Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-09-02

SASD-4O@S
r say, Devsaux, step up and pound on
the door,"
and pound on the door. You've got a
card. you know"
"Que diableF exclaimed the count.
sinking into the background
I'VE might reconnoiter a BIT" SAID
Bazelhurst "Have a look at the rear.
you know"
Around the corner OF the house they
trailed, finally bringing up at the back
steps. The windows were not only
dark, but boarded up. While they
stood there amazed and uncertain. the
rain came down again In torrents.
worse than before II possible. They
scampered for cover. plunging three
abreast beneath the same steps thai
had sheltered Penelope and Shaw such
a short time before.
"ouch! Get OF my foot" roared the
duke.
"Zounds! Who are you punching.
demmel Hullo! What's thisl a door
and open, as l liver The trio enter
ed the cellar door without ceremony
'aThank God. we're out Of the rain at
leastg
II was not until they had explored
the basement and found II utterly
without signs Of human occupancy
that the truth OF the situation began
to dawn upon them. Barminster's
face was white, and his voice shook as
he ventured the horrid speculation:
THE good Lord save us-lt's that
demmed haunted house Pen was talk
ing about"
But ze lightsr queried the count
"GhostsP'
Lets get out Of this place" said
Lord Bazelhurst, moving toward tht
door. Its that beastly RenwooC
house. They say be comes back ant
murders her every night or So"
mon Dieup
Penelope isn't here. Let's move on,
agreed the duke readily. But ever
fear of the supernatural was moi
strong enough to drive them out into
the binding storm. 81 say, look ahead
there's Shaw's place!'
Peering through the door they saw
for the first time the many lights II
Shaw's windows. scarce a quarter oi
mile away. For a long time they
stood and gazed at the distant win
dows Dejectedly they sat down, back
to the wall and waited for the storm
to spend It's fury. Wet. cold and tired
they finally dozed 1t was Lord Ceci
who frst saw the signs Of dawn. Thl
rain storm had come to a mysterious
end. but a heavy fog In fits stead loom
ed up. He aroused bis companions
and with many groans Of anguish thel
prepared to venture forth into thl
white wall beyond.
Just as they were taking a last lool
about the wretched cellar something
happened that would have brought ter
ror to the stoutest heart. A wild. ap
palling shrek came from somewher,
above, the cry Of a mortal soul il
agony.
The next instant three human form
shot through the narrow door and ou
into the fog. hair on end. eyes buging
but sightless; legs travelling like thu
wind and as purDoseless. 1t matteret
not that the way was hidden: it mat
tered less that weeds. brush an,
stumps lurked in ambush for unwarl
feet. They fed into the foggy dan
gers without a thought Of what lag
before them, only Of what stalked be
hind them.
Upstairs Randolph Shaw lay bacl
against the wall and shook with laugh
ter. Penelope's convulsed face wa
glued TO the kitchen window. her eve
peerlng into the fog beyond shadow!
hgures leaped into the white mantle
the crash Of brush came back to be
ears. and then. like the barking Of 1
dog, there arose from the mystic gra!
the fast diminishing cry:
Help! Help. Helpr CROWNS
fainter and sharper, the cry at las
was lost In the phantom desert.
They stood at the window anC
watched the fog lift. gray and forbid
ding. until the trees aud road werl
dlscernlble. Then arm in arm the!
set forth across the wet way towar,
Shaw's cottage.
Poor CecilP' she sighed. 1T wa
cruel Of you" In the roadway thel
found a hat which she at once identl
fed as the counts Farther on Their
was a carriage lamp and later mack
intosh, which had been cast aside Al
an impediment. "0h, It was eruelP
She smiled. however. In retrospection
IF l were only sure that nothinl
serious had hannened to Cecil" shV