covery in each successive drawer the
man flung them shut with gesture OF
| disappointment.
The voices OF Johnny's returnin Z
companions echoed through the corri-
| doris and their footsteps sounded on the
stairway. The intruder put out his
light and started for the closet. The
dawn was now so far advanced that as
he Lassed the window Johnny d.stin-
suisbed his features clearly. He mus'