The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-10-23
Chapter 30
FRIGHT IN THE NIGHT


 FRIGHT IN THE NIGHT M T>RY how she would, Caroline ! 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 superhuman fac ulty for putting two and two to- gether even when they don't really exist.
 AS for Patsy Ann, she had got over being peeved and was affection- ate, clinging and conversational to the last degree. She sat up till eleven o'clock talking about Robert. This was the main theme, but it 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 by Roberts mother at period when maroon plush was considered the last word in elegance.
 Before falling asleep Patsy had decided on names for two children, 8 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-mc-not blue. In her dreams they lowered, smiling. Caroline passed through the viii iage and up the drive to Hale Place the pitch dark. There was no moon tonight; a thick haze covered the whole sky. and the air was heavy with damp. If she had not known every step of the way. she might have lest herself a 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, it's silence and it's emptiness came to meet her. She felt cold and rather fright aned.
 She turned the handle of the back door and pushed it open. The dark ness of the passage lay before her ike the darkness of cave. She stood on the threshold and called into the darkness softly. "Jim-"
 There wasn't any answer. What was she going to do if he didn't answer? 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 ly 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 a grim business. A furry thing might run across ones foot. One might tread on s m h ng that squelched.
 CHE called once more, and no one O answered her. She was a most perfect fool not to have brought a torch. There was nothing for it but to go 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 off the ser vants' wing. On the other side of 1t, 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 door leading into the draw ing-room. On this side two doors, one into the dining-room and the other into the library. Both of these doors were locked on the outside.
 She crossed the hall and tried the drawing-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 a door banged. There was the mo- mentary flash of torch, just sharp stab of light, and then the sound of someone running.
 Caroline shrank back against the newel. The distant dcor that had banged was wrenched open. Ji,, called out. The running feet ccne down the stair and rsa-sd hcr There was a soznd Of rez,'T.