El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-09-04
AN EMPTY OFFICE
By Lawrence Broad.

F you wuz thinkin' of takin an
other orfice. sir, there's this one
\ as would be the very thing" said
the housekeeper, clanking his keys
and reckoning me along the passage.
The office was next to my own and
rather larger, though it was
I difficult to gage the size on account
of its being piled up with lumber. IS
! the housekeeper held the candle up an
/ office Washstand. a backless chair, and
/ 4 roll of oilcloth stood out through
I the gloom of the clustered objects
J Fine winder, fireplace, gas all on -
/ he droned away while 1 looked at the
I place
And the rent?"
Twenty-Five pounds"
why, that's less than I pay for NV
own, and this is larger"
He looked confused.
Did I say twenty-five? I meant
g, an you could ave door made
andy you'd find it.
Wei. I'll bear it in mind; it's not
likely to be taken before next week"
I said good night and forgot all
at that time and lived only for my
work. I was working late each night
A few evenings later on, passing
the office door saw light inside
Hello" I thought, hes let it, then"
and for a moment I felt annoyed at
having let the chance slip. 1 met the
hOuSekeeper on the stairs.
so the office is let" [ said
He is a florid man, but he went
white
oh. no. sir he said hastily, its
not"
"Rut there was light in it"
That's the woman giving it a clean
up; sir" t.. ..,,
electric light went wrong. That sell
dom happens, but it does it when il
least I
estimate 1 was bert on finishing that
hight 1 was peculiarly annoyed. I
stepped into the corridor to see if I
could find the painter. There was
darkness in the passage and in the sur
rounding offices. save in the one next
to mine. 1t was too bright for lamp
or candle.
went up and knocked. but there
was no answer. While 1 was still
hammcring. more from curiosity now
than anything else, the light went out
At the same moment it came back over
the rest of the building.
have said was working furiOusly
al that time. The following night saw
me there at 10 o'clock with every pros
pect of another two houcs' work.
l pictured the dark. empty corri-
doris, the still rooms that lay between
myself and any living soul Particu-
larly 1 could not forget the next office
My eyes felt drawn to a corner Of the
room felt that I must move the lit
tie cabinet that stood there, and find
what?
At last. to prove my own absurdity, 7
went. deliberately towards the cabinet
L moved it and stood rigid With nor.
ror. There, bright and sticky, coming
towards ne, was a stre-m Of blood:
as I looked it came nearer-sp-ead
wider.
I am not ashamed to admit that 7
stood there swaying for a moment or
two and then dropped in q dead faint
When l came round I was lying on
the floor with nv head or the house
keepers knee. The man spoke sooth-
ingly as to a sick child.
There. sir, you're all right now.
Keep still = bit. What l see IS that
you 'adn't oughter ave worked so
ard"
But the blood" I stammered. mem
DRY coming back. in the corner"
There. there. don't you try 10 talk.
You amt rightly got yer senses yet.
Ave drop more"
My mind was gathering itself for
sudden stand. / walked TO the Cup
board and looked behind it No trace
Of blood Yet l knew 1 had seen it
there. The housekeeper was looking
over my shoulder.
Look here" 1 said. 81 saw blood
there as surely as I stand here.
nave seen lights in that empty Office
I have heard voices. You know more
than you care to tell If 7 cant set