The Holly chieftain., 1916-01-14

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the windows to the right were
smashed in. sash and all. leaving .
wide opening. ] crept forward. and
endeavored to peer through. but the
darkness within was Opaque. ! was
wet through. chilled to the bone. my
uniform clinging to me like soaked
paper. At least the inside promised
shelter from the storm. a chance for
fire. and possibly fragments of food
And ] had nothing to fear but dark
ness.
My revolver was under the nap of
my cavalry Jacket, dry and ready for
use. l brought 1t forward. within
easy grip. and stepped over the sill.
My feet touched carpet, Uttered with
broken glass. and ! felt about eau.
tiously. My recollection Of the inte-
rior Of the house was vague and indis-
tinct. but knew q wide hallway led
straight through from front door to
back. bisected only by a broad stair.
way leading to the upper story.
groped along the inside wall. found
the door at last. standing wide
open. and emerged into the hall.
The way was clearer here. and there
came into my mind the recollection of
bracket lamp. on the wall at the foot
Of the stairs. My remembrance of the
position Of the lamp was extremely
vague. yet my fingers found it at last.
and lifted 1t from the bracket. The
a In od ri ", hnr
moment, the light revealed my imme-
diate surroundings.
The total desertion of the place was
evident; the destruction which had
been wrought was plainly the work OF
cowardly vandals, who had broken in
after the Harwoods left Convinced
Of this truth. proceeded fearlessly to
explore, seeking merely the warmth OF
fire and food. The library, a large
room, the walls lined with bookcases,
afforded no encouragement. but
stopped in amazement at the door Of
the dining room-the light of my lamp
revealing a table at which someone
had lately eaten. apparently alone.
There was single plate, cup and
saucer, half loaf of bread. with a
slice cut, part of ham bone. with
considerable meat remaining un.
touched, and small china teapot.
For an instant the unexpected sight
of these articles fascinated me, and
then my eyes caught dull glow in
the fireplace at the opposite end of
the room--the red CLEAN of q live
ember.
The shock of this discovery was so
sudden as to give me strange,
haunted feeling. The house had
seemed SO completely deserted, SO
desolate, wrapped in silence and dark
ness. that the very conception that
someone else was hiding there came
upon me like blow. Who could the
person be? Well. would find out.
Thus far the advantage was mine for
l knew Of another presence, while the
fellow, whoever he might prove to be.
In all probability possessed no knowl.
edge of my entrance.
My heart beat fast, but from excite
ment, not fear. With cooked revolver
in one hand. the lamp in the other. I
silently opened door after door. peer
ing into vacant apartments. half
thinking every shadow to be skulk.
ing figure. The search revealed moth.
Ing; not even further evidence Of any
presence In the house. The kitchen
fire was cold, the cooking utensils
clean, and in their proper places.
Satisfied already that the mysteri-
Gus invader had departed, yet sternly
determined now to explore the whole
house. and have done with the busi-
ness, mounted the back stairway.
strip Of rag carpet rendering my steps
silent, and, with head above the land.
ing. flashed my light cautiously along
the upper hall. There were doors on
either side. the most of them open.
but the third to the left was closed.
There was no transom over 1t, but the
door was far enough away from the
radius of my lamp so as to reveal a
faint glow Of light at the floor line. I
set the lamp down on the landing, and
crept noiselessly forward to assure
myself; 1t was true, light was burn
ing within the closed door.
cTo BE CoNTINUED)