Evening star., 1935-05-05

drew out his watch and
looked at it in the white
~ flood from his flashlight
ITS almost exactly mid
night, Well 60 now. and be back
promptly at 1. Well leave one of the
flashlights with you"
"All right" said Emily. Her hand
trembled as she took the light that
Ronnie passed to her.
We'll be in the car down at the
end of the lane near the road" Herb
assured her. IF you get frightened,
iust yell. Well be able to hear you. "
Emily nodded. Her throat felt tight,
We'll be seeing yeu!" said Ronnie
heartily. "And remember-you'ye got
to stick It. out to put Hicky in his
place" 80. s-s,>
"I'n stick 1t, out" Emily managed
TO say. g
Then she stood at the top of the
rickety stairs and watched Herbs light
dancing on the wall as the two boys
descended to the first floor and dis
appeared through the sagging front
door. A moment later she heard the
motor Of the car start up. Then that
sound became DINNER as the car
turned and bumped down the lane.
and q heavy silence descended on the
haunted house.
Tor q few moments Emily stood
at the top of the stairs, listening
to the steady thump! thump! OF her
heart. Then somewhere in the ghostly
stiffness Of the old house board
creaked. Emily jumped, and the beams
Of her fiashlight wavered crafty.
It was right at the top of these
stairs, where she was standing, that
the old man who lived here had been
killed! His body had been found on
the floor below. Emily felt q shiver
Of pure terror run up and down her
spine. Then desperately she tried to
calm her jumping nerves. She mustn't
lose her head-she wouldn't! II she
showed she was o coward now, she
would never hear the last Of 1t. And
Hicky would laugh at her.
But there was no use standing here,
at the top Of the stairs. It was .
dangerous position. If anything did
happen, she would have to get down
those awful stairs to reach safety.
Why not 60 down below now? She
could take up q position near broken
window in one of the front rooms.
There she could watch the stairs, and
still escape would be easy If 1t became
necessary.
1T SEEMED to be good plan.
I Slowly, testing each step with
great care and flashing heE light con-
stantly below her, she descended the
shaking staircase. A shutter ratified
Just as she reached the bottom. and
for q moment panic filled her heart.
But she gritted her teeth and tiptoed
across the hall and into one Of the
front rooms.
There was . window there from
which the glass was entirely gone.
Emily brushed the dust of the sill
with her handkerchief and sat down.
Then she switched Of the light, but
kept her finger on the button. Here
she felt more secure. She would stick
out the hour some way.
It was q black night with no moon.
Emily was in total darkness as she
sat on the window sill. There seemed
TO be hundreds Of strange noises In
the deserted house-the creak Of
boards, the rattle Of shutters, the
scurrying Of rats. But gradually she
got used to those sounds.
Almost half an hour had passed
when suddenly. from the rear of the
house, she heard . noise that was
different from the others. It was .
soft scraping. followed by thud.
Emily felt her scalp pricking. She
Jumped to her feet and stood tense In
the darkness, her heart pounding
madly. Then came another noise.
There was somebody-or something
upstairs!
Meanwhile. Herb and Rennie had
driven the car well down the lane,
where they had stopped 1t and
switched of the lights.
Emily really has nerve" Ronnie
said admiringly. II don't mind tell
ing you that I wouldn't have felt real
happy about staying up there myself"
''Neither would l." Herb admitted.
'-rhis certainly ought to convince
Hicky..
Tor . time thsy talked quietly Of
= various thines, ears alert for any
sound from the old house. Then Ron.
ME noticed that Herb was getting rest
less, }-,s "a.
'sYou know, konnie." .Hsfb said
anaily. n have . bunch ~ ought 70