The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-12-07


smile Of affected friendliness.
II understand that there lis no rec
ord Of our friends address" he said
poor Mhsterman was very retiring |
man. No doubt we shall learn from
his friends In day or two. / will
have an announcement published, and
have arranged for the funeral to be
held from Byam's undertaking estab-
llshment the day after tomorrow at
noon. IS there anything further TO
he donep
II hardly think So" answered Don
aid.
"Then II 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 preferred hand and
felt 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 fianked by neat two
story houses, Each had tiny back
garden surrounded by high wall.
There was about 1t an atmosphere, II
not Of mystery, at any rate OF the re-
| tirement common TO such baclSwaters
in the roaring streams Of city life.
The captains was the last house In
! the street. 1t stood q little farther
back than the rest, and was turned
/ slightly askew, facing them obliquely,
as though II knew itself to be out OF
place and was watching its neighbors
apprehensively over its shoulder.
There was no light behind any OF
the drawn shades. A small dome on
a fiat roof seemed to contain tele-
scope.
Donald climbed fence, walked
round TO the back, and went up the
weed-grown path. The grass had not
been moved since 1t 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 faucled he heard the foot
stems OF 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 1t was hal-
luclnatlon 1t was place OF echoes
md hauntings. And IL 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
up, He traversed the narrow patti
u that led to the back of the house. TC
A his surprise, the kitchen window wal
o open.
v Then 1t occurred to him that Mas
terman had, OF course, gone directl
10 home on his return from his las
d. earthly voyage, He swung hlmsel
he across the window sill and dropped I
the kitchen floor. He lit match an
~ found the gas.
a. The yellow flare disclosed yer
ID ordinary kitchen. Masterman's Goa
hung on nail beside the window, an
n he had been cooking porridge upo
IN the range. Donald went through Int
n d room at the back of the house, whic
M had apparently been built out at
, date subsequent to the completion
VI the structure In Its original form.
III He stopped short at the threshold
N hearing the "swish, swish" of water.
u II was not falling water, but
IN gentle and continuous ripping. It 0
A# Cured TO him that II was, on small'
M scale the sound that seal makes
W the course Of Its ceaseless peregrin
MI tons around its tank.
sW There was palm tree In a hui
AN pot on either side of what looked III
MI nm enormous goldfish bowl. BehtI
III this was second bowl, even large
RA In the middle of the room was a COZ
lnH plIcated apparatus resembling a
AM tort. He saw chandelier close to t
LINK wall.
HIM Donald lit three gas-jets.
#i The light fltekered and sputtered
NH the air rushed out. Then, when
HNl had grown steady, Donald saw II
.# sort Of Photographic lens was
Ut tlEnEA u u pNA ia AANAAh " eaeN ~
ratus, directed toward the great IA
between the palms,
Approaching, he perceived that
to ton OF the tank was covered W
n class. A slender tube Of the sa
material entered the water fr
,on- above, where It was supported vi
nm arm extended from a wall, IN
pro- was a connection between the q
II and another which ran upward II
ling the top of the retort.
5, / Presently Donald caught sight o
Your barometer attached to the front OF
tied mechanism. Now he began to unI
tual stand. The object in the tank, wi
ster- ever Il was. was under pr 'ssure
tier. a number OF atraospheres.
He approached the tank and wal
any round It, peerlng into 1t from eN
phy- side. He saw the ripples on the
the ter, and there was a faint sound Al
wlgf1