Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-05-12
The
Abandoned
Room
By WADSWORTH CAMP
AUTHOR OF
1.-THE HOUSE OF FEAR"
WARS DARK FRAME" ETC.
CHAPTER VII.

CHAPTER VII.
Almost indifferenty he saw the
dark clothed men side forward. lift
a grotesquely shaped plate of metal
from the floor, and fit it in place,
hiding from his eyes the closed eyes
of the dead man. He nodded and
stepped to the hall when Robinson
tapped his arm and whispered:
snake way, Mr.. Blackburn"
He watched the somber men carry
their heavy burden across the hall,
down the stairs. and into the dull
autumn air. He followed at the side
of Katherine across the clearing and
into the overgrown path. He was
aware of the others drifting behind.
Katherine slipped her hand in his.
ut is dreadful we shouldn't feel
more sorrow, more regret" she said.
perhaps we never understood him.
That is dreadful. too; for no one I'M
derstood him We are the only
mourners."
Bobby, as they threaded the path
behind the stumbling bearers, found
a grim justice in that also. Because
of his selfishness Silas Blackburn
had lived alone. Because of it he
must go to his long rest with no
other mourners than these. and their
ewes were dry.
Bobby chung to Katherine's hand.
"If I could only. know!" he whis-
pered.
She pressed his hand. She did not
reply.
Ahead the forest was SCARED by a
yellow wound. The bearers set their
burden down beside It glanctne at
each other with, relief. Across the
heap Of earth Bobby saw the watt
ing excavation. In his ears vibrated
the memory Of the harsh voice:
ITS deep enough!"
Another voice tironed. It was soft
and unctuous. II seemed to take a
pleasure In the terrible words it
loosed to stray eternally thru the de-
caying forest.
Bobby glanced at bent stones.
strangled by the ,,nderbrush: at 9th
ar slabs. cracked and brown. which
Law prone. half covered nv creepinp
vines The tones Of the ,cler<yman
were NO longer revolving in his ears.
He scarcely heard them. Ho imaRin-
ed q fantasy. He pict,,red the inhah.
itants OF these FORGOTTEN. narrow
houses strayinr to the great dwell
;nr where thew had lived nnn,sh,np
this one. bringing him tn suffer with
them the degradatfon Of their neg
lect. So Robinson became less i'm
nortant in his mind. Thru snch fan.
cies the ordeal war made bearable.
A wind spran. I'm. rafting thr,, the
trees and disturbsne the vines on the
fallen stones. Later. he Thought. II
would snow and he shivered for
those left helples. to sleep n the
sad fhrest.. Il q S. 4. $50 $50 &
The dark thrd man SsYra,ned NJ
ropes now. They glanced al Kath.
crime and Rot,hv ~ ~ thosas ,no.t n
be Impressed by their SKIN. they
lowered silas Rlackhnrn,s ~r,m,v
shaped casing into the sorrel nit r.
passed from Bobbvs sight. The two
roughly dressed ,atorers came from
| the thicket where thew had hidden
and with their shades annroach.d the
grave. The sonnd from whose i'm
ninence Bobby had shrun,k rattled in
his ears, The yellow earth cut across
the stormy twilight OF the cemeterv
and scattered In the trench. Afte,
a time the response lost its metallic
| petulance.
| Katherine pnlled at Robbva hand
He started and glanced m One ~
the black-clothed men was sneak,ne
ia him with a nrofe..,onal santIe.
ness:
| .sYou needn't wait Mr.. BLACKBURN
Everything IL finished"
| He saw now that Robin.on .+ood
across the grave. atiu atar1ne at him
The professional mourner .miled
| svmnatheticaiIv and noved avay
Katherine. Robinson. the two ora y.
digxers. and Bobbv alone w.re ,ef,
Of the little Germany. and Rohhy
staring back at the district attornev
took a somber pride in facing It on,