Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-07-01
BOOK II.
CHAPTER lx.-cor.Inusd

NfIsAF ! en- tNs-GobftnIeus
'Humphl Shouldn't think Flint
would have been that careless" was
his immediate conclusion. II did not
occur TO him that somebody already
might be within. but contented himself
with the belief that the detective had
neglected to make fast the door after
his visit Sunday afternoon.
Settling the incident thus to his own
satisfaction, he entered and closed the
door behind him.
He glimpsed into the kitchen. and
promptly withdrew with shudder. on
on one side huge range stood, red
with rust, and everywhere were cob
webs and layer upon layer OF dirt A
sleek rat darted Into the denser shad-
ovs, and the opening door disturbed
hundreds Of enormous cockroaches.
Some scuttled away. but others re-
mained motioniess and watched him
with malignant eyes that sparkled
weirdly in the haIf-light
He shook OF his feeling and ad.
vanced toward the stairs. which
doomed dImly before him. But thence
forward he moved with utmost circum.
spection, pausing frequently at some
imagined sound. or to determine the
nature OF some shape Unexpectedly
confronting him In darker corner.
And scarcely had he arrived at the
first ioor than his strained attentive
ness was rewarded by a sound that
was unmistakable--on that brought
him up short-a sound OF human
voices. A distinctly unpleasant ting.
ling sensation played over his scalp
and at the back Of his neck. The tenn
porary alarm, however, instantly van
ished. and instead he was filled with
wonder and curiosity at this unlocked.
for exploration.
Who could have chosen a spot so
desolate and God.forsaken In which 10
carry on a conversation?
He recalled the Unmatched door:
Inanifestly whoever was inside with
him had entered by means OF key,
precisely as he had been equipped to
do. and had neglected TO fasten the
door after them, At any rate, the mat.
tel was worth investigating; then, II
he saw that be was an intruder. he
would quietly withdraw.
When they nrst startled him the
voices were so low that he was unable
20 determine anything about them
how many were talking. or in what
portion of the house the speakers
were. Then OF sudden he received
a fresh shock of surprise. One OF tn,
voices rose In a note OF anger.
1t was a woman's--nay girls.
And now he was able TO locate tn,
source OF the sounds. They came from
somewhere In the second story and TO
ward the rear of the house. With In
finite caution. he crept up the from
stairway to the upper hall.
The voices sounded necessarily, frs
a mans, hoarse and rumbling, theE
the girls, then sometimes both TO
gether, Van vechten paused at a real
iEation that the two were Quarrelinl
and that the girls voice was Quiverin,
with intense Indignation.
He advanced more rapidly, aud pres
emily came TO halt before close,
Ncpfs On buS AaIAust sue OF WHICH Nh
two disputants without doubt were en-
gagged And then perforce he becam
an eavesdropper.
go. go. gol" cried the feminin
voice. ehrill with evaporation an,
anger \ tell you. will not stan
this annoyance Whatever in tn
world possessed you 10 follow ms
can't imagine Go--get out OF m
sight. don't want to hear word yor
have TO sayl"
At the next words Van vechte
started so violently that. had the Ut
seen couple been less absorbed 1