The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1920-07-17

from my desk, we can permit our
nephew to depart"
My great-aunt left the room to DO
his mission. The minute she was
safely out of hearing old Rufus whole
manner underwent a startling change.
Into his deep-set gray eyes came a
look of terror. His face became ashen,
and the withered hand with which he
clutched my arm was trembling viO-
lently.
Listen, boy" he Kissed, leaning for
ward that he might speak into my ear
and looking about apprehensively as if
he feared to be overheard. Listen
there's something wrong here"
My first thought was that he had
been suddenly stricken with senile
dementia, but recalling his perfectly
rational conduct throughout the rest
Of the evening, l dismissed the theory
as absolutely untenable. His fear
whatever caused it, certainly seemed
very real.
Something wrongT l repeated
wOnderingly. "What do you mean
What is it?"
He clutched my arm in a still tight
err grasp, and his voice, suppressed tC
a terrified whisper, became more in
siStent.
81 don't know" he breathed. 81 wish
did" He glanced timorously abou
and went on. There's something
wrong! I sense it. l feel it. | can
not find out what it is. All kinds O
queer things happen. | am always
hearing vOiceS-whispers, whispers
whispers That is why we are goin!
away. My wife thinks it is on &C
count Of my health. | don't want he
to know Please, please Spalding
find out what it is before we return
l have no son. There is no one els
but you to do it. Solve the myster.
for me. Find out about the whispers
/ Promise me you will SSh-nOt
word to her! Not a wordw
He withdrew his hold on my arr
and laid his finger on his lips as h
heard his wife returning. With Wis
IDLE effort he Strengthened up, an
when she entered the room he appaI
emily had entirely recovered his sell
possession and was his natural sci
again, "a dignifed, wOrld-weary oil
man.
Il can't find your keys, Rufus" sal
my great-aunt, you had better &c
them yourself"
The minute he left the room sh
FASTENED to my side and she, too, bt
gan to whisper mysterious warming
exhibiting terror hardly less tina
her aged husbands.
"This is Il house of mystery" sh
announced. I'm always hearin
strange sounds here. He doesn
know'-with a nod in the direction oil
Rufus had gone, "and l do not war
him to. That is the reason l am tai
ing him away, Solve the mystery {
it before we return. I'll pay you. L
make it we'll worth your while"
Her husbands shufling in the pas
age warned her of his return, and Sh
quickly dropped my arm. AS he Ell
tered she was telling me in quite no
NAL tones to be sure to remember hi
to my mother the next time l wrot
Old Rufus handed me the keys, e.
planning which was which.
"And remember" said my grea
uncle, as he escorted me to the doc
''yOu are not to come until Sundf
morning at ten, after we have gon
And remember the combination of Il
safe-Remember!"
The insistent way in which he r
. peated the word conveyed to me fore
fully that what he most wanted n
to remember was the strange warniI
he had given me, and as 1 clasped
) hand in parting l tried by the fri
ness of my grip to let him know tn
| understood.
Remember" repeated my aunt, to
as she stood there in the door lit
behind him, at the same time givil
; me a significant look.
, Yet, puzzling as had been the co
duct of both of them, my memcrl
that night were not of their warnil
nor of the combination of the sd
nor Of the hour at which l was
arrive. They were Of the most bea
tiful eyes / ever had seen and of t
haunting terror written in them.