Evening star., 1921-07-03

defined itself as having come from a
man.
In the upper hall there was no light
beyond the glow sitting through the
stair Well. 1t was enough to show
Garth a dark form huddled at the
foot Of the stairs leading to the third
story. He ran over and stopped.
"McDonald. What's the matter!
Are you hurt?''
AT last in response to Garth's ef-
! forts. whimpering came from McDon-
olds throat. Garth recalled the medi-
cineS in Taylor'S bathroom and started
down the hall. aware that the black
huddled figure crawled after him with
| the sublime and unreasonable courage
of a wounded animal.
X + X
LIE snapped on the light and ran to
Taylor's bathroom. where he poured
a stimulant into glass. AS he stepped
back to the bedroom he faced Taylors
body on which the light shone with
peculiar reflections. They gave to the
pallid face the quality of sneer. and
on the counterpane, as near the crooked
fingers as the revolver lay. now rested
J long and ugly kitchen knife.
With a graver fear the detective
glanced at the door of the hall. Nc
| Donald had dragged himself that far
He raised his trembling hand, stretch
ing it toward the bed in a gesture. it
seemed to Garth, Of impossible accusa-
ton. Then the crouched figure toppled
and fell across the threshold. while
from somewhere beyond the door high
g!rlish laugh rippled.
Garth sprang forward and knelt by
the old man, reluctant to search for
.ho hn h1 to IND 20
at the back of the coat. a jagged tear
whose edges we're stained. showing
where the knife had penetrated the
shoulder. The wound didn't look deep
or dangerous. and in his unconscious
ness Mcdonald breathed regularly. So
Garth hurried back to the bed and ex-
amined the kniIe. There was no am
biguity about the red stains on the
blade. The knife, resting close to the
dead hand, had wounded Mcdonald,
who had seemed to accuse the still form
whose notes projected the impression of
having been written after death.
Garth smothered his morbid thoughts
McDonald's daughter was the living
force. probably at large in this house,
that he wanted to chain. But the es-
centric had laughed. Was that merely
coincidence? Garth ran across the hall
and listened at her door with an in
creasing excitement. He heard the
running water. regularly interrupted,
as if by hands being cleansed under an
open faucet. He tried the door and
found it, unlocked. He entered, staring
at the daring indifference of the old
woman who stepped from the bath
room, calmly drying her hands on a
towel
"Come in, policeman" she said in her
high girlish voice. Don't suffer in the
black hail.
LET me have that towel" he cried.
~ c1o III
the piece Of linen. 1t showed no stains.
nor were there stains to be found
about the wash basin, but the slab OF
marble in which it was set was damp
as if it had just now been carefully
cleansed. She watched. her wrinkled
"You know" he said. what happened
out there in the hall I heard you
laugh"
She started. Her voice was lower.
At last it was as old as herself.
Things always happen out there. It
lived in this house before us-unhappy
and angry people. Often I have seen
and heard the black thing out there.
would never laugh at her."
you can't impress me with that" he
said. harshly. Il am talking about Nc
Donald. He was stabbed out there q
few minutes ago. When did you last
see McDonaM's daughter"
maybe at dinner last might" she
said. "Nice girl, in spite Of her father.
I must go back to my knitting, police
man."
Garth left her. He called a police
man. instructing him to 60 for a
physician. AS he elve the directions
he saw Nora cross the street and come
up the steps. He was surprised to see
her now, and a little worried. for q
grave menace existed for every one in
this house.
Father told me about the case" she
saidi glancing at his frayed watch rib
bon. II see you haven't found the an
swer yet. Tell me everything you have
learned while you have been torturins
that poor ribbon"
Ghosts or not. Nora" he answered.
''the house isn't healthy. and I'd rather
you didn't stay"
She laughed and walked in. He fol-
lowed her and told her what had hap
pened since he had telephoned the in
spector. Her face had grown pale and
troubled look had entered her eyes.
sensibility. AS he started to laugh at
her, Nora, with a quick movement,
shrank against the wall.
whats that?" she whispered.
Garth strained forward. listening, too.
He had heard what Clara had de-
scribed, crying, smothered and
scarcely audible. Across the meaning
cut shfill feminine scream.
"Stay here" Garth called to Nora
as he starteDup the stairs. He heard
her voice, like an echo behind him:
IT am afraid"
At the foot of the attic stairs he sam