the oakdale affair-第10部分

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s　tacitly　acknowledged　cowardice；　he　merely　knew　that　he　would　not　have　had　the　youth　otherwise　if　he　could　not　have　changed　him。　　Ordinarily　he　accepted　male　cowardice　with　the　resignation　of　surfeited　disgust；　but　in　the　case　of　The　Oskaloosa　Kid　he　realized　a　certain　artless　charm　which　but　tended　to　strengthen　his　lik…　ing　for　the　youth；　so　brazen　and　unaffected　was　the　boy's　admission　of　his　terror　of　both　the　real　and　the　unreal　menaces　of　this　night　of　horror。

That　the　girl　also　was　well　bred　was　quite　evident　to　Bridge；　while　both　the　girl　and　the　youth　realized　the　refinement　of　the　strange　companion　and　protector　which　Fate　had　ordered　for　them；　while　they　also　saw　in　one　another　social　counterparts　of　themselves。　　Thus；　as　the　night　dragged　its　slow　course；　the　three　came　to　trust　each　other　more　entirely　and　to　speculate　upon　the　strange　train　of　circumstances　which　had　brought　them　thus　remarkably　togetherthe　thief；　the　murderer's　ac…　complice；　and　the　vagabond。

It　was　during　a　period　of　thoughtful　silence　when　the　night　was　darkest　just　before　the　dawn　and　the　rain　had　settled　to　a　dismal　drizzle　unrelieved　by　lightning　or　by　thunder　that　the　five　occupants　of　the　room　were　suddenly　startled　by　a　strange　pattering　sound　from　the　floor　below。　　It　was　as　the　questioning　fall　of　a　child's　feet　upon　the　uncarpeted　boards　in　the　room　beneath　them。　　Frozen　to　silent　rigidity；　the　five　sat　straining　ev…　ery　faculty　to　catch　the　minutest　sound　from　the　black　void　where　the　dead　man　lay；　and　as　they　listened　there　came　up　to　them；　mingled　with　the　inexplicable　foot…　steps；　the　hollow　reverberation　from　the　dank　cellar　the　hideous　dragging　of　the　chain　behind　the　nameless　horror　which　had　haunted　them　through　the　intermin…　able　eons　of　the　ghastly　night。

Up；　up；　up　it　came　toward　the　first　floor。　　The　patter…　ing　of　the　feet　ceased。　　The　clanking　rose　until　the　five　heard　the　scraping　of　the　chain　against　the　door　frame　at　the　head　of　the　cellar　stairs。　　They　heard　it　pass　across　the　floor　toward　the　center　of　the　room　and　then；　loud　and　piercing；　there　rang　out　against　the　silence　of　the　awful　night　a　woman's　shriek。

Instantly　Bridge　leaped　to　his　feet。　　Without　a　word　he　tore　the　bed　from　before　the　door。

〃What　are　you　doing？〃　cried　the　girl　in　a　muffled　scream。

〃I　am　going　down　to　that　woman；〃　said　Bridge；　and　he　drew　the　bolt；　rusty　and　complaining；　from　its　cor…　roded　seat。

〃No！〃　screamed　the　girl；　and　seconding　her　the　youth　sprang　to　his　feet　and　threw　his　arms　about　Bridge。　　

〃Please！　Please！〃　he　cried。　　〃Oh；　please　don't　leave　me。〃

The　girl　also　ran　to　the　man's　side　and　clutched　him　by　the　sleeve。

〃Don't　go！〃　she　begged。　　〃Oh；　for　God's　sake；　don't　leave　us　here　alone！〃

〃You　heard　a　woman　scream　didn't　you？〃　asked　Bridge。　　〃Do　you　suppose　I　can　stay　in　up　here　when　a　woman　may　be　facing　death　a　few　feet　below　me？〃

For　answer　the　girl　but　held　more　tightly　to　his　arm　while　the　youth　slipped　to　the　floor　and　embraced　the　man's　knees　in　a　vicelike　hold　which　he　could　not　break　without　hurting　his　detainer。

〃Come！　Come！〃　expostulated　Bridge。　　〃Let　me　go。〃

〃Wait！〃　begged　the　girl。　　〃Wait　until　you　know　that　it　is　a　human　voice　that　screams　through　this　horrible　place。〃

