Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-02-13
The CELLAR =! !: :. !,
(By ETHEL LINZ WI4IIE)

low hau, and never nAo DeSn AZ
service
1T was rum. broke in the captain
She couldn't hope TO hide the man
/ here, in a house fun OF people. Yet
she must have had some object IN
cominp-especiaIi as she wanted to
! get back again, after we sacked neI.
| She was a flashy creature, but she
petted Max, who fell for her"
Reminded Of her charges. Lesley
walked to the door, where she turned
/ to speak to Captain Lamb.
1T shows Max wants love. He's mis-
sing his mother"
THAT girls got a nice nature" re-
marked the captain to his sister, when
Lesley had gone. Pretty, too.
Miss Lamb lit a cigaret thought
fully, for she wanted to return to her
own flat, and it struck her that Les
ley might be a solution Of her own
Lesley too. felt happier as she
walked I'D the fine staircase. Since
the gossip over drawing tea.
she seemed less Of a stranger. she
was also pleasantly conscious OF the
captains dawning interest.
Suddenly she was startled by pierre
ing screams from above, IS BABY,
shrieking like a steam engine, dashed
down the nursery stairs and hurled
herself into Lesley's arms.
THE Black Mans in our nursery"
she walled. Hes gone and left his
awful hand behind him!"
"Nonsense!" said Lesley sharply.
Come back at once!"
Dragging the protesting child after
her, she reached the landing. where
Max, who was also screaming, pointed
to the door
Standing out with sinister distinct
ness on the cream-painted panels
was the black print of an open hand.
Lesley was 50 startled by the I'M
expected sight that she almost yielded
to panic. She felt sudden weakness
at her knees, and was about TO gTao
the children and run, when, luckily,
her prestige was saved. Just in time
she surprised a CLINT in MaXs eyes.
Pouncing on him, before he could
guess her purpose, she forced open
one of his hands and revealed. ms
palm which glistened with black leao.
"Silly." she said lightly You're too
big to play with Goals, ike craving
He writhed under her ridicule, es-
pecially as Baby joined IN the. JOKE,
Lesley had not only the satisfaction OF
putting two young angels TO pea, Det
had received a valuable lesson III
The incident had taught her the folly
of fear since the Black Man in the
cellar was nothing but smudges OF
lead.
That night. she awoke from a sound
sleep to find that she was ravenously
hungry. AS she tossed and turned, she
kept thinking Of cold chicken wnlch
had left the nursery supper-taoie, al
most intact Presently she decided tnat
she was really entitled TO IT, SO she oe-
termined to raid the larder.
There was q touch of stolen apples
about the adventure which thrilled her
as she stole out into the broad Landing
and crept down the stairs. Crossing the
hall she opened the small balze-coV-
cred door which led down to the kitchen
regions. She switched on the lights as
she went, so that there were no dark
corners to avoid, or shadows rlulIlg
the walls.
The basement had been modernized
as far as possible with cleaning wflIe
enamel and electric labor-saying con-
trivances. Gleeful at the prospect OF
her feast, Lesley was crossing 10 the
refrigerator when she was startled py
a low rumbling sound, directly unoer-
meath her feet.
Some one was in the cellar.
Her heart began to race as she lst-
ened. She heard movements ike those
which had terrified her when she
waited outside the empty house. There
was a drag of slow footsteps, while
heavy objects seemed to be rolled
about. Then door was shut with
dull thud. ,,
AS she stared with wide frightened
eyes. she remembered the captains ex-
PLANTATION that the noises were sue 70
rats. Besides, no intruder could get m
side their safe burglar-proof house. she
knew. too, that the slightest SOUNDS
were magnified at night.
I'm worse than Baby" she tnoughL.
IT must conquer my miserable nerves
or I'm not fit to look after children
I'll prove to myself there's no one
In the cellar"
It took all her courage to open the
small door in the passage. she re-
membered the black gaping hole In her
grandmother's old house and the smell
Of cold, stale air rising from the vaults.
But, to her relief, her cropping ringers
found an unexpected switch and she
snapped on the electric light TO reveal
a narrow staircase and yellow washed
walls.
She stopped to listen, but was reas-
gired by the silence. Apparently her
approach had scared the rats back 70
-