Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-07-05


Fifteen people told the same story.
that he Went upstairs, and never re-
turned, and there was no window
that he could have gotten out OF.
Then the church got busy, l think
in the end they decided that the
devil had carried him off. As no
one could dispute them on that
point, it seemed TO get accepted.
But | think-
Whatever he would have said,
never kenw. Suddenly at this point.
breaking in on him, the telephone
besan 10 ring. He rose in rather n
bored manner and went over 10 the
desk and picked up the receiver.
reached for the book he had been
reading. and started to open i. An
at once, the strange tone in his
voice caused me TO turn and look at
him.
He was sitting on the chair. his
head half turned toward me. CpoE
his face there was a very startled
expression, as If he could not be-
lieve what the person at the other
end of the wire was saying. In his
voice was n doubling tone, that
seemed to have a shade of horror III
it.
yes" he drawled at first. the
voice suddenly becoming crisp, Yes.
this is John BARLEY: John Barley
, yes, l have that" Then came a long
pause. in which I saw the red fade
again. 4 pause that was broken by
fis saying suddenly NY God-Yes,
I'll come right away"
He placed the receiver on the hook,
and rose slowly 10 his feet. stand
ing motionless 4 momeM. without
saying a word. l saw his fingers
slowly open and close, and thee
was queer look on his face:
look not only OF surprise, but Of
horror. He turned TO me, and for a
second l thought he was going to
speak, but he did not. Instead he
reached for the telephone once more,
! standing several minutes with his
| hand on the receiver. silent, notion
! less. Then with a sudden gesture,
| he swept the recciverTrom the hook.
| and called the hotel Office. He set
! his connection at once and | heard
| Kim say:
This is John Bgrtley, Room 212,
| I want my car up from the garage
| in five minutes. No-not an hour.
| in FIVE minutes, and | won't accept
| any delay. Have 1t in front of the
| hotel"
Again he placed the receiver back
| on the hook and still silent, sank
! back in the nearest chair. | watched
| him IN da2cd wonder. Something
| had happened, but what ! could not
| tell Ms rule, no matter what
| came no'hlh& ever startled him. he
| was shaken. | could see his lips
! close in tense line. and his hands
! were trembling. lie turned to me,
| and his voice was weary. though
| back of 1t was a stern edge as he
/ spoke.
| "peIt," he said that call came
| from Frank Ricc's butler He said
they Just found Rice dead in his
| HhrarN-murdercd."
! | gasped. Rice murdered and his
| daughters wedding was TO be held
| at noon. | started to speak. but tho
IToN on BARLEY face stopped ne.
! lis voice was cold and crisp, as he
! continued:
!. Yes murdered They want us
right over lie paused, and all at
! once ms voice suddenly broke.
,That fine old man-and his poor
| daughter"
In second he got control of him
| self, and | saw his fingers close. rs
! ne brought his clenchcd fist down on
! me edge Of the desk. so hard that
| the flesh whitcned
God help the man that killed
! him. lie said slowly. like one t,ll-
| ing an oath. Ana knowing RartIn,.
/ seeing the emotion that had over
/ come him at the death of his friend
/ knew that whoever had com
! mItted the crime. would need the
! hcIp that re had spoken uf.
| he Eutler's Story
! zen minutes later we went out
| 10 the ear, which was standing he
| lore the hotel. 1t had turned into
/ a beastly day. damp and cold with
!os now 50 dense that eyoAthing
| was hlotted from sight. W. CotiId
! barely sec the front of tho car and
! ne cottages across the street had
J SIMPLY vanished. II was a damn
! coid fog, clinging like a great wet
DIahket close to the ground. tbat
! penetrated our clothes AS if fhc,,
were 50 much tissue paper. Whom
| we climbed into the car. If sconod
| as II We were alone in tho world
| dnu only 4 curtain Of gray mist
couid pc seen. 1t was silent. onIv
the sound Of tho surf. starting to
| lou!ii on me shore, and the inccs-
It1 ShfIekIhS Of the fog horn at the
| IIShl mousse could lie heard. I-aoIiry
! absolutely depressed. | sank down
ih'o inc seat beside Rartlov.
| rs We started, / wondered bou, L.
| would be able to find his way. THO
l"dh could not he seen ahead or H..
/ ana seemed to have become n IG..t
| .HIlS- But We drove at an astoniebN
! ihS speed. when one considered tbat
~ touId not see Wncre he was going
LOW Do%h past the hotel We flew
( louh9 corner, then down a hin
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