The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-06-30
CHAPTER XXI.
A Bar of Soap.


Late that evening Betty Mercer and
Dallas were writing verses of condo
lence to be signed by all of us and
put under the door into Jim's room
when Bella came running down the
stairs.
Dal was reading the first verse
when she came. Listen to this,
Bella" he said triumphantly:
There was fat artist named Jas,
Who cruelty called his friends mas.
When, altho' shut up tight,
He broke out over night
with rash that is maddening, he clas.
Then he caught sight of Bella's
face as she stood in the doorway and
stopped.
"Jim is deliriousl" she announced
tragically. you shut him in there
all alone and now he's delirious. I'll
never forgive any of you"
"Delirious" everybody exclaimed.
HE was sane enough when I took
him his chicken BROTH" Mr.. HARRISON
said. HE was almost fluent"
"He is stark, staring crazy" Bella
insisted Historically. Il locked the
door carefully when l went down to
my dinner, and when l came up
Iit--it was unlocked, and Jim was
babbling on the bed, with a sheet
over his face. He--he says the house
Is haunted and he wants all the men
to come up and sit in the room with
him"
mot on your life" Max said. 81 am
young, and my career has only begun.
4 don't intend to be cut off in the
Mower Of my youth. But I'll tell you
what I'll do; I'll take him drink. I
can tie it to a pole or something"
But Mr.. HARRISON did not smile. He
was thoughtful for a minute. Then:
"I don't believe he is delirious," he
said quietly, "and l wouldn't be sur
prised If he has happened on some
thing that-will be of general inter
lest. I think I win stay with him to-
might"
After that, of course, none of the
others would confess that he was
afraid, so with the South American
heading, they all went upstairs. The
women Of the party sat on the lower
steps and listened, but everything was
quiet Now and then we could hear
the sound of voices, and after while
there was a rapid slamming Of doors
and the sound of come one running
down to the second floor. Then quiet
ngain.
In an hour or so they sent for Elan
nigan, and he went upstairs. He
came down again soon, however, and
returned with something over his arm
that looked like rope. 1t seemed to
be made of all Einds Of things tied
together, trunk straps, clothesline, bed
sheets. and something that Flanagan
pointed to with rage and said he
hadn't been able 60 keep his clothes
on all day. He refused 10 explain fur
ther, however, and traiIed the monde
script article up the stairs. We could
only gaze after him and wonder what
It all meant.
The conclave lasted far into the
night. The feminine contingent went
to bed, but not to sleep. Some time
after midnight, Mr.. HARRISON and Max
went downstairs and l could hear
them rattllng around testing win
dows and burglar alarms. But fin
ally every one settled down and the
rest of the night was quiet.
Betty Mercer came into my room
the next morning, Sunday, and said
Anne Brown wanted me. went over
lat once, and Anne was sitting up in
bed, crying. Dal had slipped out of
the room at daylight, she said, and
hadn't come back He had thought
she was asleep, but she wasn't, and
Ighe knew he was dead, for nothing
ever made Dal get up on Sunday be-
Fore noon.
There was no one moving in the
house, and / hardly knew what to do.
II was Betty who said she would go
up and rouse Mr.. HARRISON and Max,
who had taken JIn's place in the
studio. She started out brayely
enough, but in a minute we heard her
flying back. Anne grew perfectly
white.
Hes lying on the upper stAirs!"
Betty cried, and we all ran out It
was quite true. Dal was lying on the