Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-12-20
really don't wish anything

He was hoping the little that he.
had drunk would not be sufficient to
affect him. Certainly he would drink
no more. He wondered whether cof-
fee Would serve as an %antidote. One
thing was certain-he was not alarm
ed. On the contrary he felt a quiet
confidence in himself. After all. he
could hardly believe it. possible that
they meant him any harm.
He was sorry that that scoundrel
Mumford had not come home. But
his wife was really a very charming
woman. The sunset in oahu was not
so brilliant now. A haze had lifted
from the white stretch Of plain before,
him, and the u was visible only
dimly through. the waving, simmer
ing mist. Now the sun was swaying,
back and FORTH, from side to side;
Now it. was growing dusk. Now the
dusk was slowly deepening to dark.
Darker and darker it grew. For just
stars. Then, as suddenly as they
came, they died. and night-black,
pitch night enyeloped everything.
= .
A bell was ringing. 1t seemed to
him to have been ringing for years.
1t rang in low, vibrating. in~s.stent
peals, with only brief spaces OF 81
lence between If it would only stop
for just a little while, so that he
might sleep! But instead Of stopping
it grew louder and irritatingly
demandfuL
1t had given him a headache. His
temples were. thr6bbing now to the
measure Of it's quick, shrill, metallic
pulsing. 1t was outrageous that a
civilized community should permit
s.. RS, II, x VEYH~-A " -.-< M - /.
place was this, anyhow? Here he
still sharply trilled its l~ong-drawn
vibrant note against his ear drums,
Brooke awoke to consciousness.
Back upon him rushed recollection
4of the dinner; Of the peculiar tasting
wine; of the sudden overwhelming
darkness. which had swallowed him
and his senses.
It was still ~k. He opened his
eyes wide and peered into the black
ness. Not the smallest ray Of light
was discernible. He was Lying at full
length upon what his questioning
hands told him was a leather-cover-
ed couch.
The ringing he had heard-it now
ceased naomentarily-was either the
telephone bell or the street door bell;
he did not know which. He wonder
ed why some one did not answer 1t.
Where was everyone? What was he
doing alone here in the, dark? Gould
it be that he had been drugged? II
SO. what was the object?
Once more the bell cut into the
black silence, and his nerves Shrek
ed with pain. He dropped his feet to
the floor and sat Hp with a start.
Then he stood. conscious that his
1,-~& -,>.1- IN 90 l~l,, - ~.
took.a stdp, and a piece OF furniture
blackness of the room seemed almost
tangible.
In his pocket he had found q
match, .and the next instant he had
struck 1t toSa flame. A quick glance
not only showed hins the room in
which he had dined. but revealed ar
electric chandelier ct his left hand 8
little above the level OF his head over
the dining table. Promptly he
switched on the light and the room
was flooded. On the mantel shelf the
telephone instrument stood. Below II
against tina wall. the double bells
Trolling vibrations.
~ he took the receiver from the
hook his eyes.Aweit for an instant on
the couch from (which he had risen,
It was 30 close to the seat he had oc-
cupied at the table that he might al
most have rolled on to it from his
chair.
! rspnthptecs, Yes. I suppose 80. ]
don't know What this number III
Whom do YOU want? This
q Mumford's,z yes. What u that?
No. I'm not Mr.. Mumford. I'm
a visitor. aMrs. Mumford. appears
to have stepped out. a message?
Yes, I hear yon."
Rrooke's eyes widened.j and he
caught his breath In sudden surprised
excitement. What he heard was this:
i Tel her MI. Moore called her up.
TX Just found her letter here at the
hotel q half hour ago when ! carFn
An from Chicago. 6orry I was too
llate for the dinner. hut if
Say! Hello" Brooke interrupt
led, suddenly dstermined. Just. one
minute Ton don't know these peo-
tple do you? III thought not. 4. /.
vvell. there's spmething queer shout
aEN&@sgIsx asass5 WI ~ 5s&3fISE