I stood frozen and still. Every drop of blood in my
body seemed to leave the surface and gather around my heart. In
the dead silence that followed it throbbed as if it would burst.
More dead than alive, I stumbled into Louise's bedroom. She was
not there!
CHAPTER XVII
IN THE EARLY MORNING
I stood looking at the empty bed. The coverings had been thrown
back, and Louise's pink silk dressing-gown was gone from the
foot, where it had lain. The night lamp burned dimly, revealing
the emptiness of the place. I picked it up, but my hand shook so
that I put it down again, and got somehow to the door.
There were voices in the hall and Gertrude came running toward
me.
"What is it?" she cried. "What was that sound? Where is
Louise?"
"She is not in her room," I said stupidly. "I think--it was
she--who screamed."
Liddy had joined us now, carrying a light. We stood huddled
together at the head of the circular staircase, looking down into
its shadows. There was nothing to be seen, and it was absolutely
quiet down there. Then we heard Halsey running up the
main staircase. He came quickly down the hall to where we were
standing.
"There's no one trying to get in. I thought I heard some one
shriek. Who was it?"
Our stricken faces told him the truth.
"Some one screamed down there," I said. "And--and Louise is not
in her room."
With a jerk Halsey took the light from Liddy and ran down the
circular staircase. I followed him, more slowly.
Pages:
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134