The Washington times., 1912-05-15
THE TIMES DAILY SERIAL STORY
Behind the Curtain"
CHARLES STEPHENS
Copyright, The Frank A. Munsey 90. }
All Rights Reserved.

OF somebody by letting a rope slip or
something. Only Mr.. Bellair was talk
Ing as II he had done 1t, and he was
reproaching himself: but his voice was
so like Mr.. Ford's that II I hadn't had
the two of them before my eyes--I don't
know. sir. can't put II In words.
Yes, sir, hear you. I'll take my
time. I'm quite cool.
! don't mind telling you that I was
frightened and amazed. II was so un-
canny. But 1t didn't last long. There
was sudden silence and heard the
Dig cat puritng. l was looking at the
master just then; and, in spite of the
blood. | suddenly saw the. queer look
Of Mr.. Ford go out Of his face, and he
became more like his own likeness. But
at the same time his mouth opened and
MS , eyes got CLASSY, and all at once he
fell on the floor Yes, sir. am
many dead people in my time, and
know. The steel telephone thing was
on the floor.
1t was as still as the grave in that
that the purring sound had stopped.
Mr.. Ford was sitting In the chair-or,
rather, he was all crumpled up and
sniveling. Yes. sir-snivelings the only
too, for the first time. that he had a
big pistol In his hand.
What aid 7 do7 can hardly tell you.
! WAS SO frightened that ] stood there,
Whem on 70 ,he reaxe tSSt srSer
had heen done. and that the murderer
was sitting there before me. I wanted to
run ont and call the. police. But some
never gave that n thought. somehow. II
was kind Of fascination to see what
was going to happen next.
peS ths e ts Shs on M III! Fad sas sat SD ssa nRs
Of the big pistol in his hand, he looked
such q poor, .forlorn thing that I could
almost have helped him. He looked at
mo and gigIlod. Then he began snivel-
Here You stop thatr' p'
At that, he looked kind Of cunning. and
laughed again. couldn't make out
thing about beating him yet "He thinks
not such fool" Then he began gig
SnF SWrr IKE Sm an Sb snd fseS se S,to
I didn't 90 too near Elm. though. for
saw that his mind was weakened.
He's invented somethins,"' said he
ssa sHaofhsS hes nnd % /. and rix xii Il nf Fhsp 4
can't hurt us any more. Just you walt"
said he. as soft and gentle as a baby.
a. At that he went and peeped IN through
aside and went through. The light shone
into the curtained part, and could see
IN. too. There was big case mounted
& on a table; There were l:ttle poles
nearer, and had good look at the
thing. OF eourse. I can't tell you what
it was, The top ot IT was thick glass;
wires and rows upon % rows Of the wax
things YOU put in .phonograph. While
I was looking at It, Mr.. Ford tapped
me on the shoulder with his pistol. /
stood perfectly still and tried to keep
That's what 1t is" said he, point
ing at the glass case. I'll beat him
yet You stay here and watch. I'm
about me. know. It's the third from
the left-on the top row. I saw him
press the button. You stay and watch.
and tell me If you see 1t 60"
was too terrified to do anything else.
Presently I heard him fiddling with
the switchboard. All at once I saw
chine thing. and one of the wax rolls
began to spin around. with the pur-
ring noise I had thought was cat.
At the same time Mr.. Ford brushed
gtggle when he saw that the machine
was going.
But he had hardly come in before
he turned around sharp and said:
whats thatT
] thought heard something. too
like somebody moving on the other
side of the hanEings. But my nerves
were In such a state that jumped at
I looked out and
Mr.. Bellair had got up off the floor
You see the thing was on his head and
don't know how 1t came
piano piano -! and began a an to @'Ta play. a. Yes S
sir. the very tune the fat man played
that Sunday night.
I couldn't-I can't stand 1t, sir. I
ran out, for Mr.. Ford was screaming
at the top OF his voice. And as ran
out of the front door I heard the mu-
sic stop with a loud discord and some
body yelling and a noise of smashing
When ! came back with the police.
the Thing was all broken up. and
Mr.. Ford was snivelinR and giRglinR.
and. II you'll excuse me, sir, IL
yes, sir. Thank you. sir.
A Continuation Of This Story VIII
Be Found In Tomorrow