The　youth　only　strained　his　hold　tighter　about　the　man's　legs。　　Bridge　felt　a　soft　cheek　pressed　to　his　knee；　and；　for　some　unaccountable　reason；　the　appeal　was　stronger　than　the　pleading　of　the　girl。　　Slowly　Bridge　re…　alized　that　he　could　not　leave　this　defenseless　youth　alone　even　though　a　dozen　women　might　be　menaced　by　the　uncanny　death　below。　　With　a　firm　hand　he　shot　the　bolt。　　〃Leave　go　of　me；〃　he　said；　〃I　shan't　leave　you　unless　she　calls　for　help　in　articulate　words。〃

The　boy　rose　and；　trembling；　pressed　close　to　the　man　who；　involuntarily；　threw　a　protecting　arm　about　the　slim　figure。　　The　girl；　too；　drew　nearer；　while　the　two　yeggmen　rose　and　stood　in　rigid　silence　by　the　window。　　　From　below　came　an　occasional　rattle　of　the　chain；　fol…　lowed　after　a　few　minutes　by　the　now　familiar　clanking　as　the　iron　links　scraped　across　the　flooring。　　Mingled　with　the　sound　of　the　chain　there　rose　to　them　what　might　have　been　the　slow　and　ponderous　footsteps　of　a　heavy　man；　dragging　painfully　across　the　floor。　　For　a　few　moments　they　heard　it；　and　then　all　was　silent。

For　a　dozen　tense　minutes　the　five　listened；　but　there　was　no　repetition　of　any　sound　from　below。　　Suddenly　the　girl　breathed　a　deep　sigh；　and　the　spell　of　terror　was　broken。　　Bridge　felt　rather　than　heard　the　youth　sobbing　softly　against　his　breast；　while　across　the　room　The　Gen…　eral　gave　a　quick；　nervous　laugh　which　he　as　immedi…　ately　suppressed　as　though　fearful　unnecessarily　of　calling　attention　to　their　presence。　　The　other　vagabond　fumbled　with　his　hypodermic　needle　and　the　narcotic　which　would　quickly　give　his　fluttering　nerves　the　quiet　they　craved。

Bridge；　the　boy；　and　the　girl　shivered　together　in　their　soggy　clothing　upon　the　edge　of　the　bed；　feeling　now　in　the　cold　dawn　the　chill　discomfort　of　which　the　excite…　ment　of　the　earlier　hours　of　the　night　had　rendered　them　unconscious。　　The　youth　coughed。

〃You've　caught　cold；〃　said　Bridge；　his　tone　almost　self…　reproachful；　as　though　he　were　entirely　responsible　for　the　boy's　condition。　　〃We're　a　nice　aggregation　of　molly…　coddlesfive　of　us　sitting　half　frozen　up　here　with　a　stove　on　the　floor　below；　and　just　because　we　heard　a　noise　which　we　couldn't　explain　and　hadn't　the　nerve　to　investigate。〃　He　rose。　　〃I'm　going　down；　rustle　some　wood　and　build　a　fire　in　that　stoveyou　two　kids　have　got　to　dry　those　clothes　of　yours　and　get　warmed　up　or　we'll　have　a　couple　of　hospital　cases　on　our　hands。〃

Once　again　rose　a　chorus　of　pleas　and　objections。　　Oh；　wouldn't　he　wait　until　daylight？　See！　the　dawn　was　even　then　commencing　to　break。　　They　didn't　dare　go　down　and　they　begged　him　not　to　leave　them　up　there　alone。

At　this　Dopey　Charlie　spoke　up。　　The　'hop'　had　com…　menced　to　assert　its　dominion　over　his　shattered　nervous　system　instilling　within　him　a　new　courage　and　a　feel…　ing　of　utter　well…being。　　〃Go　on　down；〃　said　he　to　Bridge。　　　〃The　General　an'　I'll　look　after　the　kidswon't　we　bo？〃

〃Sure；〃　assented　The　General；　〃we'll　take　care　of　'em。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　what　we'll　do；〃　said　Bridge；　〃we'll　leave　the　kids　up　here　and　we　three'll　go　down。　　They　won't　go；　and　I　wouldn't　leave　them　up　here　with　you　two　morons　on　a　bet。〃

The　General　and　Dopey　Charlie　didn't　know　what　a　moron　was　but　they　felt　quite　certain　from　Bridge's　tone　of　voice　that　a　moron　was　not　a　nice　thing；　and　anyway　no　one　could　have　bribed　them　to　descend　into　the　darkness　of　the　lower　floor　with　the　dead　man　and　the　grisly　THING　that　prowled　through　the　haunted　chambers；　so　they　flatly　refused　to　budge　an　inch。

