The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1920-02-21

4 rrytourd weakness in her knees. He !
entered the monster Gaia and waited ,
/ for hAr. For some moments The -l"|m /
WAS imucue,rut'e 10 her eyes bur aS /.
, their pupils dtlated she began 10 dis +
cover shadows within tie shadow unul |
She -.a> able 'u make out a." entire |
scheme Of interior arrangement Inc
ground tloor. with the exception OF an
open space around the trunk of the
tree. was devoted 10 series OF vast
SIpeuing rooms into which. she gath
cred from q mutterod phrase of Mae
CloSter'S. were hcrdcd nightly all the
girls Of marriacrable axe, accnlnpa
MED b." q few of those cid harridanS
who i'm certain tribes act aS govern
: eS>eS with the qualification that ii i
their duty To inStill all the knowledge
, which the mentors of the young at
civilized peoples are supposed 10 with
hold
Around the trunk of the tree. which
; was twelve feet or more in diameter
a rough spiral stairway had been con
r Strucied to give access To Il platform
4 which was built On and around ne
T. main intersection of wide-preading
. limbs. This platform was incloSed
aud lighted 10y oil lamps. y glance
within told her that it was the abode
q of Manchester himself. the well-nGh
II impregnable center of the spiders web.
II From every side of il extended the
II sturdy limbs of the tree and up each
n If them climbed Il series Of projecting
II cIcJts which served as ladders to reach
II vast system of smaller platforms.
ii built wherever the natural disposition
! Of the branches afforded adequate sup
W port. These lesser rooms were uSed
II rs StorchouSeS for merchandise. pro
| visions and ivory; ard few OF them
near the very top of the tree. were
4 fitted out as guest chambers especially
III adapted 10 the safe-Eceping of doubt
y1 fuI strangers as also for The effective
HI hiding of chattel, human and other
N wise. which for one reason or another
3 Manchester desired To keep out O
N sight.
u Into one of the latter Andrea was
a finally uShpred. breathleSs from he'
! climb. ON its floor was a fresh graS'
mat. a clean blanket. Il clay pot %
drinking water with dlpper made on
q of a coconut shell and Il square boz
"a filed with sand. evidently intended 70
81 the bed of a cOOking-tre. The onl
81 light came from Il cotton wick lald /
e an open vessel filled with oil from tn
"a castor bean.
RI There you are, Sissie," said MAJ
81 Closter, in his new oily voice. ever!
u thing you can possibly need and wheI
Sa ever YOU want to go out, all you haV
to do Is to climb down and 90 throug
NV room. You won't have to do yoI
-" own cooking for day or two; I'll sen
your scoff up"
hit, Andrea's heart sank TO depths IN;
ne; il had never reached before; her lowe
rkS lin trenbIed and drew down at II
arm corners.
the "Now. don't look so glum," said Ma
nth Closter. leering at her. Just remer
him her that YOU couldn't be safer in h
his than you are here!"
He turned and left her with lau'
yer at his own joke. The measured III
ers. HDI Ha l-Ha! Ha Ha - reverberf
lea ed through the interminable mazes
lris the entombed ,ree. More than ever
TO seemed the mOcking laugh of thir
ana voices, chanting in unison. She tire
liu- herself full length. face-down. on I
mas glass mat and covered her ears wi
III her hands. Presently bodily exhal
em- ton came to her aid and she mer
fully slept.
a' Hours later she awoke to q feel
cos that she had been definitely summon
l"c' by her subconscious self TO face an
loI- minent danger. Night had fallen
''"p- its peace had settled on the craal
Oh general. but there was no peace in
var great Gaia. Out of MacCloster's ro
ues arose through the whispering stilln
III n series of monstrOus sounds, IN
uhh' strously agnified-gurgling. rumbu
d" curses. mutterings. the occasion
W crash of a shattered empty Dor
rec. Then came a silence more omiu'
'-ieu than the noises. for 1t was alive,
creeping thing with tentaeles q
ehon seemed to be writing up the limbs
the Tree.
eX- CTo BE CoNTINUED)