Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1910-07-28

and there was an odor of scorched
leather through the room, from Hotch-
kiss shoes. The little detective was
sound asleep, his dead pipe in his
fingers. The cat sat back on its
launches and walled.
The curtain at the door into the
hallway bellied slowly out into the
room and fell again. The cat looked
toward it and opened its mouth for
another howl. l thrust at 1t with my
foot, but it refused to move. Hotch-
kiss stirred uneasily, and his pipe clat-
tered to the floor.
The cat was standing at my feet,
staring behind me. Apparently it was
following with it's eyes an object UNI
seen to me, that moved behind me.
The tip of its tail waved threatening
ly, but when l wheeled | saw nothing.
ftook the candle and made circuit
of the room. Behind the curtain that
had moved the door was securely
closed. The windows were shut and
locked, and everywhere the silence
was absolute. The cat followed me
majestically. | stopped and stroked
its head, but it persisted in its uncan-
ny watching of the corners of the
room.
When l went back to my divan, aft
er putting fresh log on the fire, |
was treasured. l took the precaution,
and smiled at myself for doing it, to
put the fire tongs within reach of my
hand. But the cat would not let me
Sleep After time | decided that 1t
wanted water, and | started out in
search of some, carrying the candle
without the stand. | wandered
through several rooms, all closed and
dismantled, before l found small
lavatory opening off billiard room,
The cat Tapped steadily, and | filled
a glass to take back with me. The
candle flickered in a sickly fashion
| that threatened to leave me there lost
in the wanderings of the many hall
ways, and from somewhere there
came an occasional violent puff of
wind. The cat stuck by my feet, with
the hair on its back raised menacing-
ly. l don't like cats; there is some
thing psychic about them.
Hotchkiss was still asleep when
got back to the big room. l moved
his boots back from the fire and
| trimmed the candle. Then, with sleep
gone from me, lay back on my divan
and reflected on many things; on
my idiocy in coming; on Alison West
and the fact that only a week before
she had been a guest in this very
house; on Richey and the constraint
that had come between us. From thai
| drifted back to Alison, and to the
barrier my comparative poverty would
be.
The emptiness, the stiffness wer'
oppressive. Once | heard footsteps
coming, rhythmical steps that neithe
hurried nor dragged, and seemed tt
mount endless staircases withou
coming any closer. realized final!
that had not quite turned off the tap
and that the lavatory, which had cir
cled to reach, must be quite close.
The cat lay by the fire, its nose o.
its folded paws, content in the warmth
and companionship. / watched 1t idly
Now and then the green wood hisse
in the fire, but the cat never bate
an eye. Through an unshuttered wiz
dow the lightning flashed. Student
the cat looked up. 1t lifted its hea
and stared directly at the CALLER
above. Then it blinked, and stare
: again. l was amused. Not until
had got up on its feet, eyes still riN
eted on the balcony, tail waving a
the tip, the hair on its back bristlin
brush, did glance casually over m
head.
From among the shadows a fac
gazed down at me, face that SCENE
: a fitting tenant of the ghostly roor
J. below. l saw it as plainly as / Nigh
see my own face in a mirror. Will
/ stared at it with Mortified eyes, tn
apparition faded. The rail was there
the Bokhara rug still swung from il
but the gallery was empty.
: The cat threw back its head an
: walled.