The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-10-23

I
 mans hand and arm, and vague something that was head and shoul- ders.
 Then he was gone through the
 baize door, and with rush of air and a swishing sound Jim had slid
 the banisters. jumped clear. and
 was after him. It all rather took her breath away. Spiders. cockroaches and mice she had been prepared for, but not a 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 Ia long time. The silence settled round her. The darkness was like 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 a 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. l Then after long time she heard Jim coming back-footstep 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,
 "Jim-"
 His startled "Caroline!" came from less than yard away. Then his hand touched her face, and she gave an odd little cry. It was like game of devil-in-the-dark.
 "(,AROLINE! Where did you
 Ns spring from?"
 Ghe 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. p.tchy house like this.'
 "It wasn't empty" said Jim lit- tie grimly.
 That made 1t worse" Her voice reached tragic depths. q sort of strung myself up to bear spiders and cockroaches and things, but I didn't bargain fer people plunging down the stairs at me in the dark"
 Were you there?"
 q was here-and he nearly knocked me down" "sieclared Caro- line quite untruthfully.
 Jim spoke quickly.
 "You didn't see him when he put the torch on?"
 "Only his hand, Jim-wlio was it?" q wish knew. Look here, come upstairs-we needn't talk in the dark-Ive found some candles"
 i've brought you some = and things to eat The baskets in the kitchen"
 They brought it, 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. a little way along. and three steps up. A door stood open.
 Jim let go of Caroline, struck . match. and lighted a candle in tall white candlestick. The light fell yellow and soft upon a queer room panelled with oak. It had five tall, narrow windows and a deep alcove which contained an old four-post bed with a heavy valance of blue damask. The windows were shut tered and had curtains of the same damask as the bed hangfngs. The fireplace was on the right of the door. It had 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 ghast- ly image. It is like memory; 1t sets one aching Tor reality. Tn the candle light Caroline looked warm, and soft, and young. Her eyes were bright and her cheeks like damask roses. Jim could have kissed her for being so sweetly alive. She began to speak with rush of words. "Who was he? Why did he come? Tell me all about it." "He came in through the back door. I'd left it open for you, and I'd gone down to the kitchen to wait for you. We'll. heard the door. and of course 1 thought it was you, but before 1 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 vent on down the passage cnd into the hall"
 [ / fnn.n-sGi.f. 1888, J. B. Lippincott Col