Middletown transcript., 1921-08-20
CHAPTER lx-continued.


to go to sleep. The new development
which had come to light that evening
was uppermost in his thoughts; and,
as he lay there, covered only with
sheet, for the night was hot, the
whole vile scheme unfolded itself be-
fore his imagination. The American
was right in his main idea-of that
he had no doubt; and in his minds
eye he saw the great crowds OF IDLE,
foolish men led by few hot-headed
Missionaries and paid blackguards to
their so-called Utopia. Starvation,
misery, ruin, utter and complete,
lurked in his mental picture; specters
disguised as great ideals, but grlnnlng
sardonically under their masks. Ana
once again he seemed to hear the toe
toe Of machine-guns, as he had heard
them night after night during the
years gone by. But this time they
were mounted on the pavement OF
the towns Of England, and the swish
of the bullets, which had swept like
swarms of cock -chafers over No Mans
Land, now whistled down the streets
between rows cf squalid houses. =.
And once again a fly pinged past his
head.
With a gesture of annoyance ne
waved his arm. 1t was hot-lnsuf-
fcrably hot, and he was beginning to
regret that he had followed the earnest
advice of the American to sleep with
his windows shut and bolted. What
on earth could Peterson do to him in
a room at the Ritz? But he had prom
ised the detective, and there it was
curtains drawn, window >bolted, door
locked. Moreover, and he smiled grim
Iy to himself as he remembered it, he
had even gone so far as to emulate
the hysterical maiden lady of fiction
and peer under the bed. -.
The next moment the smile ceased
abruptly, and he lay rigid, with every
nerve alert. Something had moved in
the room. :.
1t had only been a tiny movement,
more like the sudden creak of piece
of furniture than anything else-but
it was not quite like it. A gentle,
slithering sound. had preceded the
creak the sound such as man would
make who, with infinite precaution
against making a noise, was moving
in dark room; stealthy, uncanny
noise. Hugh peered into the darkness
tensely. After the first moment OF
surprise his brain was quite cool. He
had looked under the bed, he had
hung his coat in the cupboard, and
save for those two obvious places there
WAS no cover for cat. And yet, with
the sort of sixth sense that four years
of war had given him, he knew that
noise had been made by some human
agency. Human! The thought of the
cobra at The Elms flashed into his
mind, and his mouth set more grimly.
What if Peterson had introduced some
of his abominable menagerie into the
room? Then, once more the thing
like a fly sounded loud in his ear.
And, was it his imagination, Or had
he heard a faint sibilan Miss just be-
fore?
Suddenly it struck him that he was
at terrible disadvantage. The thing,
whatever it was, knew, at any rate
approximately, his position: he had
not the slightest notion where it was
And blind man boxing man who
could see, would have felt just about
as safe. With Hugh, such a cOnclu'
sion meant instant action. 1t might
be dangerous on the floor; 1t most GER
tainly was far more so in bed. He
felt for his torch, and then, with one
conclusive bound, he was standing by
the door, with his hand on the electric
light SWITCH
Then he paused and listened intent
ly. Not a sound could he hear; the
thing, whatever it was, had become
motionless at his sudden movement
For an appreciable time ne stood there
his eyes searching the darkGess-bu
even he could see nothing, and h
cursed the American comprehensive!
anything for even the faintest gre!
light, so that he could have some ide;
Of what it was and where it was. Nov
he felt utterly helpless, while ever,
moment he imagined some Shiny
crawling brute touching his bar
feet-creeping up on him. :. H
pulled himself together sharply. Ligh
was essential, and at once. But,
he switched 1t on, there would be
moment when the thing would Sc
him before he could see the thing
and such moments are not helpful
There only remained his torch; an
on the Ancre, on one occasion, he ha
saved his life by it's judicious use. Th
man behind one of those useful implt
ments is in blackness far more in
the man in front is dazzled. He ca
only shoot at the torch: wheref01
hold it to one side and in front Z
you. :.
The light flashed out, darting rouu
the room. Ping! Something hit tf
sleeve of his pajamas, but still h
could see nothing. The bed, with tt
clothes thrown back; the washstanC
the chair with his trousers and shirt
everything was as it had been when
turned in. And then he heard Sc
Ond sOund-distinct and clear. 1t can
from high up, near the ceiling, ar
the beam caught the big cupboard ar
Travelled up. It reached the top, al
rested there, fixed and steady. Frame
in the middle of it, peering over Il
edge, was little hairless, brown fac
holding what looked like a tube In
mouth. Hugh had one glimpse OF
clr;, x.o,,,ofllil