The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1913-04-10

QESQQdtlOu that sue, 100, unu pa
her hand on Miss Octavia's door, and
was watching me with interest She
vanished Immediately, but to throw
her on the track | went to my own
room, closed the door noislly and then
came out quickly and ran up to the
third door.
Bassford HOLSTERS mysterious exit
had fingered In my mind as the most
curious incident OF the eventful Friday
night Having been bafiled in my ef-
fort to get hold OF the architects
plans, my thought now was to await
In the upper part OF the house repe-
tition of the various phenomena that
had 80 puzzled me. BY the process of
exclusion | had eliminated nearly ey-
cry plausible theory. but II the ghost
manifested himself with any sort OF
periodicity land the hour OF the CHIN
ney's queer behavior had been mine)
was now prepared to meet him In the
regions be had chosen for bis exploits.
! had a pretty accurate knowledge
by this time OF the position and func-
ton OF all the electric switches be-
tween the lower hall and the fourth
floor, but | tested them as | assembled,
CHANGING down now and then to make
sure | was not observed. From tho
sound OF voices In the library judged
that most OF Cecilia's suitors must now
have arrived, and 80 much the better,
| argued. for, with Miss Octavia and
her niece fully occupied. I could the
better carry on my ghost hunt above
stairs.
At quarter before switched OF
the lights on the third and fourth
floors and established myself at the
head OF the stairway and quite near
the trunk room door. This door had
opened, as / fancied that If Bassford
HOLSTER were nj the bottom OF the
business he would probably wish to
6nd his way to the roof again. So far
as was able to manage IT the stage
was In readiness for the entrance Of
the goblin.
The clock below struck 8, and al |
most upon the last stroke | heard a /
lound that set my nerves tingling. ] |
In the dark. waiting. Some
me was coming toward me. but from
yhere7 The bottom OF we'll at mid.
light was not blacker than the fourth
oor, but the switch lay ready to my
and and my pockets we're stuffed with
matches Of the sort that light any
ghere. The stairways were all carpet
d, as | have said. and yet some one
,as ascending bare treads. lightly and
nth delays that suggested a furtivs
urpose. Meanwhile, as background
Or this unreality. murmurs of talk and
OCCASIONAL laughter rose from the IL
rary.
This concealed stairway, wherever II
as, could not be of intermina BILE
myth, and had counted, think, nf-
zen steps OF that strange ascent when
ceased. heard fumbiing ~ Of
ONE one seeking = latch. and sudden
y a light current OF air swept By me,
ut Its clean fresh quality was not In
self disturbing. | stopped and struck
match smartly on the carpet and at
he same time clicked the switch. !
hould say that not more than ten sec
nds passed from the moment the soft
ush OF air had FIRST advertised the
pening Of passage near me until the
all was flooded with the glow Of the
lectric lamps overheard. My match
nd also performed its ONCE, but, ind
* the electric current behaving itsclf
ormally, l blew 1t out. What l saw
ow interested me immensely.
In the solid wall near the stair and
lmost directly opposite the trunk room
narrow door had swung outward-a
eat continuance, so light in Its con-
tructlon that It still swayed on its
oncealed hinges from the touch of the
and that had released 1t. How 1t had
pened or what had become Of the
rowler who had Unattached II remain
q to be discovered 1t seemed impos-
Ible that whoever or Whatever had
limbed the hidden stairway had de-
cended, nor had been conscious of
ghostly passing as on the previous
light. l had only my senses to apply
D this problem, and their efnciency
'as minimized for a moment by fear.
The opening In the wall engaged my
ttention at once. and l was steadied by
ne thought that here was q practical
latter susceptible Of investigation.
topped within the door and lighted 4
andle, and Just as the wick caught
re click went a switch somewhere and
ut went the hall lamps. But. having,
, to speak, put my foot to the mystic
Gus stair. would not turn back. and
continued on down the steps
Great was my establishment to md
lat had apparently stepped from a
ew into an old house. The stair
'eads were worn by long use. the
Iaster walls that enclosed them were
altered and cracked. and l seemed to
ave plunged from the glory Of Hope
cid into some dim lost passage Of q
Dmicile Of another era that lay within
, beneath the walls Of the Manor. As
slowly descended. holding high my
indie. recalled. not without Qualm,
lie story of the British soldier whom
addition or superstition linked to the
te Of Miss HOLSTERS property.
At the foot of the stair found two
IONS, one on either aide Of small
II |