Hungry Horse news and Columbian. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1946-1948, 1947-11-21

d1st from the boards. Had the
door at the foot of the stars
blown open, or was soiheon'
there?
DHOIJGH there had been no
sound, Todd was standing at
the head of the stairs.
He had come-but he mustnt
cross the floor, either! He could
MT help-and then she saw. Noise
lessly, with exquisite care, ne was
nicking up the long pole that
opened the skylight. He held it
poised, rapidly gestured her to ST.
lence, and then reached 1t to her
hand over hand.
swaying with relief, she man an
aged to stretch her arm until the
pole could be safely grasped. She
thought that minutes must have
gone by, but it could have been
only a few seconds, for the
whisper commanded her sharply,
"Wait! If you're lying to me
Where'd you find the stones
"In one of the hollow balls on
the curtain rods, in her room! 1t
was the first thing that came into
Georgine's head, and she was re-
gaining her balance before max
ing her rush with the pole. 1t must
not slip, or it would be useless.
"They were not there, ever!
She looked there! You lied to
mel" the whisper fairly shrieked;
and the muffled hand disappeared
from the edge of the poised mass.
It tilted, ponderously, and came
slowly away from the perpendl-
cular.
Georgine had the end of the
pole against the carving; she was
not quite near enough, she strug-
yled to get under it and lever the
pole against the floor. The weight
vas still descending. Out OF the
confusion of sounds and move
nents she saw Todds thin wiri-
less flashing past her, dragging
he chintz bundle out of the way
With one swift jerk, lodging as
he mass came down with a
mighty bang.
She heard her own voice crying |
ut insanely, "There won't be any
ody there, behind it!'
There was not.
CEORGINE was not to have
y time for a breakdown. She
leard Todd callins her from be-
DIV, urgently, and forced herself
0 her feet and down past the bed
DOM floor to the lower landing of
he front stairs, where he was
Nella Peabody lay
mere unconscious, her face a
ueer grayish color, her breathing
arely perceptible.
Todd" Georgine said, what
i'd she-it wasn't she who was up
aere?"
II don't know" He was frown-
lg, feeling for Nella's pulse.
Whoever it was could have got
ear away. I wasn't quite fast
His voice shook. Thank
cd, thank God I heard that torch
down the stairs when I
anne to look for you-and that I
stoned for a minute before l
aple up to the attic!."
"How did you manage not to
t the steps creak?" said Geor-
me tonelessly.
IT came up the banisters, like
lie original rat-the one you did
1t hear coming down, on Tues
~ night. Footholds on that gin
srbread carving that's used in
cad of posts-Look here, my
ar, this isn't an ordinary faint.
elias having a real attack. We'd
'tter get her onto a bed, and call
r help"
He raised a shout for Mary
ellen, listened, and shouted
'ain. Never mind" Georgine
id. "Pll help, l can take her
ct. On your bed? It's nearest"
Edging slowly up the staircase
lG across the hall with the limp
lrden, she thought, the original
t? Does that mean there were
% or more, and the whisperer
hind the bed wasn't the person
lo'd been searching on moon
hit nights? 1t seemed more
an likely. come to think of it:
e haste, the rashness of this
cup there while the whole
usehold was awake, and in full :
ylight-and the horrible reality V
the threats. -.
She must have turned pale, re-
this, as she swung
Ila's feet onto the bed. Todd
lnced at her. and said quickly
an you hold out few minutes
lger? Won't hurt you to have
Lething to do in an emergency"
L guess so. l can-oh, here's
Try Helen. Your cousins having
leart attack, what does one do
; herr"
What, all of 'em here ?" Todd
marked as Georgine came out
the hall. His eyes cleaned
I'd. That's not bad. I'll have a
' words with the person who
that to Barby."
No" said Georgine, going up
adily toward her own room.
he .e looked at her sharply. "You
1T mean that"
Yes I do. Please, not anything