Phoenix tribune., 1923-07-14

was still honeyed, still cajoling. "Per-
haps so-but not at once. Isn't there
a barrel of. lime In the basementT
eyes"
Come downstairs with me-"
They started downward then, and
Fairchild watched them pass, Rodaine
in the lead, carrying a smoking lamp
with its half-broken chimney careen.
ing on the base, Crazy Laura, mum
bling her toothless gums, her hag-like
hands extended before her, shuffliDs
along in the rear. He heard them GO
far to the rear of the house, then de
soend more stairs And he went fiai
to his stomach on the floor, with his
ear against a tiny chink that he might
hear the better. Squint still was talk
ing in his loving tones.
"See, Honey" he was saying. 1--WE
I've broken the spell by going in up
stairs. You should have told me.
didn't know-I just thought-well, |
thought there was some one in there
you liked, and got jealous"
did you, RoadyT she cackled.
did you?'
'Yes-I didn't know you had him
there And you were making him i'm
mortal?"
81 found him, Roady. His eyes were
shut, and he was bleeding 1t was at
dusk, and nobody saw him when car
ried him in here Then l started Civ
ing him the herbs"
"That you've gathered around at
night?"
"Yes-where the dead sleep. l get
the red berries most. That's the blood
Of the dead, come 90 life again"
The quaking, crazy voice from be-
low caused Fairchild to shiver with a
sudden cold that no warmth could
eradicate Still, however, he lay there
listening, fearful that every move from
below might bring a cessation of their
conversation. But Rodaine talked on.
"Of course l know. But I've spoiled
that now. There's another way, Laura.
Get that spade. See, the dirt's soft
here Dig hole about four feet deep
and six or seven feet long. Then put
half that lime from the barrel in there
Understand"
"What for?"
Its the only way now; Wen have
to do that. It's the other way to i'm
mortality. You've given him the
herbs?"
"Yes."
"Then this is the end. Seer Now
do that, won't you, Honey?"
you'll kiss me, Roady?"
"Therew The faint sound Of kiss
came from below. "And there's an
other one. And anotherl"
"Just like the night our boy was
born. Don't you remember how you
bent over and kissed me then and held
me in your arms?"
"Tm holding you that way now,
Honey-just the same way that held
you the night our boy was born And
I'll help you with this. You dig the
hole and put half the lime in there
don't put it ALL Wen need the rest to
put on top of him. You'll have it done
III QUOut lNO hOQlo. LlClC oOlnC-
thing else needed-some acid that I've
got to get It'll make it all the quick
er. I'll b. back, Honey. Kiss me-"
Fairchild, seeking to still the hor-
rorladen quiver of his body, heard
the sound of kiss ans then the clat-
ter of mans heavy shoes on the
stairs. accompanied by slight clink
from below. He knew that sound
the scraping Of the steel of a spade
against the earth as it was dragged
into use. moment more and Ro-
dame, mumbling to himself, passed the
door. But the woman did not come
upstairs. Fairchild knew why; her
crazed mind was following the in
structions of the man who knew how
to lead the lunatic intellect into the
channels he desired; she was digging,
digging grave for some one, a grave
to be lined with quicklimei
Upstairs was some one who had
been found by this woman In an un-
conscious state and evidently kept in
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