Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-05-22

spot where the bed stood while his
mind. In spite Of his viii, pictured.
lying there, still forms with bandaged
heads. He wouldn't close his eyes
oven when those fancied shapes
commenced to struggle In grotOsque
and impotent motion. like ants whose
hill has been demolished. Nor souid
he drive from his ears the echoes OF
delirium that seemed to have lin
gered In the old room. He continued
to watch the darkness until the out
lines Of the room and OF Its furuiture
dimly detached themselves from the
black pail. The snow apparently
caught what feeble light the moon
forced thru, reflectins It with . dis
consulate ineffictency. He could see
after time the pailid frames OF the
windows. the pillow on the bed. and
the wall above IL. He fancied the
dark stain, the depression in the
mattress whore the two bodies had
rested. Those physical objects forced
on him the probability OF his guilt.
Then he recalled that both men, dead
for many hours, had moved appar-
emily Of their own volition and his
grandfather had come back from the
grave and then had disappeared.
leaving no trace: and he comforted
himself with the thought that the
explanation, II II came at all. must
arise from force outside himself.
whether Of the living or the dead.
Because OF that very assurance his
any subtle change overcome him here
as It evidently had the othess7
Could there be repeated in his case
. return and . disappearance like
his grandchildren There wsA 40
Rawlins had said. no way In or out
for an attack. Therefore the danger
must emerge from the dead. and he
was helpless before their incompre-
hensible campaign.
The whole illogical. ahominabls
course Of events warned him to bring
his vigil TO an end before Il should
be too late: urged him to escape
from the restless revolt Of the dead
who had dwelt in this room. And
he wanted to respond. He wanted to
80 to the corridor and confess to
Rawlins and Robinson that he was
beaten. Yet he had begged 20 hard
for this chance! That course, more
over. meant the arrest OF Katherine
and himself In the morning. For =
few hours he icould suffer here for
her sake. Daylight. II he could per-
sisk until then, would bring release.
and surely II couldn't be long now.
He shrank bdck. Steadily II had
grown colder in the old room. He
shtvered. He drew his coat closer
about him. What temerity to invade
the domain Of death, as Paroles had
called IL, to seek the secrets OF I'M
quiet souls!
/. He ceased shivering. He waited.
tensely quiet. Without calculation he
realixed that the moment for which
he had hoped was at hand. The old
room was about to disclose III se.
cret, but would II permit him 70 de-
part With his knowledge7 He forgot
70 call. He waited. helpless and ter
rified. against the wall. He heard .
moaning cry, faint and dietant-ths
voice they had heard In the forest
and Ut the grave. But II was more
than that that held him. He knew
now what Katherine had heard
across the court, heyalding each trag-
sdy and mystery. He caught q FORM
lees stirring. Yet on the bed there
was no one. Fortunately he had not
gone there. 5-s,t5s ~
He tried 20 call out, rsalising, that
the danger could find him II Il chose.
but his throat was tight and IL per-
mitted no response.
HE glance hadn't wavered from
the wall above the stained pillow.
There was movement there. Then
he saw. A hand protruded from the
blackness Of the panelling where
they had sounded and measured
without success. In the ashen, un.
natural light from the show the long
fingers Of the hand were like the
fselsrs Of . gigantic reptile. They
waversd feebly. and he became con-
WINGED that the hand was tmmateria
that II. was unattached to any body.
| F.
n that was 20 II wouldn't be the
hand of Katherine. At least ne had
proved that Robinson and Rawlins
had been wrong about her. That
sense Of victory stripped him OF his
paralysing fear. It loosed the tight
band about his throat He called.
He could prove the immaterial ma
ture OF the repulsive hand wavering
from the wall.
Crying out he sprang to his feet.
He flung himself across the bed.
With both Of his own hands he
grasped the slender, inquisitive
fingers which wavered above the
stained pillow. and once more. his
throat frightened. He couldn't cry
out again.
ITO be continued.)