The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1913-10-05

"No use trying to do anything in this
darkness. Billy. The lamps are
smashed and there are only two
matches left move we follow this
road and see if it will not bring Us ont
10 the highway"
Go ahead" said. and so we left
the scene of disaster. The wood road
was softly Carpeted with dead leaves
and cunningly laced with wild black
berry and cat hrier, for nothing else
could scratch and tear and devastate
as did the vines that hedged our path.
A thick fog rolled in from the SOUND
and chung MOSTLY to us 1t was re
lief. rs 1t seemed to tighten the dark
ness of the starless, moon forsaken
night
plodded along behind Abner Bur
tons bulky form. which moved like a
fat shadow in the fog
For a long time we followed the old
wood road, mostly in silence, but "cCa-
sionaIly AhnerS temper got beyond
control. and he complained bitterly nt
the hard luck that had overtallen Us.
! | made no comment. but considering
that Abuer's reckless driving had been
the cause of our predicnment, Thought
that his remarks We're i'll timed. Sure
" was the innocent victim of the ac
| cident for which Abner's savage frame
Of mind was alone responsible. Sorely
tempted was as | stumbled among
the briers to remind him Of his respon-
| siblity for our disagreeable tramp in
the drilling rain.
So we proceeded on our tramp-it
NAV have been an hour, but 1t seemed
much longer-along the old wood ROAD.
which seemed to grow worse as we pro-
ceeded. Once we got off the track and
wandered for a time in the brush be
| fore we again got on the road. Bad as
| it was. it was our only hope. 10 lose
our way meant most unpleasant
night In the wet and gloomy woods
without fire or shelter. Finally the
road broadened Il little. and soon we
came on a rough turnpike We
| turned into it with the feeling that our
Journey would soon come to All end
! There must surely be some sort Of
shelter not far away a barn q even
q COW shed would ut least afford us
protection from the rain, which had De
| Gun to fall Stnadily Ahncr still march
cd in advance, and we made fair speed
over the rutted and quilted highway.
Suddenly his voice sounded in a tri-
nmphant shout. ~ house Billy, boy,
We're not in it SO bad after all.
Il hope they will put Us on the right
road" | muttered, peering over what
seemed to be an ancient afbor vitae
hedge. Il don't see any house, Alb
ner"
.sWhere there's hedge there's q
house, he grunted. Follow me-
followed. paving along the wet
sickness of the hedge until we turn
ed into a narrow opening and trod on
a graveled path that seemed to wind
sinuously around shadowy clumps of
lockwood and tall shrubs pungent
smelling and dripping with moisture.
All at once. without even a warning
grumble, there came heavy clap OF
thunder and bright fash of lightning
that revealed a large. old fashioned
brick house.
The dimensions of the structure were
lost in the blurring fog, but now we
could see that 1t doomed above us
gloomy and forbidding, with dark OBJ
longs indicating closed shutters. We
were chilled by the silence Of the place,
There was no bark of watchful dog.
stir Of restless cattle or midnight Cos
sip of henroost All was quiet-dead-
ly still.
In the intermittent flare of lightning
we mounted short flight of stone
steps to broad. covered veranda.
Something white was squarely outlined
against the blackness of the door. Alb
ner sacrificed a precious match. and
we peered at it:
i Apply to Jonadab Little,
No. COL Broadway,
New York City.
"Well. Of all the luck!" growled Alb
ner impatiently.
1--WE can't sit out in this drizzling
rain objected. Lets get inside the
house and keep dry anyway"
mot bad idea of yours. | don't
suppose its occupied" be consented
and led the way on an investigation OF
the French windows that opened on
the veranda when they did open for
of course, they We're now securely
locked
We had circled the house twice and
We're debating the prudence of break
ing in when there came startling
shrek from within. 1t was a wild
weird cry that seemed to echo through
untenanted halls and spent itself il
distant murmurings that at last died
away into silence,
I'VE must get inside anyway" de
cidad Abner There is woman il
trouble"
He pulled open a creakiig shutter
put his elbow through a pane of glass