Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1912-05-22


Jenkins sighed as he punched out
the light. THANK you, strand good
night" he murmured
How long 1 slept 1 cannot tell. as
they say In stories, you know; but 1
was brought jolly wide awake by
light that shone through the bed
rooms open door. For if there's one
everything else it's light in the room
at night Fact is, always want it as
black as the what's-its-name cave, or
else l can't sleep And this light
came from the small electric stand on
the writing-desk. l could tell that by
the way it shone.
And just then the little silver gong
in there chimed three. jolly rum
hour for anybody to be up unless
they were having some fun or were
sick. So raised my head and called
softly:
Jenkins -er-Billings!"
No answer. Reluctantly | swung
out and stepped within the next
room. Not soul there, by JoVe!
Then 1 moved over to Billings door.
which was wide open for GOODNESS,
like my own. l could not see the
Swallowed alcove in which the bed
was placed, and so l stood there hest
tating, hating awfuIly to risk the pos
sibility of disturbing him, don't you
know. And just then my eyes, rang
ing sleepily across the room toward
the private hall, were startled by the
apparition of an open doorway.
Startled, all right! And yet, by
Jove, | was in such a jolly fog, just
stood there, nodding and batting at it
for a full minute before l could take
it in.
What I call devilish queer" 1 de-
cided. l walked over and stuck my
head out into the dark hall.
Billings! Jenkins!" l whispered.
By Jove, not a word Everything
as silent as the tomb!
didn't like it a bit-so mysterious,
you know. Besides, dash it, the thing
was getting me all walked up! l just
knew if once 1 got excited and thor
oughly awake, it would take me near
Iy ten minutes to get to sleep again.
And, by Jove, just then the excite
ment came, for l got hold Of the fact
after l had stared at 1t a while, that
the door of my apartment opening
into the outer corridor was standing
ajar Why, dash it, it was not only
standing, it was moving. Then sud
denly the broad streak of light from
the corridor widened under the i'm.
pulse of a freshening breeze, and the
door swung open WITH bang.
And then | heard my name spoken.
By Jove. | had been standing there
with my mouth open, bobbing my head
like a silly dodo; but, give you my
word, I was suddenly wide awake as
jolly owl wagon!
Away down the corridor, by the
mail chute man was standing, read
ing framed placard. Nothing partic-
ularly remarkable in this, but as the
door banged he turned his head
sharply and calculated:
Dammit. Now, that will wake
Lightnut!"
was surprised, because l couldn't
recall ever having seen him before;
yet, standing as he did under the light,
[ had opportunity for a devilish good
view
He was a heavy set old party. rather
baldish with snowy mutton chops and
a beefy complexion that was jolly well
tanned below the hatband line, you
know. The kind of old boy you size
I'D as one of the prime feeder sort
and fond of looking on the wine when
it is Oporto red Had something of
the cut of the retired India colonies
one sees about the Service clubs in
London-straight as lamp post still,
but out of training and in devilish
need of tapping-that sort OF duck
you know!
What a respectable-looking old par
ty might be up to, wandering around a
bachelor apartment building at three
in the morning, was none of my bust
ness. What's more, you know,
didn't care a jolly hang. But the
thing that dashed me was that just
as / moved toward the door to close
it, he uttered my name again and
came straight toward me as though to
speak.
So 1 had to wait, by Jove, for I
couldn't close the door in his face.
Awfully rotten thing to do-that, you
know.
Lost his floor and wants to in
quire," I decided
And then as he toddled across the
last yard and stopped before me, |
saw that the old chap was In his night
things-some darkish sort of pajamas.
by George!" he exclaimed with
leer that showed his almost toothless
old gums. Bet you never would guess
what l got up fort"
No, dash it, didn't even care to
try. 1 just coughed little.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
Encore.
srTVhof IN earth dSvoJ1 HEnp rIaDniD.