Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-05-13

Nothing was to be seen except the
creeping cape. she said. but. OF course.
she could tell there was some awful
thing inside Of IL. II was too large TO
was too large to be Duke. Penrod's lit
tie old dog. and. besides. Duke wouldn't
act like that. II crept rapidly out
into the upper hall. and then. Is she
gan to scream. the animated cape aban-
doned its creeping for quicker gait
"a weird. heavins iop." she defined IT.
The Thing then decided upon a third
style OF iocomotion. evidently. for when
Sam and Penrod reached the front hail,
a few steps in advance OF Mr.. and Mrs.
Schofeld 1t was rolling grandly down
the stairs.
Mr.. Schofieid had only hurried
glimpse of 1t as IL reached the bottom.
close by the front door
Grab that thing" he shouted. dash
ing forward. stop IL: Hit it,
It was at this moment that sam VIII
liams displayed the presence OF mind
which was his most eminent character
istic. Sans wonderful instinct for the
right action almost never failed him In
a crisis and It did not fail him now.
Leaping to the door. at the very in
slant when the rolling cape touched
cape rolled on. With Incredible rs-
pidity and intelligence it rolled. in
deed, out into the night.
Penrod jumped after it, and the next
holding the cape. He shook gu. its
folds. breathing hard. but acquiring
confidence. In fact. he was able to
look up In his fathers face and say.
with bright righteousness:
1T was Just laying there. Do you
know what ] think? Well. 1t couldn't
have acted that way itself. l think
there must have been sumpthing kind
of inside OF it,
Mr.. Schofeld shook his head slowly,
in marveling admiration.
''Brilliant-oh. Brilliant ne MUIR
INJURED. while Mrs. Schodeld ran to sup
port the enfeebled form of Margaret
at the top of the stairs.
4 =
- In the library, after Mar
garet's departure to her dance. Mr. and
Mrs. Schoheld were still discussing the
visitation, Penrod having accompa MED
his homeward bound guest az far as
the front gate.
No: you're wrong" said Mrs. Scho-
field. UNFOLDING theory, earlier de-
veloped by Margaret. that the animated
behavior of the cape could be salts
factorily explained on no other ground
than the supernatural. You see. the
boys saying they couldn't remember
what Mrs. Williams wanted them to
tell Margaret. and that probably she
hadn't told them anything to tell her.
because most likely they'd misunder-
stood something she said-well. of
course. all that does sound mixed-up
and peculiar. but they sound that way
about half the time anyhow. No; IL
couldn't possibly have had a thing to
do with IL. They were right there ut
the table with US all the time, and
they came straight to the table the
minute they entered the house. Before
that. they'd been over at Sans all
afternoon So, it couldn't have been
the boys
Mrs. Schoheld paused to ruminate
with a little air of pride, then added:
Margaret has often thought-oh, long
before this'-that she was a medium.
i mean-ff she would let herself So IL
wasn't anything the boys did"
Mr.. SchOheld Grunted.
I'll admit this much" he said It'll
admit It wasn't anything wen ever get
out Of EN-"
And the remarks Of Sam and Penrod.
taking leave OF zach other. one on each
side OF the g4<e<. appeared to cor
roborate Mr.. Schofeld's opinion.
Well. g'-night, Penrod," sam said.
it?"
Fine said Penrod. casually. &C.
night. Sam"
Copyright. 1917. by the Wheeler Syndicate. Inc.