The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1910-11-16

ly on his shoulder and felt a shudder
60 down my back.
What do you expect me to do" he
protested. when demonstrated. Hang
out red lantern? 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
stealthy padding Of feet in wet soil.
My hand closed on Hotchkiss' Shout.
der and we listened together. warily.
The steps were close by. unmistak.
able. The next fash Of lightning
| showed nothing moving: the house
was in full view DOW. dark and unin-
, wiling. looming huge above a terrace.
with an Italian garden at the side.
Then the blackness again. Some
bcdy's teeth were chattering: &C.
cused Hotchkiss but he denied II.
Although I'm not very comfortable.
I'll admit" he confessed: there was
something breathing right at my el-
bow here moment ago."
Nonsense" I took his elbow and
steered him in what l made out to be
the direction OF the steps of the Ital-
ian garden. Il saw a deer just ahead
by the last flash; that's what you
heard. By Joye. I hear wheels"
We paused to listen and Hotchkiss
put his hand on something close to
Bronze
AS We neared the house the sense
of surveillance we had in the park
gradually left us. Stumbling over
flower beds. running afoul of a sun.
dial. creeping our way savagely along
hedges and thorny banks. we reached
the steps finally and climbed the ter
race.
II was then that HOtchkiss fell over
one nj the two stone urnS which, with
tall lockwood trees in them. mounted
guard ut each side of the door. He
didn't make any attempt to get up.
He sat in a puddle or the brick floor
OF the terrace and clutched his leg
and swoTe softly in government Eng.
lish.
The occasional relief of the light
ming was gone. I could not see an
outline Of the house before me. We
had TO matches and an instant's in
vcstigation showed that the windows
were boarded and the house closed.
fiotchkiss. still recumbent. was ascer-
tanning the damage. ienderly peeling
down his stocking.
Upon my soul" he said finally. Il
don't know whether this moisture is
blood or rain. I think I've broken q
bone"
BLOOD is thicker than water"
suggested. is it sticky? See if you
can move your toes"
There was pause: Hotchkiss
moved his toes. Fly that time l had
found a knocker and was making the
night hideouS. But there was no re-
Spouse save the wind that blew sod
den leaves derisively in our faces
Once IIotchkiss declared he heard a
window sash lifted. but renewed vio-
lence with the knocker produced no
effect
There's only one thing to do"
said. finally. I'll 20 back and try to
bring the buggy up for you. You can't
walk. can yOu?"
HOtchkiss sat back in his puddle
and said he didn't think he could stir.
but for me to go back to town and
leave him. that he didn't have any
family dependent on him and that il
he was going to have pneumonia he
had probably got it already. left
him there and started back to get a
horse.
If possible. it was worse than be-
fore. There was no lightning and
only by a miracle did find the little
gate again. l drew long breath of
relief, followed by another. equally
long. of dismay. For I had found the
strap and there was nothing
at the end OF il, In a lull of the wind
I seemed to hear. far of. the eager
thud of stable-bound feet So for the |
second time I climbed the slope to
the Laurcls and on the way thought |
of many things to say.
struck the house at a new angle |
for l found veranda. destitute Of |
chairs and furnishings. but dry and !
evidently rooted. 1t was better than |
the terrace. and so. by cropping along |
the wall. I tried to make my way to |
That was how ! found the !
open window. ! had passed perhaps |
six. all closed. and to have my hand |
crOpe for the Eext one and to find in. |
stead the soft Grapery of an inner
was startling. to say the
least.
found Hotchkiss at last around an
angle of the stone wall. and told him
that the horse was gone. He was
but not abased: main
tanning that il was 4 new kind of knot
that couldn't slip and that the horse
must have chewed the halter through.
He was less enthusiastic than l had
expected about the window.
1t looks uncommonly like a trap"
he said. Il tell you there was some
one in the park below when We were
coming up. Man has a sixth sense
that scientists ignore-a sense of the
nearness al things. And all the time
you have been gone, some one has
been Watching me"
tTO EE CONTINCEDJ
E 8 e1s=aIgSN
- E1G WA<ls.