Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1925-05-23
CHAPTER II--Continued

,
Something did happen--a very gnall
thing and not at all disturbing. II
was merely the sudden appearance on
the wall facing him OF small blue
circle Of light 1t did not dance. It
did not even move II merely faced
and regarded him, rather like a watch
ful eye.
lie glanced across the room, but
without much interest. or course, he
reasoned there was some wholly nat
ural explanation Of the circle. He
would forget It. lie would give his
nerves time 10 quiet down before he
tried TO sleep He would resolutely
think OF other things-of scenes and
episodes OF his boyhood But the ef-
fort, occasionally successful in the
past, did not calm him now He found
himself waiting for something. Deep
within him was a conviction. which
grew with the moments, that some
thing was about to happen
After an hour or two OF this he
went TO bed. simultaneously the blue
circle vanished But sleep was slow
In coming, perhaps because OF that
hour OF sleep before dinner. The
household must be sleeping, he re-
fiected. for II was now welt past mid
night. Yet he began 70 hear sounds
In the corridor odd sounds not easily
explained-proba6ly, yes undoubtedly.
those sounds to which jerks had re-
ferred
He stlffened and swore softly 70 him
self The expectation that something
would happen. born Of jerks warn
ing, was hllng him with sick fore
bodlng. was actually bringing out per-
SEPARATION upon his face Yes. his face
was damp, ana through his big body
ran sudden tremor He ground his
teeth IN sef.dlsgust; but bis brain.
stlll his alert ana willing servant,
FASTENED 10 bolster his dying self re-
spect.
II was not because he was afraid
OF anything that might happen to him
that he sweated and tremhled. That,
at lenst, he could truthfuliy claim.
The worst that could happen Ia him
had occurred two years ago II was
the possible call to action which made
him shake; the suggestion that what
was going on, whatever Il was, might
demand Initiative on his part
He lay still and listened The
noises tn the corridor were increasing,
and II they we're what jerks had
meant he had chosen the right word
for them, They were odd" noises.
That quality in them was what had
FIRST attracted his attention They
were not footsteps, They were quite
plainly by this time such sounds as
might have been made by the drag
cling Of q heavy body along the floor.
and they were accompanied by what
sounded like the breathing OK huge.
exhausted animal. Yet an exhausted
animal would hardly be dragging itself
along the corridors OF Tawno Ker az
twenty minutes past twelve o'clock at
night.
There's Eome queer things going on
in the old house, sir II you hear odd
noises during the night II II best 10
pay no attention 70 them"
That was indefinite In itself. but
definite enough as FAR as ne, Renshaw.
was concerned. In different words.
but quite as plainly, Campbell had
said the same thing II was not Rem
shaw's business 10 investigate odd
noises at Tawpo Ker on the con
trRrv. II seemed DIg3n thar ha ,.yss ~.
pected 70 ignore them Everything
would BE- explained 10 him III due
time and in the interval n Campbell
wished his assistance he would ask
for it. Rensiaws present cue was
which certainly did nor
mean THAT he WAS expected 20 get out
OF bed snd 50 chasing around 10 drsfly
corridors at midnight
His reflections having reached me
gratifying conclusion TO which he had
directed them he threw back the he'd
clothing ard set his feet on the floor.
All these thiuss being So, the fact n.
malned THAT be mHst see what was ii
that corridor
He sprang to the door AID threw
Il open. But, quick as he was. tie
thing outside, witch had seemed 10
move SO cumbrousy and with such e.
fort was quicker HIS glance swept
the length 81 the corridor bet this
time there wes not even the nntter
OF disappearing garment 10 reward
L. Tie house was utterly still.