The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-10-12
Chapter SO
Night OF Horror

might III huEEOE
THERE was one chance only
! and that a thin one. gFipped
Ottilie,s wrist and drew her after
me round the. angle of the stairs to
the studio door. As / did so, finding
II mercifully ajar, ] heard Geiss's
step on the marble flags.
Thrust her inside, slipped after
her myself. The footsteps passed
our door and proceeded down the
passage to the secret room; ! heard
the sound of a key turning and
next minute the click Of a closing
lock.
Escape by the front door was
impossible. and looked round
desperately for some corner where
we could hide ourselves until the
inmates Of the house had gone
their dark and devious ways. Even
as ! hesitated, / heard a shutting
tread in the hall. There was 8
second door on my left, which must
lead to the secret room. and now
realized that it, also, stood ajar,
for a murmur of voices came faint.
ly through the crack. i drew her
towards Il, and as | did so. turned
my head and saw the door we had
entered slowly move inward. 80
There was oplyIone thing for it
/ caught her by the shoulders and
gently thrust her into the second
room, SO that she stood fat against
the wall behind the heavy curtain,
and as followed her and softly
closed the door behind US, Il
seemed to me that the situation
had reached its pinnacle of fan
tastie horror.
! moved stealthily a fraction to
one side. where the division Of the
curtains showed a thin line Oh
light. and found that, by putting
my eye to the crack, ! could get 8
very fair view of the upper end OF
the room. The l1ousekeeper stood,
watchful and defiant looking up
70 the dais. where, behind the
monstrous statue Of the goat Cess
was doing something that l could
not see.
Come then, Henriettal" he
called moekingly. do you not
wish to see where / have my secret
hiding-place. now that 1t Is too late
TO be OF use to your"
The woman walked slowly for
ward. rounding the long, black
table that stood before the dais,
and stood between it and the
statue, and it seemed to me that
now her watchfulness was re-
doubled. for her angular figure was
poised and tense.
Pm not coming any nearer, /"
she said. And | think I'd better
tell you. Rene Cess, that there's
q revolver under this coat of mine.
II you try anything. ! know how
to use It. !"
"A gunl" he exclaimed. 'You
are a resourcefll woman, Hen
rietta. but promise you that you
will have no occasion to use it,
], Rene Cess, promise you thatl'
And as he spoke, he stopped swift
ly. disappearing behind the statue.
There was moments silence and
then. TO my horror, | saw the white.
monstrous shape suddenly tilt
forward The woman beneath
screamed, once. horribly, and tried
TO spring backward: but the long,
black.draped, stone table was
close behind her, shutting her in.
She swung round. trying madly to
scramble over 1t. and as she did so.
the thing toppled forward and fell
straight down on her. with thun.
derous crash that almost drowned
the second dreadful scream that
rang out.
Locked In
I cLApPED my hand over OF
1 tiles mouth. and slid my other
arm round her waist, feeling her
shaking ah II with palsy. '-~.a@
You see. Henrietta" said Geiss's
voice gently. ''yDu did not nee. the
KIN" ! Ehe kmoans ceased and ! I
knew thatthe Woman was dead. He
stood thea for.a moment, ewhileI
held my breath and then moved
swiftly his pebble-eyes turning,
animal-like, TO right and left, over
to the curtain that shrouded the
farther wall. A moment he fum-
bled behind il. then turned back,
thrusting what appeared to be q
wad Of notes into his pocket, and
crossed to the table.
He picked up something that
looked like a pack of cards, licked
them over with practiced fingers,
and dropped FIVE cards, one by
one. on the velvet cushion. then
stood staring at them. with o face
suddenly drawn and contorted by
fear. Suddenly he clapped his
hands over his eyes. Il do not be-
lieve itlr he shrieked, in a voice
so hoarse that | hardly knew Il,
and turning on his heel. dashed
from the room. The next minute !
heard q confused uproar in the
studio al my back.
Youl came GeisS's voice In Q
trenxied scream. you would dare
10 spy on me. you drug-sodden
half-witl II ! did not need you to-
morrow. I would kill you nowl
As Il is. GOO at once. before I
change nv mindF