The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-03-02
CHAPTER XI
The Bat Still Flies.

looked out, then turned to them again.
81 come in, please?" he said pathet-
ically, his hands Quivering. II not like
to stay in dark"
Miss Cornelia took pity on him.
"Come in, Billy, of course. What is
it? Anything the matter?"
Billy glanced about nervously.
"Man with sore head"
"What about him?"
"Act very strange" Again Billy's
slim hands trembled.
Beresford broke in. 1.-THE man who
fell into the room downstairs?'
Billy nodded.
ayes. On second floor, walking
around"
Beresford smiled, bit smugly.
81 told you" he said to Miss Cor
nelia. II didn't think he was as dazed
as he pretended to be-"
Miss Cornelia, too, had been ponder
ing the problem of the Unknown. She
reached swift decision. If he were
what he pretended to be-a dazed
wanderer-he could do them no harm.
If he were not-a little strategy prop
erly employed might unravel the whole
mystery.
"Bring him up here, Billy" she said,
turning to the butler.
Billy started to obey. But the dark
ness Of the corridor seemed to appall
him anew, the moment he took step
toward 1t.
you give candle, pleaseY' he asked,
with a pleading expression. Don't
like dark"
Miss Cornelia handed him one of
the two precious candles. Then his
present terror reminded her of that
one other occasion when she had seen
him lose completely his stole oriental
calm.
"Billy," she queried. "what did you
see when you came running down the
stairs before we were locked in, down
below?"
But Billy only backed toward the
door, smiling alphabetically.
Thought saw ghost" he said, and
went out and down the stairs, the
candle-light Pickering, growing fainter
and finally disappearing. Silence and
eerie darkness enveloped them all as
they waited. And suddenly out Of the
blackness came a sound.
Something was tapping and thump-
| ing around the room.
"That's id oddl" muttered Beres-
ford uneasily. "There is something
moving around the room"
The next instant Bailey gave a tri-
umphant cry.
ave got i'll It's a bait"
Lizzie sank to her knees, still moan
ing, and Bailey carried the cause OF
| the trouble over to the window and
threw it out
But the result of the absurd Incl.
dent was further destruction Of their
morale. Even Beresford, so far calm
with the quiet of the virtuous onlook-
er, was now pallid in the hight of the
matches they successfully lighted
And onto this strained situation came
at last Billy and the Unknown.
The Unknown still wore his air OF
dazed bewilderment, true or feigned
but at least he was now able to walk
without support.
"Come in," began Miss Cornelia
"Sit down." He obeyed both com.
mands docilely enough.
"Are you better nowT
Somewhat" His words still came
very slowly.
Bailey watched Billy, suspicion in
his eyes. He could not account for
the buffers inexplicable terror of be-
ing left alone.
Anderson intimated that the doc
tor had an accomplish in this house, -
he said, now, crossing to Billy and
taking him by the arm. "Why isn't
this the MANI" Billy cringed away.
'Please, no." he begged pitifully.
Bailey remained unconvinced
"Who did you see at the head of
the small staircaseT he queried, i'm
peratively. "Now we're through with
NONSENSE want the TRUTH"
Billy shivered.
"See face-that's ALL" he brought
out at last.
"Whose faceT
Again it was evident that Billy knew
or thought he knew more than he was
willing to tell.
Don't know" he said. with obvious
untruth, looking down at the floor.
"Never mind, Billy" cut in Miss
Cornelia.f To her mind questioning
Billy was wasting time. She looked at
the Unknown.
"Soive the mystery Of this man and
we may get at the facts" she said In
Of rruvfcffnr