Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-07-24
THE SHADOW ON THE GLASS
By CHARLES j. DUTTON
Copyright by oodd Mead

is at the funeral ana ali the SER
wants with them. But saw the
flash of a light and there is Nsome
one thereafter something"
mo, if it were he. the lights
would be on. This light saw was
flashed on only foS q second. Only
the angle we happened to be In at
the time enabled me to see 1t at all.
Then again. Maxson has no desire to
stay alone In the house where his
uncle was murdered. He told me
that. and / doubt If he even has a
key"
We started away from the car.
BARLEY stopped me just before we
came to the bend of the road and,
placing his hand on my shoulder.
said: "Pelt, there may be lookout
placed around the house. Lucky for
US the lights on the street are out
and it's dark. But they may fash
gestion we Come up to the house by
the side and then carefully try the
windows"
We stood silent a moment as we
came TO the bend in the road. glanc-
ing up and down. There was no
one in sight. 1t would have been
rather difficult to have seen any
one. for the night was very dark
and the trees on each side Of the
street cast dark shadows. Hurried
~ we stole across the road, entering
the gloom OF the trees. Before US
stretched the few acres Of land that
formed the estate. grounds broken
by shrubs and little garden spots.
The space was dark and silent.
Rather slowly. half walking, half
rf1nnfnD xan 80 rhAA khn 1tkAlA
that ran around the house. We
crouched in its shadows for a mo-
rlent, peering at the great form of
the dark house that doomed up be-
fore US. 1t stood ghostly and silent.
There did not seem the slightest
sign OF life, though We eagerly
watched the windows.
II BARLEY had seen q light while
in the car, he did not see any eign
of one as we crouched beneath the
hedge. The house seemed empty.
We stopped lower as an automobile
went sweeping down the road. Its
headlight splitting the darkness with
O ray of light.
1t was still. After the roar Of
the passing car died away. all
could hear was the sound of the
wind in the branches Of the trees
the shore. Not only was the house
without sign of life. but we had
failed to find the slightest trace of
any person around the grounds.
Bartley's hand on my arm made
me give a jump, but as turned,
dimly saw him motion to follow him.
Finding gap in the hedge, we Slip
ped through and With a light run,
reached the side of the house.
Against it's granite sides we were
lost In the shadows and l doubted
If anyone would have been able to
see us. Barley led the way around
the side of the house to the veranda
In the front. Reaching it, he pulled
himself from the ground to the floor,
climbing after him. It was
darker even on the veranda than II
had been on the ground, but in a
second l dimly made out the great
windows.
Going to the windows. we both
carefully peered into the room.
That Is TO say, we tried to. but the
room was black, with not the
slightest suspicion OF light.
, could just make out Bartley's
shadow and l saw his arms reach
up. From the faint sound. knew
he was trying the window, but he
could not open it. The catch was
on. In a moment he softly went TO
the massive door. tried the knob
and discovered that 1t also was lock-
cd. Back at my side he paused, and
whispered:
we can. of course. get in by the
window, Pelt, but l have an idea to
try something else. Come along"
He went to the railing of the
veranda and climbing over dropped
TO the ground. In a second l was
at his side, following him around
the side of the house. He went to
the rear, where we paused. This
time we were under a small piazza
that went up to the second story.
Though we had carefully watched
the windows along the side and in
the rear OF the house, we saw
nothing.
Here BARLEY informed me what he
intended to do. From the ground II
was possible to reach the top of the
little stoop which would bring one
to the second story OF the building,
There was a window which could he
forced open. Once in the house. II
| would be an easy matter to reach
the main floor. He added that the
person who had shown the light
would scarcely expect anyone to
come from the second floor.
He climbed up the side OF the
piazza, being aided by the trellis
work which supported some vines.
In q moment / stood beside him.
twenty feet from the ground. 1t
seemed strange to see the rest of the
Hill lighted, while around the sec
ton we were in there was a circle
OF darkness. From where l was
could even see tho lights Of a ship
lar out to sea.
But l glanced only moment. for
baruey was working on the window.
No doubt he was using A little niece
OF steel to slip the catch. In a sec-
ond / heard the little click which
told that this was done. Softly and
slowly he raised the window and
climbed within. AS I was following
MN, reaching with my feet for the
moor. almost slipped on the smooth
sides OF a bathtub. We had entered
the house by a bathroom.
For the merest part OF a second
BARLEY flashed the light Of his
torch on the walls. The bathroom
door was closedA
This was about all I saw, for dark
ness fell again. AS his hand went
out for the knob, he whispered:
we will land out in the hall, Pelt,
and l want to get to the head of the
stairs hat lead down into the
great living room on the first floor"
Slowly and so softly that did
not hear sound, he flung open the
door. We stood listening a while,
Not a sound could be heard and only
the deep blackness of the long hall
stretched before US. Cropping his
way ahead of me. BARLEY crept
silently along the passage. fol-
lowed with my hands brushing the
walls for support. The hall could
not have been very long, yet in the
darkness 1t seemed never to end.