The Key West citizen., 1940-12-03
Chapter Ten
Scream In The Dark

Scream In The Dark
4 LICE gave little squeals of
fright every time we came to
turn in the stairs or hallway.
Don't lock your door to our
BATH" she admonished Claire, as
we escorted her into her room.
As Bill and I said good night
to our guests, we inspected the
windows in all rooms and in the
hall The great wisteria vine
which gave the house its name
!spraw!ed from the front around
one whole side of the house, but
did not seem to offer close enough
connection with any Of the vim
dows to be of service in second
story work. Nenetheless, as an
extra precaution. we closed and
locked the blinds.
It was agreed that we would all
lock our doors leading into the
hall. Kinks and Bob's rooms
were connected by a bath. as were
those occupied by Claire and
Alice Ewes room, which had been
my grandmother's and which
had suggested that Aunt Maggie
use, had its private, bath, as did
our own. All the bedrooms had
been built with dressing rooms,
which in later years had made it
simple enough to install modern
plumbing.
Eve only laughed little
scornfully when l asked if she
would be afraid to sleep in a
room alone. 81 probably won't
sleep. anyway" she answered.
'I'll read a murder story. That
will keep my mind off the-er-
other murder"
In our own room at last, with
the door closed. Bill said of Eve,
Even when she doesn't mean to,
she rubs me the wrong way"
told Bill about the conversa-
ton had overheard between
Aunt Maggie and Eve shortly be-
fore dinner Neither one of us
considered for moment that Eve
could be the guilty one But she
does get worse all the time" Bill
said. "She didn't use to be so bad. "
"She was always a little resent
full of the rest of u.s." / remem-
bered. "She seemed to think we
lived in some sort of charmed
circle. After she married into the
circle, she resented it because we
were not more like the movies"
II don't see any excuse for
her." declared Bill. dismissing the
subject and starting TO blow cut
the light
wait minute" urged, catch
ing his arm. I've just thought of
something. Aunt Maggie's win
dows. We didn't look to see
whether they were open or shut,
and the vine goes all the way up
to the roof on that side"
"Oh. darling" Bill groaned as
he reluctantly heaved himself out
of bed and into his bathrobe,
"why do you always have to think
of things?"
"But / wouldn't sleep a wink
unless knew they were attended
TO-" l told him quite truthfully.
"And you wouldn't get to sleep
either, with me twisting and
!. turning in the same bed"
OF course, he was no sooner out
the door with his Pickering can
delight than had visions of his
being cracked on the head by
some fiend lurking in the shadows
above the back stairway. Or
worse still, suppose Bob should
mistake Bill for the murderer?
wondered if by any chance Bob
had a gun. In fact, ! succeeded
in making myself pretty miser-
able Until Bill was back again.
On The Prowl
"GUESS whom l saw going
" downstairs just now?" ne
asked as he climbed into bed. And
climbed is the word with the beds
at Wisteria Hall. Bills tone was
too matter-of- fact for me TO think
he had seen anything startling.
Eve" he said. "All decked out
in fancy pajamas. Going down to
have a little session with Bob
after Claire is safely tucked in.
l suppose. She didn't see me. of
course. 1 was in the back of the
hall and she was facing toward
the front of the house. going
downstairs with her candle"
$50 that's the book she was 60
ing to read" / remarked, as Bill
blew out the light and darkness
descended upon us like velvet
pail. I was glad then that my an
cestors had slept in big double
beds, so ! could reach out and
touch my husband, feel his pro-
tectiYe strength beside me. Blow
ing out a candle makes the dark
ness so much more definite and
complete than the simple turn
ing of a switch which can as
easily be turned On again.
For long time thoughts raced
around IN my head like fright
ened mice. back. and forth from
one blind alley to another. What
was the meaning of it all? Where
would it end2 Poor Aunt Maggie.
Finally I felt that / could stand
it no longer. The blackneSs was
closing in on me like a coffin.
~Oh, Bill" / cried out. I've got
to have light in this room. Oh,
Bill. I don't want to die"