Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-03-25
SINISTER |SLAND|
BY Z
CHARLES WADSWORTH CAMP
Copyright I
Dodd, Mead & Company


They played late. Long after the
cards had ceased to interest them they
went on, cutting, dealing, bidding,
making beginners mistakes.
Tony, on his chair in the Kitchen
doorway, had fallen asleep The fire
had died down. One OF the lamps wa;
out OF oil. Its wick splutlered as the
flame little by little expired.
Miller glanced at his watch After
eleven. He threw down his cards and
,rose.
Molly" he called sharply Keep
your eyes from that door There's no
use going on with this farce of cards.
Reminds me of one stormy night my
nurse filled my infant mind with ban
shoes"
He glippod The back of his chair.
Children I'm ready for whatever
horrors the coGuina house can afford
While Molly arose reluctantly An
derson remained in his chair, staring
at the smoudering logs
"Jim" Molly pleaded. don't heal
anything tonight, Don't let your mind
lie filled with awful things. If only
YOU could come down in the morning
and look us in the eyes and say you
had slept WELL
"Tll do that he answered, 'or II
I'm disturbed I'll disturb back as hard
az | can"
Anderson looked up shaking his
head.
1--WE tried IT, There's nothing we
can dist rb. p "haps tonigh thou Oh
There nj. ats when enc sleeps
peacefui,y"
IF there weren't" Molly blsathed.
i"But YOU can't tell" Anderson went
On. One waits
Doubtless a newcomer won't fail
OF entertainment" Miller said.
sHe walked over and shook Tony,
who sprank to his feet
FStart your fire again" he suggest
I'd, "and draw that sofa over. You'll
be all right here He can keep one of
these good lamps, Molly
a.Jhe nodded
Then Andy, please take the other
and show me TO my room
Anderson obeyed slowly. With lag
ging steps he lea them to the hall. The
hall was cold after the heated dining
room Anderson started up the steps
Molly followed him Miller ~ent last,
curbing strong desire 10 glance Owe
his shoulder. AT the landing he did
look back Tony had come to the door,
where he stood staring after them
nungrly.
THE stairs swung back from the
landing to square hallway out OF
which four doors opened Anderson
walked to the one in the farther rigl'
hand corner. He put his hand on the
knob, waited moment, then pushed
the door open and stepped in. Molly,
srasping his arm, followed him Nil.
Ter entered after her.
AuutlSOf otL lit IulllU VII ~ thu
which stood between the two windows
in the front wall. While he lighted .
seonce of candles there, Miller glanc.
ed around the apartment where he
WAS, tO spend the night in an effort 10
prove to his friends that the supernat
ural Is wholly subjective and chiefly
Ieurasthenic. As he looked, he felt
none TOO confident. The room was huge
and dingy. 1t had an outworn air, the
air OF thing past use, thing dead
and decayed. A massive walnut bed.
stead stood beneath Il canopy oppo
site the bureau There was Il fireplace
set in the wall 10 its right A wash
stand had been placed to its left, and
carved chairs stood on either side at
The head of the bed The wall paper,
ancient and stained broadly, had a
pattern of furnished bronze aro besQues
on a green background Miller fancicd
n gave out an odour, acrid and IN.
healthy. In two or three places it he'd
fallen away from the ceiling moulding
and hung in pallid tatters. The room
chilled him. He turned to the others.
Molly had her hand on her husbands
arm. Anderson, ready to go, had taken
up the lamp. The lamp shook.
AT least" Miller said, "tha summer
Neat can't be blamed for the state of
ones nerves on Captains Island"
He glanced around again.
f"Once this must have been very cont
furtable-for It's period even luxurious.
Evidently Meyer humoured the fair
lady. | assume you've honoured me.
This is the room in which he had Gu.
her throat"
s"l don't know" Anderson sud. "Ttls
il the largest room. II is u little harder
10 sleep here. IT'S where the sitls said