Part 5 (1/2)

”It's The Sky Pilot and his gang,” whispered The Oskaloosa Kid

”It's The Oskaloosa Kid,” caht upstairs then?” queried another

”An' wot croaked this guy here?” asked a third ”It wasn't nothin'

nice--did you get the expression on hisan' the red foa in this house beside human bein's

I know the joint--it's hanted--they's spooks in it Gawd! there it is now,” as the clanking rose to the head of the cellar stairs; and those above heard a sudden rush of footsteps as the men broke for the open air--all but the two upon the stairway They had re and now, their retreat cut off, they scra the hallway they rushed to the closed door at the end--the door of the roo theain ade

”Let us in! Let us in!” screamed two voices ”Fer God's sake let us in

Can't you hear IT? It'll be co chain could be heard at intervals upon the floor below It seemed to the tense listeners above to pause beside the dead ruesoain, this ti with a creepy slowness which wrought more terribly upon tense nerves than would a sudden rush

”The e

”Oh, don't!” pleaded The Oskaloosa Kid

”Let us in,” screamed the men without ”Fer the luv o' Mike have a heart! Don't leave us out here! IT's cos in,” pleaded the girl on the bed She was, herself, tre with terror

”No funny business, now, if I let you in,” coe

”On the square,” came the quick and earnest reply

The THING had reached the head of the stairs when Bridge dragged the bed aside and drew the bolt Instantly two figures hurled thee resecure the doorway

Just as it had done before, when Bridge and The Oskaloosa Kid had taken refuge there with the girl, the THINGchain marked each foot of its advance If itof the links over the ti

Within the room the five were frozen into utter silence, and beyond the door an equal quiet prevailed for a long reat force h up upon the old fashi+oned panelling Bridge heard a sasp from the boy beside him, followed instantly by a flash of flame and the crack of a sh the door

Bridge seized the boy's arm and wrenched the weapon from him ”Be careful!” he cried ”You'll hurt soirl ht in front of the door”

The Oskaloosa Kid pressed closer to the ht protection fro from the bed and crossed to the opposite side of the roo illuminated the chamber for an instant and the roof of the verandah without The girl noted the latter and the open

”Look!” she cried ”Suppose it went out of anotherupon this porch It could get us so easily that way!”

”Shut up, you fool!” whispered one of the tcoirl subsided into silence

There was no sound froested the second newcoh the THING without had heard and understood, the clanking of the chain reco the hallway, and soon they heard it descending the stairs