The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1912-07-04

works
! He advanced with me rpluctan tly
enough. had nor as vet attained fun
control over my own nerves. the recol-
lection Of thar CHASTITY face haunting
fle strangely. Yet compelled myself
20 advance. convinced the vision had
been no Illusion. but an earthly reality
| to be met with boldness. Here was
/ the spot sought here the revealment
| Of the mystery. here the point Of Mt
tack Apparently the entire lower half
OF the manteI lad revoIved as il on o
central pivot, and fell carefully for
the slightest crevice indicating the
| place of separation. To sight and
| touch there was none. not even after
] lad called O'Brien to bring the lamp
aad we had together gone over the en-
tire surface inch by inch. Apparently
the mantel was as solid and immov-
able as the closely fitted stones of the
chimney. 1 stepped back. staring IN
bewilderment. beginning to doubt the
evidence Of my own sight. O'Brien
still held the lamp in unsteady hands.
II toulG ye. sor." be burst out wildly,
"that was no human Twas the diyirs
own face that saw. an niyer a doubt
of it,
Whatever the cause or purpose.
whatever OF hellish suffering lay be
hind. that dreadful apparition pictured
the very spirit of UNDERGRADUATES In
the dark.
Two murders have been committed
in this house within forty eight hours,
O'Brien. Tou and | both saw that
mantel move until II revealed an open
Ing. Ii was done by human hands.
and the face which glared out at us
was human face IL was deyilish
enough. | admit. but with flesh and
blood behind it. Now shake yourself
together and stand by. for | am going
to find way in. aud you are going
along with me-"
He did not appear very promising
subject. and half expected to see him
break for the stairs.
Come on. lad" ! insisted. "Place
the lamp on the chair. so you can keep
the gun In your hands while feel over
every inch OF this contriyance. There
is a spring lock here somewhere"
heard him cock the carbine. the
sharp click plainly audible in the 81
lence, and was pleased TO note the thin
line of his compressed lips.
Are We sure il was human. snr?" he
said. wiping the perspiration from his
forehead with one hand
They were insane eyes. that was all.
O'Brien. Now stand steady"
The mantel fitted back into the chin
ney so perfectly | found no spot where
even the thin blade Of my knife could
find entrance: the stones were solidly
mortared. and the iron fire screen was
bolted down securely in place. A brass
rail extended out foot or so and ran
across the front. and two iron and
irons were let in through a slight cut
ting of the screen. moved one Of
these. finding it loose. aud then placed
my hand upon the other simply be-
cause / knew not what else to do
To my surprise it was immOvable.
seemingly as solid IA the stones be
meath endeavOred to pull it forth
but without result
Here's a queer thing. O'Brien."
exclaimed: that other andiron is loose
but this one is fastened soIidiy."
He leaned over and stared at it, his
gun ready under one arm.
"Thry puIlin' up on it. sor." he sug
gested. Maybe it's just caught on
something"
| got up from my knees and bent
down. both hands gripping the iron.
As | Strengthened my arms withou'
the slightest resistance or noise the
bar uplifted u bare inch and then
caught again with a dull metallic
click. There was a low whir as of
some hidden machinery. and | stepped
back. gripping the revolver at my
belt. uncertain whether my pull had
operated the strange cOntrivance or
whether some happening was respon-
sible. Slowly. utterly silent but for
that soft whirring. the mantel swung
as on a central pivot halfway round
and then stopped with click, leaving
before us a black opening large enough
to admit easily the passage Of mans
body and about four feet high. |
seemed TO see this and O'Brien's face
az the same instant His limbs shook
under him.
"Uncock your carbine." | ordered
There is nothing there to shoot at !
See." and | caught up the lamp and !
held it where the light s;reamed |
through the opening. 1t was simply |
the interior of a huge chimney built /
of stones. carefully mortared and so |
clean as TO be proof positive no smoke |
had ever passed that way. The open /
ing downward was square. three feet /
across | judged. but as ! held the |
lamp lower the passage appeared TO /
widen out considerably below the floor
level. and l caught glimpse of ladder /
with wide steps tilted 10 such an an
gle as to make climbing scarcely more /
difficult than would a pair of stairs 4
In a niche of the wall on a wooden 4
shelf was lantern and metallic I
box of matches. | handed OBrien the
lamp, bidding him place it on the
chair. and then stepped inside the
opening upon the narrow stone rim