South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-04-15

TO speak when he heard footsteps
in the upper hall His grandfather
glanced inquiringly through the
stair-well. asking:
Who's that up there2"
The sharp tone confessed that
fear of the Cedars was active in the
warped brain.
The district attorney" Bobby an
swered "a detective. probably
Hartley Graham"
What they doing here ,"
He indicated Paroles.
What's this fellow doing here {?
l never liked him"
Katherine answered:
They've all come because I
thought 1 saw you dead. lying i'm the
old room"
we all saw" Bobby cried angrily,
and Paroles nodded.
Blackburn shrank away from
them.
The three men descended the
stairs Half way down they stopped
who is that?" Robinson cried.
Graham's face whitened. He
braced himself against the banister
Next time. Mr.. District Attor-
ney," Paroles said. you'll believe
me when 1 say the court is full of
ghosts. He walked in from the court.
l tell you they found him In the
court"
Silas Blackburn's voice rose, shriD
and angry:
What's the matter with you all
Why do you talk of ghosts and my
being dead? Haven't 1 a right to
come in my own house? You all act
as if you were afraid of me-"
Paroles questions had clearly
added to the uncertainty OF his man
ner. Katherine spoke softly:
I'VE are afraid"
The others came down Robinson
walked close to SiIas Blackburn and
for some time gazed at the gray
face.
yes" he said. you are Silas
Blackburn You came TO my office
in Smithtown the other day and ask
ed for a detective. because you were
afraid of something out here"
There's no question" Graham
cried. "Of course it is Mr.. Black
burn. yet il couldn't be-
What you all talking about?
Why are the police in my house &?
Why do you act like fools and say
was dead ?"
They gathered in a group at some
distance from him They unconsc-
iously ignored this central figure, as
. l. -, Ghost Inhhxr
and Katherine told how they had
found the old man, a black, shadow
against the wall of the wing Par
edes repeated the questions he had
asked and their strange answers.
Afterward Robinson turned to Silas
Blackburn, who waited, trembling
Then you did go to the old room
10 sleep You lay down on the bed,
but you say you didn't stay. You
must tell us why not, and how you
got out, and where you've been dur
ing this prolonged sleep. 1 want
everything that happened from the
moment you entered the old bed
room until you Weakened"
That's simple" Silas Blackburn
mouthed. Il went there along about
10 o'clock. wasn't it. Katy?"
Nearly half past" she said. And
you frightened me-"
He must tell us why he went.
why he was afraid 10 sleep in his
own ROOM" Graham began.
Robinson held up his hand.
lone question at a time, Mr.. Ora
ham. The important thing now Is to
learn what happened in the room.
You're not forgetting Howells. are
you?"
Silas Blackburn glanced at the
floor. He moved his feet restlessly.
He fumbled in his pocket for some
loose tobacco. With shaking fingers
he rehlled his pipe.
Except for Bobby and RATHER
inc" he quavered. you don't know
what that room means TO Black
burns: and they only know by hear
say. because I've seen it was kept
closed. Don't see how I'm going to
tell you"
You needn't hesitate" Robinson
encouraged him. We've all expert
enced something OF the peculiarities
of the Cedars. Your return alone's
enough TO keep US from laughter. 8"
All right" the old man stumbled
on Il was raised on stories of that
room-even before my father shot
himself there. Later on l saw Kath-
crimes father die in the big bed. and
after that ] never cared 10 go near
the place unless / had to- The other
night. when l made up my mind TO
sleep there, 7 tried 10 tell myself all
this talk was tOmmyrot ] tried TO
make myself believe / could sleep
as comfortably in that bed as any
where. SO l went in and locked the
door and raised the window and lay
down"
You're sure YOU locked the
door p" Robinson asked.
Yes. I remember turning the key
in both doors. because I didn't want
anything bothering me from out
side"