Part 16 (2/2)

”All right. Mr. Keeler isn't represented, so I guess I can stand it.”

Roy took the cards from the drawer of the bookcase and they began to play. But Jess's thoughts wandered and Roy was obliged to remind her to take her turn many times.

Suddenly she held up a finger hus.h.i.+ng him to silence.

”Don't you hear something?” she asked in a tremulous whisper.

”Nothing but the crickets outside and the splash of the water over the dam,” he replied.

”No, it's something in the house up stairs. Hear it now; like the creaking of a board.”

Roy did hear it this time plainly.

”It's Rex or Eva,” he said rea.s.suringly.

”No, it isn't. See, it's nearly midnight. They were asleep long ago.

Oh, Roy, that man may stop on the way down and murder them both.”

Jess had risen and stood there, staring toward the doorway into the hall, her eyes filled with terror.

Roy rose, too. He realized that the noise was not likely to be made by his brother or sister, and the servant slept in the rear of the house and always used the back stairs. He had often wondered whether he would be brave in a time of real danger as fellows in the books he read were. He did not feel by any means comfortable now. But he was not actually terrified.

”I'll go up and see what it is, Jess,” he said, and started toward the door.

But his sister flung herself upon him, the tears starting from her eyes.

”Don't leave me or I shall die,” she moaned.

She drew him back toward a sofa in the far corner of the room, and held him tightly by the wrist.

The noise from above drew nearer. They made it out to be the creaking of the stairs.

Jess was trembling frightfully. Roy could almost hear her teeth chatter. He wished that he could think of something to say to make her feel less terrified. He was sure if he had been a boy in a book he could have thought of something.

He determined to ask Mr. Keeler in the morning what would be the proper thing under the circ.u.mstances. Then he laughed out half hysterically as he realized that it would hardly be the thing to mention the matter to Mr. Keeler.

Jess heard the laugh and it frightened her more than ever. She thought Roy was more terrified even than she and was losing control of himself.

Nearer and nearer came the creak of descending footsteps. Roy started to go to the door. He felt that he could not remain in suspense an instant longer.

But Jess held him back.

”Don't, Roy,” she whispered. ”He will kill you.”

And at that instant a man's form pa.s.sed the doorway.

It was Mr. Keeler. He had on his trousers, s.h.i.+rt and shoes, but nothing else. His hair was all rumpled and one hand was stretched out in front of him as though he had been feeling his way.

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