The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-10-21
Chapter 50
FRIGHT IN THE NIGHT

FRIGHT IN THE NIGHT
TRY how she would. Caroline
4 could see no way Of getting to
Hale Place before Patsy Ann and
the village were in bed and asleep.
People in villages have terribly
sharp eyes and a superhuman fac
ulty for putting two and two to-
gether even when they don't really
exist.
AS for Patsy Ann, she had got
oyer being peeved and was affection
ate, ciinging and conversational to
the last degree. She sat up till
eleven o'clock talking about Robert.
This was the main theme, but 1t
proved to be prolific in side shoots.
such as. would it be tactful to in.
sist upon new curtains and chair.
covers In the drawing-room - the
existing ones having been installed
byRobert's mother at q period when
maroon plush was considered the
last word In elegance.
Before falling asleep Patsy had
decided on names for two children.
. boy and a girl. to be called re-
spectively Robert Lancelot and
Patsy Elaine. In spite Of the fact
that she and Robert were dark, both
these children were to have golden
curls and eyes Of fOrget-me-not blue.
ID her dreams they lowered. smiling.
Caroline passed through the VII
lage and up the drive to Hale Place
IN the pitch dark. There was no moon
tonight; thick haze covered che
whole sky. and the air was heavy
with damp. II she had not known
every step Of the way, she might
have lost herself q dozen times.
She came round the house and
felt her way through the yard to the
back door. She did not mind the
dark loneliness Of the drive. but as
she came near the house. its silence
and Its emptiness came to meet
her. She felt cold and rather fright.
ened.
She turned the handle OF the back
door and pushed II open. The dark.
ness Of the passage lay before her
like the darkness Of Z cave. She
stood on the threshold and called
into the darkness softly.
Elm"
There wasn't any answer. What
was she going to do II he didn't
ansvers He might be somewhere
deep In the old house-he might be
asleep-he might have gone away.
No. he wouldn't have gone away.
because he had promised.
She called again, and heard the
silence smother his name. The real
y dreadful thought that she might
have to wander through the dark
house looking for him turned her
perfectly cold. There were cock.
reaches. There were probably mice.
There might easily be spiders. It
was grim business. A furry thing
might run across ones foot. One
might tread on omething that
sQneIched.
CHE called once more. and no one
- answered her. She was q most
perfect fool not to have brought 4
torch. There was nothing for It but
to 20 on.
She felt her way TO the kitchen.
set down the basket she was carry.
Ing. and went on until her out.
stretched hands touched the green
baize door that shut OF the ser
wants wing. On the other side OF
Il. she stood listening and searching
the darkness.
She was In the hall. with the stair
case going up on her right. and be
yond It a door leading into the draw.
ing.room. on this side two doors.
one into the diningToom and the
other into the library. Both OF these
doors we're locked on the outside.
she crossed the hall and tried the
lfawing.room door. That too was
locked.
She had her foot on the bottom
step OF the stairs. when suddenly
away above her In the darkness .
door banged. There was the mo
mentary Hash Of torch. Just q sharp
stab OF light. aud then the sound Of
someone running.
Caroline shrank back against the
newell. The distant door that had
banged was wrenched open. Jim
called ont. The running feet came
down the etair and passed her,
There was q sound Of painting
breath.