The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-07-27

1t was a blank piece of paper
among BENEFITS effects" / returned
as mystified as he.
Kennedy said nothing, but thrust
the paper back again into the flame
Slowly the heat of the burner seemed
to bring out the complete drawing Of
the fireplace.
We looked at it, even more mysti
fed. What is 1t. do you suppose?' !
queried.
Il think" he replied slowly, that II
was drawn with sympathetic ink. The
heat of the burner brought 1t out into
sight"
What about it?
Elaine had gone to bed that night
at Aunt Tabby's in the room which
her old nurse had fixed up especially
for her.
Downstairs, in the living room,
Rusty also was asleep, his nose be
tween his paws.
The living room was In keeping
with everything at Aunt Tabby's,
plain, neat, homelike. On one side
was a large fireplace that gave to it
an air of hospitality.
Suddenly Rusty woke up, his ears
pointed at this fireplace. He stood a
moment listening, then, with a bark
of alarm he sped swiftly from the
living room up the stairs at bound
until he came to Elaine's room
Elaine felt his cold nose at her
hand and stirred, then awoke.
What is 1t, Rusty?" she asked,
mindful of the former days when
Rusty gave warning of the Clutching
Hand and his emissaries
Rusty wagged his tail. Something
was wrong.
Elaine followed him down to the liv-
ing room. She went over and lighted
the electric lamp on the table, then
turned to Rusty.
well, Rusty?" she repeated, almost
as If he was human.
She had no need to repeat the ques-
ton. Rusty was looking straight at
the fireplace.
Elaine listened. Sure enough, she
heard strange noises. Was that Aunt
Tabby's Haunt" Whatever it was,
It sounded as If it came up from the
very depths of the earth.
She continued to listen in wonder,
I then ran to Aunt Tabby's bedroom
door, on the first floor. and knocked
Aunt Tabby woke up and shook
Joshua.
Aunt Tabby! Aunt Tabby!" called
Elaine.
Yes. my dear" answered the old
nurse, now fully awake and straight
ening her cap. "Joshuai"
Together the old couple came out
into the living room, still in their
nightclothes, Joshua yawning sleep
lily.
Around and around the room they
walked, still trying to locate the
strange sounds.
Finally Joshua went to table
drawer and opened 1t. He took out a
huge, murderouslooking revolver.
Here, Miss Elaine he urged press
ing It on her, take this--keep II
near youi"
The noises ceased at length, as
strangely as they had begun.
Half an hour later they had all gone
back to bed and were asleep. But
Elaine's sleep now was fitful, a con
slant procession OF faces fitting be
fore her closed eyes.
Suddenly she woke with a start and
stared into the semi-darkness. Was
that face real, or dream face? Was
1t the hideous helmeted face that had
dragged her down into the sewer
once? That man was dead. Who was
this?
She gazed at the bedroom window
holding the huge revolver tightly
There, vague in the night light, ap.
peared figure. Surely that was nc
dream face of the oxygen helmet Be
sides, it was not the same helmet.
She sat bold upright and fired point.
blank at the window. shivering the
glass. A second later she had leaped
from the bed. switched on the lights
and was running to the sill.
Downstairs Aunt Tabby and Uncle
Joshua had heard the shot. Joshua
was now wide awake.
"Wh-what was it?" he asked, puff.
ing at the exertion of running up
| stairs.
Il saw-a face-at the window
with some kind of thing over itl'
gasped Elaine. 1T was like one saw
once before"
Uncle Joshua did not wait to hear
any more. He ran out of the room
and into the garden beneath Elaine's
window.
He looked about for signs of an in.
truder. There was not sound.
He happened to look down at the
ground. Before him was small box.
He picked it up. Here's something,
though" he said
Joshua went back to the house.
What's in it?' asked Elaine as he
rejoined the woman.
She took the curious little box and
I unfastened the cover. AS she opened
it she drew back. There in the box
was little ivory figure of a man,
all hunched up and shrunken, a hid
eous figure.
|
1t was the afternoon following the
day of our strange discovery of the
fireplace done in sympathetic ink on
the apparently blank sheet of paper
in Benefits effects, when the speak
ing tube sounded and l answered it.
"Why-it's Elaine" / exclaimed.
Kennedy's face showed the keenes
pleasure at the unexpected visit
Tell her to come right up" he saiC
) quickly.
l opened the door for her.
''Why-Elaine-Pm awfully glad t
see you," he greeted, but ! though
you were rusticating."
Il was, but, Craig. it seems to MI
that wherever l go something hap
pens" she returned. You know, Aun
Tabby said there we're haunts.
thought 1t was an old woman's fea
but last night heard the stranges
noises out there, and thought saw
a face at the window-a face in hel
met And when Joshua went out, thi
is what he found on the ground unde
my window"
She handed Kennedy a box, pc
culiar affair which she touched ginger
ly, and only with signs of the creates
aversion.
| Kennedy opened it. There In tn
bottom of the box was a curious Iii