Bridge　saw　in　the　gradually　lighting　sky　the　near　ap…　proach　of　full　daylight；　so　he　contented　himself　with　making　the　girl　and　the　youth　walk　briskly　to　and　fro　in　the　hope　that　stimulated　circulation　might　at　least　par…　tially　overcome　the　menace　of　the　damp　clothing　and　the　chill　air；　and　thus　they　occupied　the　remaining　hour　of　the　night。

From　below　came　no　repetition　of　the　inexplicable　noises　of　that　night　of　terror　and　at　last；　with　every　ob…　ject　plainly　discernible　in　the　light　of　the　new　day；　Bridge　would　delay　no　longer；　but　voiced　his　final　de…　termination　to　descend　and　make　a　fire　in　the　old　kitchen　stove。　　Both　the　boy　and　the　girl　insisted　upon　accom…　panying　him。　　For　the　first　time　each　had　an　opportunity　to　study　the　features　of　his　companions　of　the　night。　　　Bridge　found　in　the　girl　and　the　youth　two　dark　eyed；　good…looking　young　people。　　In　the　girl's　face　was；　per…　haps；　just　a　trace　of　weakness；　but　it　was　not　the　face　of　one　who　consorts　habitually　with　criminals。　　The　man　appraised　her　as　a　pretty；　small…town　girl　who　had　been　led　into　a　temporary　escapade　by　the　monotony　of　village　life；　and　be　would　have　staked　his　soul　that　she　was　not　a　bad　girl。

The　boy；　too；　looked　anything　other　than　the　role　he　had　been　playing。　　Bridge　smiled　as　he　looked　at　the　clear　eyes；　the　oval　face；　and　the　fine；　sensitive　mouth　and　thought　of　the　youth's　claim　to　the　crime　battered　sobriquet　of　The　Oskaloosa　Kid。　　The　man　wondered　if　the　mystery　of　the　clanking　chain　would　prove　as　harm…　lessly　infantile　as　these　two　whom　some　accident　of　hi…　larious　fate　had　cast　in　the　roles　of　debauchery　and　crime。

Aloud；　he　said：　〃I'll　go　first；　and　if　the　spook　ma…　terializes　you　two　can　beat　it　back　into　the　room。〃　And　to　the　two　tramps：　〃Come　on；　boes；　we'll　all　take　a　look　at　the　lower　floor　together；　and　then　we'll　get　a　good　fire　going　in　the　kitchen　and　warm　up　a　bit。〃

Down　the　hall　they　went；　Bridge　leading　with　the　boy　and　girl　close　at　his　heels　while　the　two　yeggs　brought　up　the　rear。　　Their　footsteps　echoed　through　the　deserted　house；　but　brought　forth　no　answering　clank…　ing　from　the　cellar。　　The　stairs　creaked　beneath　the　unaccustomed　weight　of　so　many　bodies　as　they　de…　scended　toward　the　lower　floor。　　Near　the　bottom　Bridge　came　to　a　questioning　halt。　　The　front　room　lay　entirely　within　his　range　of　vision；　and　as　his　eyes　swept　it　he　gave　voice　to　a　short　exclamation　of　surprise。

The　youth　and　the　girl；　shivering　with　cold　and　ner…　vous　excitement；　craned　their　necks　above　the　man's　shoulder。

〃O…h…h！〃　gasped　The　Oskaloosa　Kid。　　〃He's　gone；〃　and；　sure　enough；　the　dead　man　had　vanished。

Bridge　stepped　quickly　down　the　remaining　steps；　entered　the　rear　room　which　had　served　as　dining　room　and　kitchen；　inspected　the　two　small　bedrooms　off　this　room；　and　the　summer　kitchen　beyond。　　All　were　empty；　then　he　turned　and　re…entering　the　front　room　bent　his　steps　toward　the　cellar　stairs。　　At　the　foot　of　the　stair…　way　leading　to　the　second　floor　lay　the　flash　lamp　that　the　boy　had　dropped　the　night　before。　　Bridge　stooped；　picked　it　up　and　examined　it。　　It　was　uninjured　and　with　it　in　his　hand　he　continued　toward　the　cellar　door。

〃Where　are　you　going？〃　asked　The　Oskaloosa　Kid。

〃I'm　going　to　solve　the　mystery　of　that　infernal　clank…　ing；〃　he　replied。

〃You　are　not　going　down　into　that　dark　cellar！〃　It　was　an　appeal；　a　question；　and　a　command；　and　it　quivered　gaspingly　upon　the　verge　of