Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-31
SHELTER FOR THE NIGHT.

Heard but dimly through the steady
peat OF rain the city's clock rang out
Some dismal hour Electric liphts
o!inked drearily along tho wet walks
OF deserted streets. The jolt OF cars.
the rafting OF wagons and the hurry
ol Gro"ds were long ago silent and
vanished. Hands In pockets. coat COL
lar turned up. Tom Alley walked on
biindly with but one determination.
ana mat TO keep going. or his des-
tination ne had not the slightest con-
cept!on, nor cared Block after block
ne EaVersed while the rain. driven
fTant'cnliy before the wind. whipped
saVagely at his face. Heartily no
wished himself back home on the farm.
ne realized fully now the folly OF his
dreams and the absurdity of his ambI
tions. But 1t was too late. The gods
OF Fate opposed him and he need must
bend before their will
What distance he went, BODY thrown
forward. cold and miserable Tom could
not have told, but finally he paused 4
sense OF tho weird lay hidden III the at
mosphere. he thought. striving to
pierce the obscurity. particularly sur
rounding the cdhce before which he
stood Old. decaying. with an aged APP
pearance OF antiquity /, wore an i'm
preston strangely forbiddIns Many
were the tales OF this house, reputed to
be haunted by the ghost Of Belvou
Fronsay. the miser and deceased tenant
guarding the chambers OF his treasure
The stairs must have proven terrible
for long ago all search had been aban-
doned. and now the old structure stood
forgotten and silent.
roll OF thunder and flashing Of
lightning reminded him OF his pre-
dicament. lie was In need of sleep and
protection from the storm Why
shouldn't he enter? Finally, with a
shrug of his shoulders. half ashamed
OF his fears Tom stepped to the porch
and pushed back the door. II groaned
and hung creaking from its hinges
apparently he was the first TO enter
FOR many years. and In truth he was
The darkness was dense 70 Tom
when he first stumbled into the corri-
dor. but his eyes gradually became ac-
customed TO II and he was able to per-
c":re the wasted condition Of the
rooms. The paper torn in strings hung
from walls indented with crevces and
broken in numerous places Upon In
vestigation he found the remaining
chambers to be in more deplorable con-
dition. The upstairs might be better
he reasoned. Accordingly he mounted
the stairs. The cold baniste- felt thin
and icy beneath his touch and every
step reverberated through the house
Of the winding flight he paused with a
feeling OF reluctance. Believe IN ghosts
he did not. therefore. why be fright
cned AT such things?
Again he shook off his nneasiness
entering hopefully into The nearest
apartment. All the rooms here proved
far worse, than he had anticipated. but
upon examining the last he uttered
cry Of satisfaction. Though far from
acceptable it was, nevertheless much
better than anyone such as himself
might ever dream of discovering
One look without" reflected Tom.
land TIL prepare for he'd" 1t still
rained. The distant thunder rumbled
threateningly. lie leaned gu: Of the
broke forth. a binding burst OF light
ming Illuminated the sky, ana a dash
Of rain spiashed into his face sharply.
Dripping he staggered backward, ter
rilied at the inexplicable attack. his
hands cropping for support. Uncon-
sciously he experienced something give
and slowly. as his senses cleared. dis
tinguished a small, thick door shat had
swung from within the wall. Cau-
tiously he approached and crawled
through. After drop Of few feet
he found himself In a musty. board
walled little room. freely distributed
with cobwehs. A three-leEEed stool
stood hard by deep. .dark-colored
wooden he'd covered with a blanket OF
red patches. He had discovered the
hidden chamber Of Bclvou Fronsay!
Too weary to care, Tom tucked him
self under the warm covering and was
asleep imme diately. He dreamed of the
storms violence. but the delusion
trailed off abruptly. or a sudden he
was awakened.
CTo be Continued)
(Original)
BY ALVIN HATTORF.