The Ordway new era., 1912-04-05

n a VIM ueteCtlSe.
1 AGE4 do listen. Rand"
ySS2@ urged. when you have
Mz2XS heard me out you can
= refuse the case Just az
easily as you can now. I'll take only
minute or two Of your time"
well. get on with 1t. then. But
you know"
II know that you haven't a supersti.
tious cell In your brain. and thought
l hadn't either. but when tell you
that l saw"
Rand smiles In that ironical way OF
his. and hastily began another SEN
tence.
you know" said. that knew. in
a general way who the Danvers were.
because my mother lives within q few
block Of their house. However, they
have not occupied 1t for a long time.
because Mr.. Danvers stayed In Europe
for many years. as most OF his inter
ests were there. There Is a caretaker
who has cottage In the grounds, and
all the servants have been retained.
80 that the place Is beautifully kept
up. Mr.. Danvers died suddenly OF
some trouble which no one understood
and was buried on the other side-in
Italy. believe. The mother and Miss
Danvers, who Is about twenty, and
her brother. who is a year younger.
have just returned to America. with
the intention Of living In the spacious
old house where both OF the children
were born.
''As you know. I went there to call
last night. They were evidently glad
to renew the acquaintance and tried
to make me feel very much ut home.
but soon saw that they were all
dreadfuly nervous. Suddenly there
was a choking kind Of n scream from
the back OF the house. Danvers and I
rushed out, following the sound. He
seemed to know what to expect, for l
heard him mutter: My God-again!-
and he led ME to n small hall back OF
the staircase. meeting. on our way. q
maid who gibbcred out her terror at
us and then ran on.
You can smile. Rand. all you
please. but tell you what I sawlac.
tually cav in that commonplace back
hall-would take that smile OF OF your
face. At first. It Just seemed to me
that there was a very queer arrange.
mcnt OF shadows along the floor and
on the waii-and then l saw that
those shadows moved. and that they
made the figure OF tall. thin man.
couldn't make GU: what the motion
was like. until the shadow seemed
suddenly to intensity: both Danvers
40 - nf hot hnn
were cold with fear. Rand-say what
you like to me. but tell you don't
want TO see that shadow again. cut.
ting its own throat with a long. ugly
looking knife-ugh!"
rs It always in the same placer"
"Yes."
"How is the hall lighted?"
with a single gas JET
"was the gas lit when you saw the
shadow
"Yes. but II was turned low"
"Wherc does tho shadow appear-l
mean where. in relation to tho posi-.
ton OF tho gas jet?"
Beyond It as you look in from the
front entrancc-down the hallway"
Does It ever appear when the gas
u not lit?"
'N.no, I think not"
"How many servants have the Dan.
vers?"
Five or six. I think"
BESIDES the caretaker?"
"Yes."
Seven or eight, in all. Quite a
rctinue for a small family. Did you
say all the servants were retained dur.
ing the years that tho family were in
Europe?"
"Yes. they werc."
"whnt was tho nationality OF Dan
vers!"
English or American, suppose
you suppose. eh! Where did you
say he died!"
"He is buried In Italy, but I don't
know whcro he died"
Miss Danvers is n dark. tropical
sort OF looking girl. isn't she7"
"why-yes: but how"
ITS tho sort you always admire.
isn't IT."
"Yes. must say am rather par.
tial to dark hair. being such a sandy.
haired Scotchy myself"
The boy Is dark. too?"
mo. he has light hair and pale blue
eyes. like his mother. but his skin is
swarthy Is wakes an odd combina.
ton