Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1910-08-12

berry, hp rose unhur,. 81 far as he
could feel! to find himself by rustic
seat near dry fountain On his left
he could make out 4 long building
three or four stories high.
A high wall running back from each
end Of this structure seemed TO him to
bound the garden. for Il garden he
guessed 1t to be- Back in some crepus-
cular Jungle he heard the throaty bel
low of great dog.
4 Following the wall. lie found 1t In
tegral with that of the house. 1t was
blank and high and inSurmountable.
He recOnnoiterCd the rear wall to a
brick barn into which it was built.
lie returned to HE long house and
stole across to one side. where he
found a door through the wall. tight
shut and impreGnnblc
Calling up his scattered courage. he
went with some Stcadincss up to a
long verardn. A Shrill whistle sound
ing from ,hp top of the porch instantly
commanded his attention Theodore
! saw a man on the roof just in the act
of swinging himself down over the
cave.
"Get under here. Old sport" said the
voice. land give a liberty loving class
mate a leg down"
Theodore reached up and steadipd n
somewha bony leg and was about 20
let his burden down when the liberty
loving one collapsed in all his mem
bers and came down by the run.
Carson started forward to raise the
demoraliZed fugitive 10 his feet. But
be WAS already up and seemed to be
bOwIng and kissing his hand to an
imaginary audience.
My celebrated Avernus act" said
ne Special gravitatiOn expert to the
crowned heads. But. hist. Let me
greet thee. An We be noble. salute
my check: an We be slob. receive my
contpmipuOus thanks. Hey. old sportT
Carson stood mute. alone with pos
sibie iunatic ard ;i> very probable dog
|
dropped from the night sky.
Prom your .aput cometh a rattle
like II muted> cHStanet." went on the
strange parsonage, and anon like q
battery Of telegraph saunders. Stay
is il possible that 1t emanates from
the gathering Of your teeth?~ Caitff
yon are Scairt-Or in an ague that
would reduce foundry RATHER to
malchwood. Art cold. fair youth?"
a little" replied Carson. 81 am
lightly dressed"
Then come. come away, tra-la-la
with me, to a realm OF balmy air and
breezes of Ceylon TO heel. and II
thy heavy hoOf bnt Scrape the gravel
to betray our flight thou diest. and all
thy wad Is gobbled by the privy Golfer
of the emporium. To heel"
With swift darting movement the
stranger turned and, followed obedi
emily by Carson. went across to q
building which Theodore guessed to be
Ia greenhouse His guide opened the
door and stood back with elaborate
courtesy that Carson might precedf
him. Entering Theodore found him
self among beds of flowers which
filled the house.
1T is too dark" said his guide, re
Joining him. Ito make the exchange
of cards more than an empty ant
Invisible fOrmality. Yet | would fail
know more of you than the bright an(
snappy technique of your tooth chat
tering."
~ don't understand" answered Car
son. 81 came here by accident"
"Quite So" interposed his interlocu
tor. Lets sit down by the American
Beauty bed-there If we might STRIKE
match. now | estimate that hal
US lush logged derelicts go ashore herr
In II state. to coin word. of ORGY eye(
wO0ziness. may say that came my
self by accident and without meaning
to do so-or otherwise. | must have {
smoke" Then came the scratch o
the match. and Theodore scrutinizet
the face by the fare Of the match al
with nervous. unsteady movements tn
stranger lighted the weed.
Hc was IL medium sized person. witt
deep set eyes Pickering from their cav
erns with a blurred sharpness. Hi
face was sallow and colorless. witt
hol!ows In the cheeks. His nose wa
irregularly notched in profile. like tn
stub of something else broken Off hi
face.
MY name Is Carson" said Thee
dorp. land | am from the south, from
Alabama. T.
"Craighead Is NINE" rejoined tn
other. II am from here and elsewhere
There are twenty places where nigh
vote were there any question under th
sun worth voting on. | think ma
venture to give you, sir, as my perma
nent residence. until further motto
only, the Rat Mort. Paris"
"I'- began Carson.
1.-THE Rat Mort" interposed Craig
head. zone deep midnight in the deal
dread past beyond recall was ejecte'
from>th he Rat Mort because my conduc
was not up to the heretofore undis