Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-11-21
THE MENACE
BY FRANCES E. GooDRloGE
80 N m . /. 81 - ~ 50 - 70 N n %
70, 1923, by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate

~ body closer against tie great
boulde" and strained his eyes into the
thick grayness. The horror had closed
about him again with the coming OF
the fog. There was something ont
there in the darkness that stretched
cropping hands toward him and watched
him with invisible eyes. He had tried
with every atom of will power he pos
sessed to fight the unreasoning fear
of that unseen danger, but at last he
was almost ready to admit bis failure.
For a year he had been desperately
i'll. and with the return of physical
strength had come the fear thai
claimed him during the hours of dark
ness and in the heavy fogs that so
frequently swept the city.
He thought of the girl he loved as
he waited there in the grayness;
Helen was always so calm and strong
would she laugh at him if she knew
the desperate fear that held him vic
tim, or would she help him fight it.?
He wondered if together they could
conquer, but he had resolved never to
ask her to link her life with his while
he was a slave to the dreadful hallu-
cination.
AS swiftly as it had come, the fog
rolled away and the sun shone warm
on the sand and the ocean. He looked
about with a shudder, disguised with
his own weakness, yet not knowing
how successfully to combat it.
That night Grant sat reading in his
room. The lights were shining brightly
and in the distance he could hear the
sound of human voices. For the time
he was content, shut in from the Turk
ing menace that was only in the dark
ness. At last he laid down his book.
and turning the lights low, went to the
window and looked out. It had been
such nights as these--still and warm
when he had delighted to fly aloft
in his beloved plane, fearless and tli-
umphant For a long time he stood
there, then turned back into the room.
and turned the lights high.
A knock suddenly sounded on his
door, and he opened it to find one of
his fellow guests of the hotel.
'Mr. Allen. an urgent call for doc
tor has come from the West island.
and we wondered if you couldn't get
Doctor Bentley and take him down
there in your plane. There is nothing
available in the shape of boat
around here tonight, and Mrs. Gray
said there was no one on the island
whom she could send in boat to get
the Doctor"
Grant Allen leaned weakly against
the door. They were asking him to go
out there in the darkness. alone, with
the terrible thing reaching out deadly
hands to him. He wet his dry lips,
conscious that his neighbor was watch
ing him curiously
Surely there must be some way to
get Doctor Bentley there by boat" he
managed to stammer ut last.
GAS | said before every boat has
been taken by the young people who
went to dance on the other shore.
This is a matter of life or death, Mr.,
Allen, and should not think it was
such great thing to ask of you
Shall | telephone to Mrs. Gray that
YOU will bring the doctor or not?"
II cannot. There are reasons why
cannot" groaned Allen And the other
turned away
In his room Grant Allen struggled
with his dual fear-rdden self Then he
made his decision. If he had got TO
live this coWardly life any longer 1t
were better to end it all right now.
He left his room by side door that
led into a garden. At least no one
should see him and watch and wonder.
His breath came in short, suffocating
gasps. He was through the garden
and into the wood that was so friendly
and cool by day, but was wilder
ness Of horror now. He felt fingers
touching him. the breath of strange
things on his face and finally he could
bear it no longer and with a stranged
cry rushed towards the shed that held
his plane.
With shaking hands he made read,
for the start. He believed that If he
did succeed in getting into the air fear
would make him lose control, and ne
would crash to the earth.
Now he had left the ground and was
going higher and higher. He looked up
at the stars that reached nearer to
him. Gradually he became conscious
that the trembling had left his body
Slowly but surely the old triumphant
feeling was coming to him. Then he
laughed aloud and increased his speed
OF course he would get Doctor Bent
ley there in time,
AS Grant waited beside his plane in
the darkness while Doctor Bentley
worked over his patient he knew the
miracle had been done. There was
no longer any fear; only great thank
fulness that he had been delivered
from his thraldom.