The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1920-11-18
Illustrated Big lr,winNy
xul-continued.

H.
He was turning out the lights, but
he was reversing the reasonable pro-
cess. He went down the hall to the
light at the stairway leading to his
room and turned 1t out. Then he
came back. past the recess in which l
stood, turning out lights as he went.
h last light he extinguished was
the one ut the foot of Mr.. Sidney's
stairs.
Now the hall was in complete dark
ness and IA quiet. Jed, like myself,
I guessed, was in liding-but for what
reason?
Then I heard the faintest stirring
near by. 1t came nearer. I tried to
keep from breathing audibly. l could
hear another PERSONS breathing. 1t
wa Jed, beyond doubt. He came into
the recess where I stood. 1t vas
only five or six feet deep but fully
twenty feet long. He "a ut n end,
as nearly as l could judge. I vas Mt
the other.
The situation. a product Of supercau-
tfoa, had grown ridiculous and also n
bit CHASTITY. Here were Jed and l,
standing in utter darkness In n small
recess in the hall, he not knowing Of
my presence, l not knowing his pur-
pose.
l decided to make my escape. l had.
as usual, my electric flash in my
pocket. If he heard me and challenged
me, I could throw the light on him.
challenge him, and say that l was
on my way to the telephone to con-
suit Doctor Brownell, and make him
explain. His position was the awk-
ward one. had an idea that even
If he heard me he would not challenge.
l made my escape without noise
or If l made any Jed did not inquire;
and I found the Office door in the dark.
l intended merely to use the flash, find
the telephone and do my GRAND in
the dark. But l had just flashed the
light once about the room when l
heard a person at the door. This was
not a stealthy person; the hand that
touched the dOorknoh was resolute. By
this time nothing rational seemed real
sonable. The house of mystery had
sc asserted itself that one, hear
ing a.noise, hid: Before me, revealed
in the single flash of light, was a
tall clock-and I was aattened against
the wal. the farther side of that great
clock before the person Mt the door
was in the room.
The person carried a candle-nnd II
was Mr. Sidney. He was completely
dressed and wore an overcoat and 81
cap which came down over his ears
His hands we're gloved and he was
well protected against more sever
weather than that of this crisp Octo.
Der night.
Ills candle lighted the large room
but dimly, and I felt secure. seeing i'm.
mediately that he had a definite OBJ
. ject. He went to the corner of the
room, took up a heavy cane which
had often seen standing there, and
with 1t in his hand vent toward the
door as If his business in the room
were wholly done.
AS he did so, I saw his face plainl!
in the candle light. 1t was who'll!
lIuIleCu ~ lluISdtCu 1SlOCllfs IlSltC
malevolence, a bitter sense Of injury
a terrible face, hardly recognizable a.
that Of the gentle, courteous, jovia'
Mr.. Sidney. He closed the door ant
was gone.
When Mr.. Sidney had been gone !,
moment, 1 heard him open the from
door and heard him close 1t after him
o1@,,1I hove fo11or,o1 hfp, IN th<
front door, but Jed was somewhere Ii
the hall. l waited at the half-oper
door of the Office. Presently I coult
hear Jed coming down the hall, care
lessly now. He also went to the from
door, and I heard it opened and CLOSED
again.
I went to a window of the Office
which gave a view of the lawn.
could see one figure slowly crossing
the open space toward the path lead
ing down to the river. Jed wa,
standing Just outside the shadow o.
che house.
The farther figure-Mr. Sidney, a.
knew-passed into the dense black
of the thickets by the path. Ther
Jed stepped forth and went quickl,
across the open. l went to the front
entrance and stood ON the porch.
The hunters moon was at full, ant
the place was luminous in a soft, misty
yellow light.
had tremors, frankly-felt the pres
cnce of tangible dangers, unseen, ant
of intangible lerrors. l felt sucf
oppression. doubt, distress and dismay
In my life. My patient was on
strange errand far beyond any
strength I ever anew him to have ant