The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1921-10-07
BY Randall
Parrish
Author Of
the Strange Case
of Cavendish"
copynsh. b. Randall rsssasA

| lad fed. ! knew this. and In my I
exhaustion cared TO know no more. I
Then ! staggered to my knees. and.
with opened eyes stared curiously |
about, gathering my wits together. |
There was nothing to see but the
four walls. ] tried the door. and II
opened silently, permitting me TO
glance out into a narrow dark hall
way. uncarpetsd. could dimly
discern the top of a flight Of stairs
leading down to the story below. l
slipped out, and closed the door softly
behind me. being plunged instantly inro
funeral blackness.
/ CROPPED way forward toward the
stairs, guided by a hand against the
wall. until the touch of the upper rail-
assured me of my position. narrow
strip Of carpeting-rag l took 1t to
be from the feellng-extended down
the center of the stairs, sufficient to
muflle any footsteps, and / paused
moment listening for the slightest
noise amid the darkness beneath. All
remained still and mysterious; so that
drew forth my shoes from a coat
pocket and slipped them on.
Twice the boards creaked ominously
under my tread, sounding terrific In
that silence, and causing me to hang
in suspense over the banister rail.
holding my breath In fear of discovery.
At last ! attained the wider space at
the bottom. and sought bllndly to ex-
plore my surroundings. But for the
carpet underfoot, and small sofa
encountered In q recess, l would have
believed myself In deserted house.
| knew l was on the third floor, yet
there was no curve In the banisters,
showing way to the next flight of
effort. AS the result of blindly cropping
about. lost all sense of direction and
must have wandered into a side room
through an undraped recess, for
suddenly brought up against table,
Uttered with papers and books.
Startled by this encounter into
realization that was lost in strange
house at an unholy hour of the morn
Ing, and that the slightest misstep in
that darkness might result in an alarm
to awaken every sleeper, for few
minutes l did not venture to move In
any direction. Yet manifestly I could
not remain there indefinitely, and so,
blindly choosing a course, l set forth,
feeling way cautiously forward until
| first ran into chair and then struck
one hand against side wall. I fol-
lowed this latter as best l could,
inspired by the thought that If con-
tinued this course long enough l must
attain the opening through which l
had entered the room. On the way
my hands felt the outlines of closed
door, and, In aimlessly cropping about
encountered key In the lock. II
was so inserted as to be extracted
at the touch of my fingers and instant
" tiny ray of light shot forth
through the vacated hole. 1t was sucf
relief In the heart of that darkness,
as to cause me to quickly bend dowI
and endeaver to view the scene within
1t IVES evidently a chamber of som
] size, and well furnished, rather diml
Illuminated by a single shaded electri
| globe, handsome green rug on tn
floor, and numerous pictures hun
about the walls. could perceive tn
J outlines Of bed at one side, barrel
: within the range Of the vision, an
, opposite this an ornate dresser wit
. three mirrors. But what my eye
rested upon with greater interest wa
luxurious leather couch beside tn
further wall on which a woman reste,
;, with some sort of covering drape
. about her. She lay with face towar
the wall, motionless and to all appea
/. ances sound asleep.
To arouse her was the last thir
- desired, and would have slipped Il
,o key back into the lock, and stole
silently along in the darkness, had 81
not suddenly stirred, flinging out OF
!, hand as though in fear of some drear
!. and turned partially. so that her ia,
- became clearly visible. The sleep,
e was Marie Gessler For moment
= could scarcely credit the discover,
= yet there could be no mistake. r
!. membered too well every characte
:, istic of the girl, to he deceived.
" (To BE CONTINUED1
= ---------------------------