The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-10-21


the banisters. jumped clear. and
was after him. 1t I'll rather took her
breath away. Spiders, cockroaches
and mice she had been prepared
for, but not game Of devil-in-the-
dark.
She sat down on the stairs and
waited for Jim to come back. She
had to wait for what seemed like
q long time. The silence settled
round her. The darkness was like
q thick impenetrable curtain. The
air Of the house was cold and dead.
Caroline couldn't make up her
mind which would be worst, to hear
some terrifying sound, or to go on
hearing nothing. After q little she
began to think she would rather
hear something - anything. The
silence seemed to be stopping her
ears, and the black dark pressing
against her eyeballs.
Then after a long time she heard
Jim coming back-footsteps in the
passage and the swing OF the baize
door. Then he was crossing the hall,
walking quickly and firmly like a
man who knows his way. He was
actually passing her before she stood
up and said.
"Jfm-"
His startled "Caroline!" came
from less than a yard away. Then
ais hand touched her face, and she
gave an odd little cry. It was like a
game OF devil-in-the-dark.
|aCAROLINE! where did you
spring from?"
She caught him by the arm, hold.
ing him tight.
why didn't you wait for me? It's
the horridest thing I've ever done
in my life, coming into an empty,
pitchy house like this"
at wasn't empty" said Jim a lit
tie srimly.
"That made It worse" Her voice
reached tragic depths. II sort OF
strung myself up to bear spiders
and cockroaches and things, but
didn't bargain for people plunging
down the stairs at me In the dark"
Were ron there7"
II was here-and he nearly
Knocked me down." declared Caro-
line quite untruthfully.
Jim spoke quickly.
You didn't see him when he put
the torch ont"
s0nly his hand. Jim-who was IT."
II wish knew. Look here. come
upstairs-we needn't talk In the
dark-I've found some candles"
"I've brought you some - and
things to eat. The baskets in the
kitchen"
They brought 1t. and came back
through the hall and up the stairs.
Jim put his arm round her at the
top and guided her along the right
hand corridor: then to the left. two
steps down. . little way along. and
three steps up. A door stood open.
Jim let go OF Caroline. struck q
match. and lighted q candle in tall
white candlestick. The light fell
yellow ana soft upon a queer room
paneiled with oak. It had Ave tall.
narrow windows and q deep alcoye
which contained an old four-post bed
with b heavy valance OF blue
damask. The windows were shut
tered and had curtains OF the same
damask as the bed hangings. The
fireplace was on the right OF the
door. II had a deep brick hearth.
On the shelf above It stood the
candle.
Jim shut the door.
"Come and sit down. I've locked
the back door. so we shan't have
any more visitors"
There were no chairs in the room.
They sat side by side on the bed
and looked at one another.
Moonlight can only show q ghast,
/ " Image. It Is like memory: It sets
one aching for reality. In the candle
Tight Caroline looked warm. and soft.
and young. Her eyes were bright
and her cheeks like damask roses.
jim could have kissed her for being
50 sweetly alive. She began to speak
with rush Of words.
.Who was hsf Why did he come!
Tell me all about t.
sHe came In through the back
door. I'd left II open for you. and I'd
gone down to the kitchen to wait for
yon. Well. heard the door, and Of
course | thought II was you. but
before I had time to call out he
switched on his torch and the light
Just caught his hand. got back BE-.
hind the kitchen door In . hurry,
and he went on down the passage
and into the hall
fcopsyssat. 1853. ,. b. Ligptseosf co.j
4