El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-01-29
TheHouse In the Wood
CBy Elliott DOnnay)

IF YOU take my advice. sir" the
innkeeper said respectfully. you
will avoid the Wood OF GarVois
after dark"
And why, pray?" Bertram Armand
asked.
Because. sir" the innkeeper re-
sponded. because it bears an evil rep
utation."
Ma foil" Armand cried with some
warmth I can appreciate your in
tended kindness but you do me wrong
1 have been away from home for five
years-five whole years. And 1 an
dying to see my father. He is the only
near relative have-I lost my mother
years ago. Mile tonnerres! And to
think Of my choosing any other than
the shortest route Why, the road to
Nantes across the plain is twice as long
as that through the wood Is it not
SOP
yes. it is longer-much longer
and if you go that way in all prOba-
bility you won't arrive at your faith
ers house till morning; but, monsieur,
il you go by the wood you may never
7 VIII risk il" Bertram laughed.
and If anything happens, I shall re-
member you in my prayers. Au re-
voiri"
Within an hour of his departure the
day, took a sudden turn for the worse,
and the rain descended in torrents
Bertram chucEled grimly. What was
the discomfort OF sodden clothes and
squishing boots compared with those
he had undergone IN African the
Sahara where the sun Was-Hell. and
the insects-the Devil
TT is a mere nothing" he whistled.
Il can dive, I can swim; it viii take
more than cold water to kill me, ana
if it were twenty times as bad would
face it,
He trudged on. and was soon ankle
deep in black mud This was at
o'clock two hours after he had start
ed; at he was at GarvOise- It was
very dark, and the entrance to the
wood looked horribly gloomy and for
bidding.
A silence which he felt came on sud
denly, and was the cloak to feeling
Of universal resentment. Moreover, he
had an uncomfortable suspicion that It
was the prelude to something hostile
to some peculiar antagonistfc demon
strauon- 1t was q silence that was
superphySical rather than physical the
rain battered heavily on the foliage
overhead, and the wind groaned, but
the NOTES.-THE voices Of the Unknown
Presences were Quiet-absolutely quiet
At length the darkness became so in
tense that he could no longer see the
track. However, he continued TO adj
vance, and after plunging through
finally brought to a peremptOry halt
by a long stone wall
He had stopped and was wondering
what on earth he had better do next
for his energy was very nearly spent
when a welcome voice suddenly called
out: Keep along by the wall and
will meet you at the wicket gate"
Bertram ob6yed. The wall sWerTed
sharply around and a few yards be
yOnd, with one hand on the gate and
in the other hand a dark lantern, stood
the slight, muffIed-up figure Of
woman.
In a few words Bertram explained
the sItuation-hoW in the binding rain
and darkness of the forest he had lost
his way and was too exhausted to 80
Il don't mind sleeping anywhere"
he pleaded, so long as I can lie down
where it is dry and rest till morning
A cellar, coach-house or barn-any-
where will do"
4 trust I can offer you something
better than that" the woman respond
ed. Follow me-
along a narrow, winding path, TO a
low rakish looking house. whose black
walls rose before them with star Ting
suddenness. His guide halted key
turned. q door flew open, there was d
rush Of strong. musty air, almost be
fore he had time to realize It Bertrdn
was inside the building
Il must apologize, 1or the absence
of light" the woman said. but under
the circumstances the omission IS IN
avoidable. If we had been expecting
you it would, Of course have been az
ferent"
Bertram tried to see her face, to
make out what she was like, for there
was something about her that sug-
gested to him the possibility o.
looks" and just at that period OF MS
existence he was especially susceptl-
Bile, but he Wts frustrated in his de-
sire by the manner in which she held
the lantern. Nor was he any more
fortunate in the discernment OF ms
surroundings; he could see the ground
at his feet, but no more; all-every-
thing-was shrouded in an impenetra-
bic sable mantle.
There was something in the air-he
could not say exactly Whar-tnaI
struck him as familiar. He presumed
it was a scent-for he had not infre-
quentIy associated certain smells with
certain places-but it seemed to bring