Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-12-15

from cellar to garret-and yet no one
camel!
Godfrey made a rapid scrutiny of the
room, which was evidently the library,
with a double door opening upon the
grounds and another opposite opening
into the hall. On the wall beside the
inner door, he found an electric but
ton, and he pushed ii for some mo-
ments. but there was no response. 1T
it ang a bell. the bell was so far away
that we could not hear it.
A heavy curtain hung across the
doorway. Godfrey pulled it aside and
peered into the hall beyond. The hall
was dark and silent. With face decid-
eddy grim. he took his torch from n
pocket and his pistol from another.
Come along. Lester" he said. We've
got to look into this. Have your torch
ready-and your pistol. God knows
what further horrors this house CON
tains.
He pulled back the curtain, so that
the hall was lighted to some extent
was q broad one. running right through
the centre of the house from from 10
rear. Godfrey proceeded cautiously
and yet rapidly the whole length of it,
flashing his torch into every room.
They were all luxuriously furnished,
u We're empty of human occupants;
From the kitchen. which closed the hall
at the rear. a flight of stone steps led
down into the basement, and Godfrey
descended these with "a steadiness 1
could not but admire We found our
selves in a square. stone tagged room,
evidently used as a laundry. Two doors
opened out of it. but both were 'se-
cured with heavy padlocks.
Store rooms or wine cellars, per-
haps," Godfrey ventured. mounted the
stairs again to the kitchen. and re-
turned to the room whence we had
started.
Everything thers was as we had left
1T. The dead man sat huddled for
ward in his chair: Swain was still on
his knees beside the coach; the girl
had not stirred. Godfrey went to the
side of the coach, and, ~disregarding
SWANS fierce glance. again placed
his fingers on the girls left temple.
Then he came back to me.
IF she doesn't revive pretty soon,
he said. we'll have to try heroic meas
ures. But there must be somebody in
the house. Let's look upstairs"
He led the way up the broad stairs,
which rose midway of the hall, sending
o long a of light ahead of him. l
followed in no very happy frame of
mind. for l confess that this midnight
exploration of an unknown house. with
a murdered man for it's only occupant,
was getting on my nerves. But God
frey proceeded calmly and systematic
cally.
The han above correspondent to that
below. With two doors on each side,
opening into bedroom suites. The first
WAS probably that of the master of
the house. 1t consisted of bedroom.
bath n dressing room, but there was
no n there. The next was evidently
Miss Vaughan's. 1t also had a bath
and a dalntfly furnished boudoir: but
these, too We're empty.
IlGn, as We ODeOp3 tho Ioor a.,n.,
the hall, q strange odor saluted US
an odor suggestive somehow of the east
which in the first moment, caught
the breath from the throat, and in the
second seemed to muffle and retard
the beating of the heart.
A flash of Godfrey's torch showed
that we were in a little entry. closed at
the farther end by a heavy drapery
Godfrey STROBE forward and swept the
drapery aside. The rush Of perfume
was empowering. and through the
opening came a soft glow OF light
1T vas a moment before I got INV
breath; then a mist seemed to fall from
before my eyes n a strange sense of
oxidation and we'll being stole through
me. saw Godfrey standing motion
less. traTsflXed, with one hand holding
back the drapery. and his torch hang
ing unused in the other. and / crept
forward and peered over. his shoulder
at the ~strangest scene have ever
gaZed upon.
Just in front of US, poised in the all
some three feet from the floor, hung a
sphere of crystal. glowing with a soft
radiance which seemed to wax and
wane. to culver almost to darkness and
then to burn more clearly. 1t was like
a dreamer's pulse. fluttering, pausing,
leaping, in accord with his vision. And
as gazed at the sphere. / fancied /
could see within it strange, elusive
shapes, which changed and merged
n faded from to ONE
and yet always clearer and more sug-
gestive. / bent forward, straining my
eyes to see them better, to fathom their
meaning.
Godfrey, turning to speak to me. saw
my attitude and shook me roughly by
the arm.
Don't do that. Lester" he growled
in my ear. Take your eyes off that
crystal"
not. until Godfrey pulled me around to
face him. l stood blinking at him
stupidity.
Il was nearly gone. myself. before |
realized the danger" he said. "A
sphere like that can hypnotise a man
earth. especially when his resistance is
lessened, as 1t is by this heavy per-
fume.'
1T was rather pleasant" / said. 81
should like to try it some time
Well, you can't try it now. You've
! got something else to do. Besides, it
has two victims already"
Two victims"
Look carefully. but keep your eyes
off the sphere" he said, and swung me
around toward the room again.
The room was shrouded in mpene
and %quivering radiance which the
phere emitted. and as I plunged my