Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-04-15
The
Abandoned
Room
By WADSWORTH CAMP
AUTHOR OF
THE HOUSE OF FEAR"
WARS DARK FRAME" ETC.
CHAPTER I.

GO away! For Gods sake, &c
away"
Bobby thought he was speaking to
the somber figure in the mask. His
voice aroused him 10 one more ef-
fort at escape, but he felt that there
was no use. He was too deep.
Something hurt his eyes. He open =
| ed them and for time was blinded
| by narrow shaft OF sunlight resting
on his face. With an effort he NOV
! cd his head 10 one side and closed
! his eyes again, at first merely thank =
ful that he had escaped from the
black hell, trying &c control his SEN
sations of physical evil Subtle Curl
osity forced its way into his SICK
brain and slung him wide awake.
This time his eyes remained open.
staring about him. dilating with a
wilder fright than he had experience
ed in the dark uazes OF his night
mare adventure.
He had never seen this place be-
fore. He lay on the floor of an
empty room. The shaft of sunlight
that had aroused him entered thru
blinds. There were dust and CRIME
on the walls. and cobwebs clustered
in the corners.
In the silent, deserted room the
beating OF his heart became audible.
He struggled to "a sitting posture.
He gasped for breath. He knew It
was very cold in here, but perspira-
ton motstened his face He could
rteaH 10 such suffering as this
since, when a boy. he had slipped
from the crisis Of q destructive fever.
Had he been dragged? But he
had been with friends. There was
no motive.
What house was this? Was II.
like this room, empty and deserted?
How had he come here? For the
first time he went thru that dreadful
process OF trying to draw from the
black pit useful memories.
He started recalling the strange
voice and its warning, for his shoes
lay near by as tho he might have
dropped them careIessly when he had
entered the room and stretched him.
self on the floor Damp earth ad-
hered to the soles. The leather
above was scratched.
Then" he thought, that much
is right. l was in the woods. What
was l doing there? That dim figure
My imagination"
He suffered the agony of a man
who realizes that he has wandered
unawares in strange places, and re-
tains no recollection of his actions,
of his intentions. He went back to
that last unclouded moment in the
cafe with Maria, Paroles, and the
stranger. Where had he gone after
he had left them? He had looked
at his watch. He had told himself
he must catch the twelve fifteen
train. He must have gone from the
restaurant, proceeding automatically,
and caught the train. That would
account for the sensa ton of motion
in a swift vehicle, and perhaps there
had hcen a taxicab 70 the station
Doubtless in the woods near the Ce-
dars he had decided il was too late
to go in, or that it was wiser not to-
He had answered to the necessity of
sleeping somewhere. But why had
he come here? Where, indeed, was
he?
At least he could answer that He
drew on his shoes-a pair OF patent
leather pumps. He fumbled for his
! handkerchief, thinking he would
brush the earth from them. He
searched each Of his pockets. His
handkerchief was gone. No matter
He got to his feet, lurching for a
moment dizzily. He glanced with
distaste at his rumpled evening
clothing. To hide it as far as pos
sible he buttoned his overcoat COL
lar about his neck. On tip-toe he APP
preached the door, and, with the
emotions Of a thief, opened It quietly.
He sighed. The rest ~ the house
was as empty as this room. The hall
was thick with dust. The rear door