Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1925-08-07
FNDAY

Haven't they given you any ldea
of where they are going to take your
pursued the Snowman.
81 know only this much--that they |
are going to take me to that old de
serted house there" pointing out
shambly frame at the end of n cross
street setting back some little distance
from the road-"and there finish up
the ceremonies. That's where the goat
comes In"
The Snowman whistled, 1--WE got
an idea," he exclaimed
The two turned Off into side street
where the young man unfolded his
scheme.
A long line Of ghosts slipped in 81
toward deserted, gloomy house, Two
ghosts at the head led shrinking fig
ure clad In black. No struggling pc
destrlans were on the lone street; the
only sound was the soft shuttle OF
dozen pairs of shoes In the dirt
A marshal ghost fitted key, and
pushed open the door. The hinges
creaked dismally. Inside, In big, de
serted room, a circle formed silently,
save now and then for the complaint
of loose board. Half-sittlng, half
standing, the circle gathered around
the helpless figure In the middle. One
flickering candle set In death's-head
OF oh
The low, subdued breathing Of the
girls made the air fairly pulsate with
tension and uncannlness.
One of the girls arose and stood over
the candidate as she bowed with her
head to the floor. "Oh, unworthy seek
err after the shrine of Zeta," said as
sepulehral voice as the head initiator
could command, with hating dellbera-
ton, thou art now before the holy
Altar of Rodolomas. In the tests that
have gone before thou hast proved
worthy, but there Is still one more
test, more trying one, hundred
times more difficult, that thou must
pass through before thou mayest bear
the title of Zeta." The initiator-ln-
chief paused moment, while intense
silence filed the house. At the signal
all the girls held their breath. A raft
er creaked and each girl seized her
neighhor. Then the low, suppressed
voice began again: Before thee Is
the cold, dry death s-head-bend for
ward-kiss it--then the Altar of Ro-
dolomas wilt be opened to thee. Now.
IL thou failest-"
A decided shuttle and scratching of
toe-nalls filed the room. The voice
stopped abruptly, and panied silence
held while something came In short.
heavy leaps out of an adjoining room
toward the girls. Two eyes glowed In
the dark. The pale candle in the skull
showed furred animal leaplng Into
the air, coming nearer every moment.
II paused shifted on the floor mo-
ment, Its tongue licked up something,
then 1t leaped again much nearer the
hushed, trembling girls.
A series of wild shrleks filed the
room, and with a common fear the
girls few to the door and tumbed out,
and ran In mad, terror-stricken haste
down the road. Not one stopped or
looked back until the sorority house
was reached. Even with the lights on
they sat there in cold, blanched fear.
ut leaped as high as my head" de-
clared one, drawing back into the dav-
export.
II heard II growl," exclaimed an.
other II am positive l did. Il was
low, cultural growl, like panth-
er'sr
The door bell rang. The girls leaped
to their feet as If the animal might
still be pursuing them. When the door
was finally opened Verna Avery was
calmly standing there.
ut took you long time to open the
door," she said, complacently arrang
ing her hair. She looked no more
frightened than If she had merely
walked around the block.
But hat-where--wbat was 1T"
echoed dozen frightened voices.
Verna Avery sat down at the plano
and exasperatingly ran the scale At
last she turned around, and seemed to
be struck Of a sudden with an Idea.
"Oh, say, girls, have some passes
for that new show that has just come
to town II you want to go tomorrow.
They say that they have trained
kangaroo there that leaps around over
the floor and picks up Jumps of sugar.
The manager himself told me that 1t
was very gentle and wouldn't hurt
anybody"
"But what in the world have you In
that pocketT exclaimed one OF the
girls, pointing to Verna Avery's bulg-
ing side pocket.
Sugar" smiled Verna Avery.