Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1917-11-14

L understand that there is no rec
ora OF our friends address," he said
Poor Masterman was a very retiring
man. No doubt we shall learn from
ms friends in a day or two. 1 will
nave an announcement published, and
nave arranged for the funeral to be
held from Byam's undertaking estab-
llShment the day after tomorrow at
noon. Is there anything further to
be done?'
Il hardly think So" answered Dom
aid.
Then if you can look in here to-
morrow at eleven, we may talk mat
tiers over. And now permit me to wish
you good evening"" said the profess
sor cordially.
Donald took the proffered hand and
felt a sense of disgust at the touch
of the limp fingers. He strobe out of
the club and took a taxicab to the
station.
The Baltimore train was just about
to leave. Late that night Lieutenant
Paget found the captains house. 1t
proved to be in a little old-fashioned
thoroughfare flanked by neat two
story houses. Each had a tiny back
garden surrounded by a high wall.
There was about 1t an atmosphere, if
not of mystery, at any rate of the re-
tirement common to such backwaters
in the roaring streams of city life.
The captains was the last house in
the street. 1t stood a little farther
back than the rest, and was turned
slightly askew, facing them obliquely,
as though it knew itself to be out Of
place and was watching it's neighbors
apprehensively over it's shoulder.
There was no light behind any Of
the drawn shades. A small dome on
fiat roof seemed to contain a tele-
scope.
Donald climbed a fence, walked
round to the back, and went up the
weed-grown path. The grass had not
been moved since it sprouted in
spring; the garden was unkempt and
ragged. Donald felt sure that there
was nobody within.
AS he trod the flags, of the garden
walk, he fancied he heard the foot
steps of a man in the street, following
him. He stopped and listened, but
now no sound was to be heard. He
peered back into the darkness, but
saw nobody. Doubtless it was hal
lucination; it was place of echoes
and hauntings. And it seemed singu-
larly appropriate for old Masterman
to have had his lonely residence here,
matching his lonely life.
AS Donald had anticipated, the front
door was locked, and the window Of
the living room was apparently nailed
I'D. He traversed the narrow path
that led to the back of the house. To
his surprise, the kitchen window was
open.
Then 1t occurred to him that Mas
terman had, of course, gone directly
home on bis return from his last
earthly voyage. He swung himself
across the window sill and dropped to
the kitchen floor. He lit match and
found the gas.
The yellow flare disclosed a very
ordinary kitchen. Masterman's coat
hung on a nail beside the window, and
he had been cooking porridge upon
the range. Donald went through into
room at the back of the house, which
had apparently been built out at
date subsequent to the completion OF
the structure in it's original form.
He stopped short at the threshold,
hearing the "swish, swish" of water.
It was not falling water, but q
gentle and continuous ripping. 1t oc-
Cured to him that it was, on smaller
scale. the sound that a seal makes IN
the course of its ceaseless peregrina-
tons around its tank.
There was palm tree in a huge
not on either side of what looked ike
| an enormous goldfish bowl. Behlno
This was a second bowl, even larger.
| In the middle of the room was COM
plicated apparatus resembling a re-
tort He saw a chandelier close to the
wall.
Donald lit three gas-jets.
The light fiickered and sputtered as
the air rushed out. Then, when 1t
had grown steady, Donald saw that
sort of Photographic lens was at
ia ched to a box in front of the appa-
| ratus. directed toward the great tank
between the palms.
Approaching, he perceived that the
ron of the tank was covered with
glass. A slender tube of the same
material entered the water from
above, where it was supported upon
an arm extended from wall. Inere
was a connection between the TUBE
| and another which ran upward from
tho ton of the retort.
Presently Donald caught sight OF q
barometer attached TO the front OF the
mechanism. Now he began to under
stand. The object in the tank, what.
ever it was, was under a pressure OF
a number of atmospheres.
He approached the tank ana walked
round it. peering into it from every
side. He saw the ripples on the wa.
fer and there was faint sound as OF
An brushed against the glass. But
| In, nature III