Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-02
The Abandoned Room
BY Wadsworth Camp. :


That's the best plan," Paroles
agreed.
But they had scarcely turned the
corner of the house, beyond reach
of the glow, when Paroles rejoined
them. His feet were no longer
careful in the underbrush. He
came up running. For the first
time in their acquaintance Bobby
detected a lessening of mans
suave, International habit.
The light" the Panamanian
gasped. ITS gone! Before l
l could get close it faded out"
Bobby called to the doctor and
ran toward the door at the rear.
1t was unhinged and half open as
it had been when he had awakened
to his painful and inexplicable pre-
dicament. He went through, fumb-
ling in his pocket for matches. The
damp chill of the hall nauseated
him as to had done before. seemed
to place about his throat an in
tangible band that made breath
ing difficult. Before he could get
his match safe out the doctor had
struck wax vesta. Its strong
fame played across the dingy,
streaked walls.
"There's a flashlight, Carlos"
Bobby said, 'in the door flap of
the automobile"
Paroles started across the yard
| with a haste, it seemed to Bobby,
almost eager.
Striking matches as they went,
the doctor and Bobby hurried to
the front of the house. The rooms
appeared undisturbed in their decay
The shutters were closed. The
front door was barred. The brok-
en- walls from which the plaster
hung in shreds leered at them.
Suddenly Bobby turned, grasping
the doctors arm.
Did you hear anything"
The doctor shook his head.
Or feel anything?"
No"
Il thought" Bobby said excited
ly, that there was some one in
the hall. II simply got that i'm
preston, for ! saw nothing myself.
My back was turned"
Paroles strolled silently in.
1T may have been Mr.. Paredes,"
the doctor said
But Bobby was convinced.
Did you see or hear anything
coming through the hall, Carlos?"
NO. Paroles said.
He had brought the light With
its help they explored the tiny
cellar and the upper floor. There
was no sign of recent occupancy.
Everything was as Bobby had
found it on awakening. A vagrant
wind sighed about the place. They
looked at each other with startled
eyes. They filed out with an in
congruous stealth.
Then there are ghosts here,
too" Paroles whispered.
who knows?" Doctor Groom
unused. ut is as puzzling as any
thing that has happended at the
Cedars unless the light we saw was
some phosphorescent effect of de-
caying wood or vegetation"
Then why should it go out all
at once?" Bobby asked. is there
any connection between this light
and what has happened at the &C.
dars?"
"The house at least" Paroles
put in. SIS connected with what
has happened at the Cedars through
your experience here"
At Doctor Groom's suggestion
they sat in the automobile for some
time, watching the house for a rep
etition of the pallid light. After sew
eral minutes, when it failed to come,
Bobby set his gears.
Graham and Katherine will be
worried"
They drove quickly away from
the black, uncommunicative mass
of the abandoned building. The
woods were loplier than before.
They impressed Bobby as guarding
something.
He drove straight to the stable
As they walked into the court they
saw the uncertain candle-light diff
fused from the room of death. In
the hall Bobby responded to a
quick alarm. The Cedars was too
quiet. What had happened since
he and Paroles had left?
katherine! Hartleyr he called.
He heard running steps upstairs.
Katherine leaned over the banister.
Her quiet voice treasured him.
Us the doctor with your"
He nodded. Paroles yawned
and lighted a cigarette. He set
tied himself in an easy chair. Bobby
and Doctor Groom hurried up.
Katherine led them down the old
corridor. Two chairs had been
placed in the broken doorway
Graham sat there. He arose and
greeted the doctor.
Nothing has happened since l
LETT" Bobby asked.
Graham shook his head
katherine and | have watched
every minute"
Doctor Groom walked to the bed
and for long time looked down
at Howells. Once he put out his
hand, quickly withdrawing it.
ITS simply a repetition" he said
at last, and his voice was softer
than its custom 1T may be a
warning, for all we know, that no
one may sleep in this room without
attracting death. Yet why should
that be? | miss this poor fellows
materialistic viewpoint. There's