Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1920-10-14

ley. ana to continue to search for Jed.
MIR. Sidney. IsObel and l had cheer.
full dinner that evening. Worried MS
Mrs. Sidney was by Jetl's lisappear.
ance. she was relieved by his absence.
mad a pleasant two hours with Nr,
Sidney. and after that the night pro.
duced an occurrence.
| Ever since Jed had Disappeared n
had been accustomed to taking certain
responsibilities with regard to the
house. The element of security en-
tered as question. knew we were
IN circumstances which demanded-at
least neutrality-suspicious. So went
about the house. at night to see to
| locks. In a supervision Of the duties
the servants performed In closing the
| place-one took on myself without
saying anything about It. 5.
Hartley house was large, with many
wings. 1t was nearly half-h0tlr's
work to visit all the entrances and see
to bolts Many of the halls and cor
ridors were dark, and I carried an
electric flash to use when needed.
did not say anything Of my as
sumed duties. hut l suggested to Mrs.
Sidney that, considering the state OF
the house, 1t would be, wise to tell the
household that oil doors would he lock-
ed at ten o'clock. Mrs. Sidney thought
this good policy and the servants were
so Informed.
The night which had our new
Phenomenon ms development start
ed through the house at midnight. ]
had gone from Mr.. Sidney's room to nE
own, had put on smoking jacket and
slippers. put my revolver in my pocket
and had laid my watch on the dresser.
l went downstairs and examined the
bolt, lock. and chains on the doors at
the main entrance. In the halls LEAH
ing from these doors there were cleo.
trio buttons, and the house being pre-
sumably closed for the night and dark.
ened, went from hail to hall, from
door to. door. lighting my way by push
ing the Buttons and turning off the
lights when l had satisfied myself. In
two wings. one to the north and one
to, the south, there was no, electric
wiring. In the halls of these wings
went along easily enough with an &C.
casiOnal flash of the little light | car
ried.
Jed's room was in the south wing
on the second floor. The windows n
the hail. toward the east showed the
! waning moon just rising above Il
grove Of oak mixed with larch. and \
stopped at one Of the windows Ito adj
mire the quiet scene. ] was attracted
not startled but, turned-by.a noise
at the farther end of the hall. At that
end Of the hall were the stairs to the
second floor. where Jed had his room.
There were no windows. at that end.
and it was in complete darkness. al
though three faint rays of moonlight
traversed the hall from the windows
nearer me.
listened. and a 1t seemed that the.
sound I heard was the creaking Of olrR
stairs under light and stealthy step.
That interested me. and went as
quietly as I could toward the sound.
must have made some noise. The
creaking stopped. Iastood still-in che
Of the shafts Of moonlight. There was
an instant Of silence. took another
step toward the stair and hit my foot
against chair, almost losing my bel-
ance.
There was a scurry of feet and q
rustling Of skirts from the bottom Of
the stairs across the dark hall. I
flashed my electric light. and within it's
rays saw CLINT Of white which In
stant1y disappeared down side cor
ridor which led to small door used
by servants. ] started in pursuit, hut
a blow on the head, sharp hut not pow
erful. coming from behind, knocked
me down.
It dazed me bit and felletl me. but
was not enough to make me uncon-
scious. Nevertheless got 10 my feet
unsteadily and made my. way slowly
down the corridor into which the flash
| Of white had turned. came to the
door with my electric hight illuminat-
ing the hall, and thus l knew no one
! was In tit had no recesses or furni-
ture to offer concea1ment--and found
the door locked from the outside.
BY this time I had my senses fully
recovered. ran to the nearest win
| dow and was Just. IN time to see two
figures. one In white, the other indis.
tinct, at the far edge Of the lawn. run.
ming. They ran into; the woods, and
while stood at the window, tryins
with painful consciousness Of stupidity
and ineptitude to decide upon course
Of action, heard an automobile en-.
CINE start in the lane beyond thu
woods.
Out Of stupor, III which I watched
the two strange figures 90 from the
moonlight on the lawn into the dark
Of the oak grove. was aroused-pos'
sibly b. the sound Of the engine Of the
automo bile-with q course Of action
suggested.
It came Of fears long entertained,
now present With a threat Of Imminent