Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1924-05-23


ord of our friends address," he said
'Poor Masterman was a very retiring
man. No doubt we shall learn from
his friends in day or two. 1 will
have an announcement published, and
have arranged for the funeral to be
held from Byam's undertaking estab-
lishment the day after tomorrow at
noon. Is there anything further to
be dOneY
81 hardly think So" answered DON
aid
"Then if you can look in here to-
morrow at eleven, we may talk mat
ters over. And now permit me to wish
you good evening"" said the profess
sor cordially.
Donald took the proffered hand and
felt eense Of disgust at the touch
of the limp fingers. He strobe out of
the club and took a taxicab to the
station.
The Baltimore train was just about
to leave Late that night Lieutenant
Paget found the captains house. 1t
proved to be in a little Old-fashioned
thoroughfare flanked by neat two
story houses. Each had tiny back
garden surrounded by high wall.
There was about it an atmosphere, if
not of mystery, at any rate of the re-
tlrement common to such backwaters
in the roaring streams of city life.
The captains was the last house in
the street. 1t stood a little farther
back than the rest, and was turned
slightly askew, facing them obliquely,
as though it knew itself to be out Of
place and was watching its neighbors
apprehensively over its shoulder.
There was no light behind any of
the drawn shades. A small dome on
a fiat roof seemed to contain a tele-
scope.
Donald climbed a fence, walked
round to the back, and went up the
weed-grown path. The grass had not
been moved since it sprouted in
spring; the garden was unkempt and
ragged. Donald felt sure that there
was nobody within.
As he trod the flags Of the garden
walk, he fancied he heard the foot
steps of man in the street, following
him. He stopped and listened, but
now no sound was to be heard. He
peered back into the darkness, but
saw nobody. Doubtless it was hal
Iucination; it was a place of echoes
and hauntings. And it seemed singu-
larry appropriate for old Masterman
to have had his lonely residence here, |
matching his lonely life.
As Donald had anticipated, the front |
door was locked, and the window of |
the living room was apparently nailed |
up. He traversed the narrow path
that led to the back Of the house. To /
his surprise, the kitchen window was
open.
Then it occurred to him that Mas
terman had, of course, gone directly
home on his return from his last
earthly voyage. He swung himself
across the window sill and dropped to
the kitchen floor. He lit match and
found the gas.
The yellow flare disclosed a very
ordinary kitchen. Masterman's coat
hung on a nail beside the window, and
he had been cooking porridge upon
the range. Donald went through into
a room at the back of the house, which
had apparently been built out at q
date subsequent to the completion of
the structure in its original form.
He stopped short at the threshold,
,;~I. fef,i Of FOR
It was not falling water, but a
gentle and continuous ripping. It.oc-
Cured to him that it was, on smaller
scale, the sound that seal makes in
he course of IT'S ceaseless peregrina-
lions around its tank.
There was a palm tree in a huge
Dot on either side of what looked like
IN enormous goldfish bowl. Behind
his was a second bowl, even larger.
In the middle of the room was com
olicated apparatus resembling a re
.ort. He saw a chandelier close to the
wall.
Donald lit three gas-jets.
The light flickered and sputtered as
he air rushed out. Then, when it
lad grown STEADY, DOnalu saw liidl
sort of Photographic lens was at
ached TO box in front of the appa-
atus, directed toward the great tank
the palms.
Approaching, he perceived that the
op of the tank was covered with
lass. A slender tube Of the same
Material entered the water from
bove, where it was supported upon
n arm extended from wall. There
vas a connection between the tube
nd another which ran upward from
he top of the retort. T,
Presently Donald caught sight Of I,
arometer attached to the front of the !
Mechanism. Now he began to under /,
tand. The object in the tank, what
yer it was, was under pressure Of
number Of atmospheres.
He approached the tank and walked :
ound it, peering into it from every
Ide. He saw the ripples on the wa >
er, and there was faint sound as OF r
fin brushed against the glass. But +
l., h ,ofr If I