The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-13

1T seems like desertion. base and cow
ardly."
Breton did not join me at dinner that
evening as we had arranged that he
should do. and toward the hour OF ten
o'clock. growing more and more uneasy
on his behalf, I set out for the studio.
half hoping that 1 should meet him.
modern door had been fitted to the
studio; and although this door was ALSO
unfastened, raped loudly, but, re-
ceiving no answer, entered the studio.
1t was empty. The lamp was lighted,
as had observed from below, and
faint aroma OF Turkish tobacco smoke
hung in the air Clearly. Breton had
left. but few moments earlier; and I
judged it probable that he would be
returning very: shortly, for had he set,
out for Shepheards he would not have
left his door unlocked, and in any event
I should have met him on the way.
Therefore, having glanced into the in
ner room, which, latterly, Breton had
been using as a bedroom, 1 sat down
on the duran and prepared to await his
return.
How long I had sat there I cannot
say exactly; possibly for ten minutes
or quarter of. an hour; when, sud
denly a eerie whisper erept through
| the stiffness of the big room!
! Since I had more than once been
temporarily triclzed into belief in the
supernatural, by means of certain, in
genious devices, I did not readily fall a
victim to the mysterious nature Of the
present occurrence. Yet I must con-
| fess that my heart gave a great leap
and I was forced to exert all my will
| to control my nerves. sat quite still,
listening intently for repetition OF
| that evil whisper. Then. in the still
| ness. it came again.
Felix" it breathed, because Of you
I He dead in a grave in the desert. .
1 died for you, Felix. and now I am so
lonely. :"
| The whispering voice offered no clue
| to the age or the sex OF the speaker;
| for a true whisper is toneless. But
the words. as Breton had declared, were
| uttered in broken French and spoken
| with a curious accent.
Resorting to action, I sprang up and
leaped across the room. grasping first
at the curtain draped in the window
on the right of the sarcophagus. I
| jerked it fully aside. The recess was
| empty All three iattices were open,
on the right, left and in the centre
of the window; but craning out from
tho latter, saw the street below to
be vacant from end to end. -
Stepping back into the room, and
metaphoricalIy elutching my courage
| with both hands, approached the
sarcophagus, peered behind it. all
around 1t. and, finally, into the
swatched face of the mummy itself
Nothing rewarded my search. But the
studio of Felix Breton seemed to have
become icily cold; at any rate I found
myself to be shivering; and walking
deliberately, although 1t cost me a
monstreus effort to do SO. descended
| the dark winding stairway into the
courtyard, and, on regaining the street
discovered to my intense annoyance
| that my brow was wet with cold per-
spiration.
| I had taken no more than ten PAGES
in the direction of the Suk es-Sudar
when I heard the sound of approaching
footsteps, and for some reason Q car
only suppose as a result of my highly
strung condition9 stepped into tht
shelter of a narrow gateway, where
could see without being seen. and thers
awaited the appearance of the one who
approached
It was Felix Breton. his face show,
ing ghastly in the moonlight as 4
turned the corner. could not be Ger.
tain if a mere echo had deceived me
but 1 thought I could detect family
the softer footballs Of someone who wa:
following him From my cover I hat
an uninterrupted view of the entrance
to the house which I had just left
! -H 7 olaof
Breton approach the door. At it!
threhold he seemed to hesitate; and II
that brief hesitaney were illustrated th'
the conflicting emotions driving th'
man. / recalled the words he haC
!. spoken to me that morning. 'I mus
go back, Kernaby; it seems like deser
} ton, base and cowardly." He Opened
the door and disappeared.
As he did So a second figure crosse,
| from the shadows on the opposite sid
Of the street-that is. the side upol
! which I was concealed: and in turf
advanced toward the door. AS h
passed my hiding-place I acted With
out an iustant's hesitation 1 huriei
; myself upon him.
How he avoided>that furious attacl
: if he did avoid it-or whether in tn
darkness miscalculated my spring,
do not known to this day; l only knoy
( that I missed my objective. stumbled
l recovered myself and turne'
: with clenched fists to find AbH TGbdl
! confronting me.
= 'Kernaby Pashai" he cried
"Abu Tabahl" said dezedly.
= Il perceive that I am not alone Il
: nay anxiety for the welfare Of NJ. Felt
Breton"
"But why were you following him
: narrowly missed assaulting you"
t Very narrowly" he agreed In hi
gentle manner; s'but you ask me VIII.
: 1 was following NJ. Breton. was fol
4 lowing him because / have seen s
3 many Of those who have crossed tn
path Of the Black DdTtcishes meet witt
7 violent and inexpIicabTe deaths"
"MurdeE?" whispered.
!, -Not murder-suIeide. Therefore. Oh
serving. as I had anticipated. strange
' ness in your friends behavior. 1 hay