The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-12-02

The house was queer. She would
not have admitted it to Lizzie, for her
souls salvation-but, for the first
time in her sensible life, she listened
for creakings or woodwork rustling of
leaves, stealthy steps outside, beyond
the safe, bright squares of the win
dows-for anything that was actual,
tangible, not merely formless fear.
There's too much room in the coun-
try for things to happen to you'll" she
confided to herself with a shiver.
Even the night-whenever look out,
it seems to me as If the night were
ten times bigger and blacker than it
ever is in New York;"
To comfort herself she mentally re-
hearsed her telephone conversation of
the morning-the conversation she had
not mentioned to her household. AT
the time it had seemed to her most
reassuring-the plans she had based
upon it adequate and sensible, In the
normal light of day. But now the
light of day had been blotted out, and
with it her security. Her plans seemed
weapons of paper against the sinister
might of the darkness beyond her win
dows. A little wind walled some
where In that darkness like a beaten
child-beyond the hills thunder rum
bled, drawing near, and with it light
ming and the storm.
She made herself sit down in the
chair beside her favorite lamp on the
center table and take up her knitting
with stiff fingers. Knit two-purl
two" her hands fell into the accus-
toned rhythm mechanically spy,
peering in through the French win
dows, would have deemed her the pic
ture of calm. But she had never felt
less calm in all the long years of her
life.
She wouldn't ring for Lizzie to come
and sit with her-she simply wouldn't.
But she was very glad, nevertheless,
when Lizzie appeared at the door.
Miss Nelly"
Eyes. Lizzie?' Miss Cornelia's voice
was composed, but her heart felt a
throb of relief.
"Can I-can I sit in here with you,
Miss Nelly, just minute?" Lizzfe's
voice was plaintive. I've been sit
ting out in the kitchen watching that
Jap read his funny newspaper the
wrong way and listening for ghosts till
I'm nearly crazyl"
"Why, certainly, Lizzie" said Miss
Cornelia, primly. "You can sit here
and help me work the ouija-board.
That will take your mind off listening
for thingsi"
Lizzie groaned. You know I'd
rather be shot than touch that IN
canny ouijieI'' she said dolefully. at
gives me the creeps every time I put
my hands on it ~
"WeIl, of course, if you'd rather sit
in the kitchen, Lizzie
''Oh, give me the ouiiie!' said Liz
zie in tones of heartbreak. I'D rather
be shot and stabbed than stay in the
kitchen any more"
@Very WELL" said Miss Cornelia, 'it's
your own decision, Lizzie-remembe
that" Her needles clicked on "I'll
just finish this row. before we start"
she said. "You might call up the light
company in the meantime, Lizzie
there seems TO be a storm coming up
and I want to find out If they intend
to turn out the lights tonight as they
did last night Tell them I find it
most inconvenient to be left without
light that way"
Its worse than inconvenient,' NUT
tered Lizzie, fits criminal-that's
what 1t is-turning off all the lights in
a haunted house like this one AS if
spooks wasn't bad enough with the
lights on"
"LizzieI'
Eyes, Miss Neily-I wasn't going to
say another word" She went to the
telephone. Miss Cornelia knitted on
knit two-purl two" in spite of her
experiments with the ouija board she
didn't believe in ghosts-and yet
there were things one couldn't explain
by logic. Was there something like
that in this house-a shadow walking
the corridors-a vague shape of evil,
drifting like mist from room to room.
till its cold breath whispered on ones
back and-there! She had ruined her
knitting-the last rows would have to
be ripped out and done over. That
came of incoming about ghosts like a
ninny!
She put down the knitting with an
exasperated little gesture. Lizzie had
Just finished her telephoning and was
hanging up the receiver.
"Well, Lizzie?"
"Yes'm,' said the latter. glaring at
the phone. That's what he says
they turned off the lights last night
because there was storm threaten
ing. He says it burns out their fuses
if they leave 'em on in storm"
"Humphr' said Miss Cornelia, 81
hope it will be dry summer" Her
hands frightened on each other. Dark
ness-darkness inside this house CT
whispers to match with the darkness
outside! She forced herself to speak
in normal voice.
ASK Billy TO bring some candles,
Lizzie-and have them ready
Lizzie had been staring fixedly at
the French windows. At Miss Cor
nelia's command she gave a little jump
of terror and moved closer to her mis-
treSs.
you're not going to ask me to go
cut in that hall, alone?'' she said in
a hurt voice.
(To BE CoNTINUED)
Brains and Beauty