The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1912-06-20

In her own room; that vindictive oil
man, seated helpless in his chair. hi
strange eyes glaring out across til
library table. and Jean Denslow LEI
alone In the big house to cope wit
its mystery. the night shadows clos
ing In. Instinctively ! extended b.
hand, and in the sudden response o
comradeship she slipped her own int,
my grasp.
IL believe / am actually afraid,
she confessed. This Is so differen
from a real danger-this-thi haunted
feeling"
| do not recall what l said. but
know retained her hand in mine and
! must have spoken words of encour
agement. for when we emerged from
that dark hole of a cellar into the mar.
row hallway, already lighted by a
hanging lamp, her eyes were smiling
and the clasp Of her fingers had grown
firm.
II shall want weapons. Miss DenS-
low" | said. as we stood looking up
and down the main hall. for whoever
this visitant may prove he will be of
flesh and blood and not impervious to
a bullet. You can trust me armed?"
"Oh, yes: | will get your own re-
volvers. They are left in the library"
snapped the belt about my waist, feel
ing renewed confidence as | found
both weapons still loaded.
Lamp in hand, | explored every
nook and csrner peering under furni-
ture and into closet recesses, until alb
rat could have escaped my scrutiny
Having thus completed the lower floor,
not even forgetting to test the walls in
hope of thus locating the secret room,
was for following the same course
above. had not she begged me TO de-
sist, her voice trembling, her face pa
thetic as she pleaded. Through the
partially opened door l caught a
glimpse of the judge at the library TIA
BILE, his head bowed forward as if he
slept, but l did not venture to enter
the room.
Miss Denslow," | said at last, stand
ng at the foot of the stairs, IF it is
rue that any one is hiding in the
house, as you suspect, the fellow must
De the murderer of Lieutenant Ma
yarre. Naturally | wish to make that
nan prisoner. Are you willing to sit
lere in the dark, thus helping me to
RAW him into the trap?"
Her eyes lifted TO mine in single |
glance.
Yes" she said quietly, 81 know I
m nervous, strangely so, yet | am not
fraid."
| blew out the light, placed two
hairs back in the denser shadow I'M
erneath the circular staircase and
lade her sit down in the one nearest
he wall. Her hand was cold. tremb-
ng as | touched it. and l whispered
few words of courage into her ear.
ut she made no effort to respond
erhaps we had been sitting thus for
IN minutes. in a stiffness so profound
5 to be painful. when | felt the girls
and steal along the arm of my chair
|
made perhaps, was elo-
uent of her distress of mind. and,
)eying the first impulse, l clasped her
myers within my own. We sat thus
the dark. like two lovers. listening
tently, neither venturing to speak.
Was she right or wrong in her sus-
cion? Had overstrained nerves caus-
her to believe the house haunted?
r had the assassin. dissatisfied with
5 previous work. returned to COM
etc his task? | was not convinced
Their way, yet the fellow must be J
ad to run such risk of discovery !
ill, if he understood the situation,
at the girl had been left alone. his
nture would not be particularly
ngerous: he had no reason to fear :
r or the negroes. Yet if he knew all
is. he must also be aware that Colo :
Donald and Calvert Dunn would ..
on return and that he must act !
ickly in order to escape. A great Z
eek at the rear of the hall doomed :
nine strokes, causing us both to /
rt nervously at the first unexpected )
Ind. counted the strokes to make 3
% of the hour. !
Do you know when the others are 4
Dected back?' asked in low whis- =
: turning my face toward her bare Z
outline. +
No; they were unable to say. but !;
y surely must be here before morn Z
:" :
Perhaps it is cruel of me to insist i
on your remaining here in the dark (.
u could go into one of the rooms l.
h lamp and lie down and rest" -
oh. no." the clasp of her hand -
htening; 81 am far too nervous. IT
fer being here with YOU