Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1930-07-31
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she feacneQ lne Tram. What was more
natural than for her to return and
stealthily creep about the house to find
her bag?
Miss Luck knew that she was on the
right trail, for Elsie had informed her
of her discovery that the bathroom
key fitted the lock OF Fay's room. She
determined TO give her deeeitful do
nestle the fright OF her life.
Come out" she called, in a loud
voice. II know you are there"
There was silence, as the footsteps
stopped dead. Miss Luck advanced
towards the door OF communication.
Come out and show yourself" she
repeated. I'm waiting for YOU
But as she stood, in eXpectant ma jess
~, her attention was distracted by the
hooting Of a motor horn outside the
cate. She hurried TO the window to
see a car stationary in the road. This
time there was no mistake for Fay's
voice floated family on the air.
The person in the adjoining room
had caught the sounds even sooner
than herself. Returning from the VIM
dow. Miss Luck looked inside, to find
the bird flown.
She smiled grimly. Elsie could wait
her pleasure, with Fay at the gate.
Humming tunelessly, she opened the
door. only to step back in surprise at
the belt Of darkness which lay beyond
the area Illuminated by her ROOM.
She nodded sagely. Another Of my
lady's tricks. This fresh demonStra-
ton of guile was typical Of Elsie's men
tality. Since her mistress could not
actually see as she stole upstairs. she
would swear by all her gods that. all
the time, she wa in the kitchen.
AS the electric switches were in the
hall, Miss Luck CROPPED her way along
the wall until her outstretched hand
touched the balustrade. Stepping eau
tiously into the gulf, she started to
descend, peering the while into the well
of darkness. Suddenly she stopped
and stared more closely, blinking her
eyes the while, as though to clear some
flaw Of vision. Against the dark panel
of the front door vas a denser shadow
like the blurred shape of a man.
The light from the porch fltering
through the fanlight fell upon the
fiat, shiny black head, a peaked evil
face, rotten teeth. A corrupt soul
Pickering eyes.
Like something from a sewer
flashed across Miss Luck's mind.
AS she stood, petrified with shock
her brain worked rapidly. She realized
that Elsie had not come back after all
Below her crouched the actual source
of the mysterious happenings-the
footsteps, the scratching. Probably
following some predatory urge, he. hac
crept about the house under cover OF
darkness. His cunning would soon &C.
tect which key fitted the lock of Fay's
door.
Her hands grew sticky and her throat
dry as she thought Of the boltless door
OF communication. Only a few frail
panels of wood had divided her from
him. She remembered the murder in
the wood, and those newspaper details
from which Fay had been spared. Had
she confronted the man she knew that
he would have attacked her, like a cor
nered rat.
Even as she thought of the danger
she had just escaped she heard Fay's
voice ringing out from the garden path
She was evidently calling to her es-
cort in the car.
Don't wait. I'm all right. My aunt
will be frightfully thrilled at the news
She's been windy about me-"
Miss Luck made an impotent gesture
as though to arrest the car. But she
heard it's exhaust roar as it hummec
down the road like an express train
Cheerily Fay's signal knock sounded
on the front door. In imagination Miss
Luck could see her standing outside
her cheeks cOlOred by her ride, hel
dark elf locks blown, and her eyes
shining with excitement. She had 6
tale to unfold.
Instantly the dark figure crept for
ward, while the light flashed upor
something in his hand. Then Mis-.
Luck understood the ultimate horror
A gentleman with a razor was waiting
to open the door to Fay.
That moment was to remain as hel
bitterest memory. She recognized i
as the peak of her life. All its event,
had led up to this climax, when sht
would expiate her cowardice in a blazt
of heroism. She had prayed for {
miracle to happen.
But miracles follow the working O.
the natural law. Because Miss Lucl
had violated this law-starving eacf
feeble flicker Of courage while she pam
pered her nerves-the moment of tria
brought its logical fulillment.
No rush Of mysterious power flooded
her veins. Instead, she stood para
lyzed, like a rabbit hypnotized by {
snake. She tried to move, but he.
limbs were stiffened as though he
muscles were tied. Her strength ooze(
away through every pore. Her tongue
felt SO swollen that it seemed to stop
per her throat.
Fay! Don't open the door!'
Her lips framed the words-but tn,
only sound that issued from them wa
a tiny gasp.
With the sensitized ears of his spe
cies, the snake heard. He darted for
ward, the razor flashing in his hand
AS he sprang, terror snapped the spell
which bound Miss Luck. All though
Of Fay was swept away by sheer, blint
panic. She turned to run AS she dit
so, the loose carpet unrolled under tn
foot and the tense moment of china,
slurred down into anti-climax.
Miss Luck fell down the stairs.
She dropped like a stone, with twic
the force of her ~stupendous weight
hitting the snake just over his hear
so that he collapsed like a crumple'
paper bag. MINDED and PROSTATE, Mis-
Luck awaited her end. Their
as nothing happened, she opened he
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