South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-03-21


the truth as 20 his own remarkable
presence there last night might not
be so far 10 seek after all. There
was, moreover, something Iawless
about this light escaping from the
place at such an hour. A little while
ago. when Paroles and he had driven
past, the house had been black.
They had remarked its lonely. aban-
dOned appearance. II had led Par
edes to speak of the neighborhood
as the domain OF death. Yet the
strange. pallid quality of the light
itself made him pause by the broken
fence. 1t did come from the lower
part of the front OF the house. yet.
so faint was it, il failed TO outline
the aperture through which il es-
capped. The doctor and Paroles
joined him
When / was here" he said, "all
the shutters were closed. This glow
is too white. too diffused We must
see"
As he started forward Paredes
grasped his arm.
There are too many of us We
would make a noise. Suppose l
creep up and investigate"
There is one way in-at the
back" Bobby told the doctor. Let
us go there. Wen have whoever's
inside trapped. Meantime, Carlos.
if he wishes, viii steal up 10 the
front: he'll find out where the light
comes from. He'll look in if he
can"
That's the best plan" Paroles
agreed.
But they had scarcely turned the
corner Of the house, beyond the
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 the mans
suave, International habit.
The light" the Panamanian
gasped. It's gone! Before l could
get close it faded out"
Bobby called 10 the doctor and
ran toward the door at the rear 1t
was unhinged and half open as it
had been when ne 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 il had done before, seemed 10
place about his throat an intangible
band that made breathing difficult.
Before he could get his match safe
out of his pocket the doctor had
crr flo q
played across the dingy, streaked
walls.
There's a HashlIght, Carlos"
Bobby said. lin the door flap of the
automobile.
Paroles started across the yard
with a haste. il seemed to Bobby,
almost eager.
Striking matches as they went the
doctor and Bobby hurried TO the
front Of the house. The rooms ap-
peared undisturbed in their decay.
The shutters were closed. The front
door was barred The broken 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 excitedly,
that there was some one in the
hall. IL simply got that impress
SION. for | saw nothing myself. My
back was turned"
Paroles strolled silently in.
1T may have been Mr.. Paroles"
the doctor said.
But Bobby wasn't 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 a recent occupancy. Every
thing was as Bobby had found il on
awakening. a vagrant wind sighed
about the place. They looked at each
other with startled eyes. They Aled
out with an incOngruous stealth.
Then there are CHESTS here, tCO!"
Paroles whispered.
Who knows? - DR.. Groom unused.
1T is as pulling rs anything that
has happened al the Cedars unless
the light we saw was some phos-
phorescent effect of decayins wood
or vegetation"
Then why should IL so out all az
once" Bobby asked. Is there any
connection between this light and
what has happened al the cedars?"
The house at least, Faredes put
in, lis connected With what has nap
pened at the Cedars through your
experience hsre."
At DR.. GrOom's suggestion they
sat in the automobile for some time
watching the house for q repetition
of the pallid light. After several min
utes, when il failed 10 come, Bobby
set his gears.
Graham and katherine Will be
worried"
They drove quickly away from the
black, unoommUnicative mass of the
abandoned building. The woods were
lonelier than before. They impressed
Bobby as guarding something.
He drove straight 10 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 20 a quick