Evening star., 1922-01-15

NC EYES GLARED STRAIGHT INT
most oppressive. The heat of the
night was truly phenomenal. l might
have been not in an English home
county but in the Sudan.
When meditating I never sit still.
and while marshaling my ideas I
paced the room from end to end,
smoking the whole time.
This pacing led me from end to
end of the room. then between the
open door and the large dressing
table facing it. 1t was as l returned
from the door toward the dressing
table that I became aware of the
presence of the contorted face.
4 * 4
MY peculiar studies rad brought me
A'l into contact with many horrible
apparitions, and familiarity had at
least served to train my nerves for
the reception OF such sudden and
ghastIy appearances. should be
avoiding the truth, however, if /
claimed to have been unmoved by the
vision which now met me in the
mirrow. I drew up short with one
sibilant breath and then stood trans
fixed.
Before me was a reflection Of the
open door and of part Of the landing
and stairs beyond it. The landing
lights were extinguished. and there
fore the place beyond the door lay in
comparative darkness. But. crawling
in, serpent fashion, inch by inch, si-
lently, intently, SO that the head,
throat and hands were actually across
the threshold, came creature which
seemed to be entirely naked! 1t had
the form Of a man, but the face-the
dreadful face which was being pushed
forward slowly across the carpet with
head held sideways, SO that one ear
all but touched the foor-was the
face, not of a man, but of ghoul!
I clenched my teeth hard, staring
into the mirror, and trying to force
myself to turn and confront. not the
reflection, but the reality. Yet for
many seconds I was unable to accom-
plfsh this. The baleful, protruding
eyes glared straight into mine from
Of this awful face seemed to be drawn
up SO as almost to meet the nose, en-
tirely covering the upper lip, and the
nostrils were distended to an incredi-
BILE degree, while the skin had a sort
of purple tinge unlike anything I had
seen before. The effect was grotesque
in the true sense Of the word; for the
thing was clearly grimacing at me!
Yet God knows there was nothing hu-
morous in that grimace!
Nearer it came, and nearer! ! could
hear the heavy body being drawn
across the floor; could hear the beat
ing Of my own heart, and I could
hear a whispered conversation which
seemed to be taking place somewhere
Immediately outside my room.
At the moment that I detected the
latter sound it seemed that the appa-
rition detected it also. The protrud-
ing eyes twisted in the head, rolling
around ridiculousIy but horribly. De-
spite the dread which held me, iden-
tilted the whisperers and located their
situation. Mrs. Dale was at her open
window and Aubrey Wales was in the
garden below.
The thought crossed my mind and
was gone-but gone no quicker. than
the contorted face. By a backward,
serpentine movement, the thing which
had been crawling into my room sud-
IDENTIFY retired and was swallowed UP
in the shadows Of the landing.
turned and sprang toward the
open door. my nerves in hand again.
At the door I paused and listened
intently. No sound came to guide me
from the darkened stair, and when.
leaning over the rail, I peered down
into the hall below. nothing stirred,
no shadow~of the many there moved
to tell Of the passage Of any living
thing. I paused, irresolute, unable to
doubt that I was in the presence of
an authentic apparition. But how to
classify it?
Slowly I returned to my room and
stood there, listening for tho slight
est sound from within or without the
house. err
The whispered conversation con-
tinued, and stole quietly to one of
the windows and leaned out. looking
to the left, in the direction Of the
new wing. A light. burned in the
majors study, whereby 1 concluded
that he was still engaged with his
accounts if he had not fallen asleep.
Between the window and the new
wing and on a level with my eyes
was the window Of Mrs. Dale's room,
"a s~ %hA hytrhf ,u0AnffnhA eonIA