Whispers at Dawn; Or, The Eye

Chicago Century of Progress and the lake, the door opened without a sound. He looked up, expecting to see a face,

assageway. Instantly in a slow, silent manner

umination everywhere. A little frightened, he put out a hand to grip the door kn

white light. Like an accusing finger it fell upon something on the opposite wall. And that something was an eye, an eye in the wal

hispered, and a

ike a bird charmed by a snake,

ted some movement. It was off to his right. Whirling about, he found him

in sheer terror, the skeleton appeared to move,

rible seconds. Then a thought st

id the thing might hear, "that

n did the same. As he bobbed his head, the thing before him bobbed. And if fur

ed out. Instantly the door at the inner end of the hall opened. There, standing in a flood of mellow

but you seem so frightened!" S

r tone. "Felix left that terrible t

out Father's books? How generous of you. Poor Father! H

de. The door closed

mself. "Doors close themselves. Eyes gleam at you fr

nport, chairs, a table. But the light! He stared about him. The room w

nd nowhere, that light,"

d a nice sort of girl, rather boyish. When she walked it was

er." She marched

Had he caught the gleam of an eye blinking from

r at the back of the room when, with a sile

hall beyond was lighted.

the girl marched straight through the

y was

remarkably well. For all that, this place gave him the creeps. That it was not in the best part of the city he knew well enough. This brownstone house, as we have already said, was just across fr

imself. "Fellow gets into all sorts of strange messes t

above the outer door, then blinked out. A faint buzzing sound came

place! Why did I come? Couldn't help it rea

d sympathy. After that there was just nothing to it. He had invested all but his last dollar in thos

mself, "there are dragons in the w

again, three times. Th

she'd

ack and forth across thi

had returned to the city of Chicago. On his arrival he had gone at once to the shack. The shack, on Grand Avenue, as you will know if

away," he told himself. At once he found himself all but overcome by a feeling of lonel

btless he would chance upon them in time

alone. Wonder how long it will be before someone will s

a rather unusual auction was held, he had decided to dispel his l

a bicycle, a box of clocks, a damaged coffin, an artificial arm, three trunks with contents, if any, two whit

ack Boxes were trundled out t

n seated near, "is a professor's library. He hasn't come

out his books?" Johnny had said to the man next to him. "

he very word professor had a glorious sound to him. The

on those three heavy black boxes filled with books. In t

ted up the auctioneer and secured th

to the auctioneer. "Surely he must have s

shaken his head. "Lots of folks

e the floor of that mysterious room, "is the professor

ash for it. But there were the books. He must manage to get his money back somehow.

the first place, those books,

urious flashes of light, and then the door swung open. Th

something, a-a sort of trap. Do you know," she whispered, "this is

rd, for at that instant the clock-like affair on the wall began b

consternation in

m to a corner of the room. There he found himself loo

nged themselves into the form of two skeletons, one tall, one short. Dangling from the hip-b

to dance, it slipped a knife along its bony wrist

all buzzed. Words were spoken outside the door, indistinct words.

e gone!" The

ooking into a pair of smiling blue eyes. "Here," he thought to himself, "is the girl'

he man said in a voice that

great deal. The books have followed us here and there. Charges piled up. Until quite recently money has

l. "Beth, who was at

carried knives, so I opened the door o

The professor

ad toward the right wall. "Our guest will stay for cocoa and

yes," Joh

button like a lamp

and there were a hundred mysteries to solve,-living skeletons, eyes blinking f

pressed a second button and a tray laden with cups, sauce

n a matter-of-fact tone. "In these days one scarcely

'?" but at that moment the door at the rear opene

n, meet Johnny Thompson

y left this place of enchant

elf, "that when you do an unusual stunt

h regard for the professor and his family. He had received payment in full f

pt this extra ten. "If some shark that haunts those auctions had g

happened, a

o longer alone. I've made a place for myself." Just

ofessor had said. "A boy who thinks of others, as you have d

ling. At times we have money, at others none. Just now we are quite rich." He chuckled. "Someone offered us a great deal of money for an electric contraption that sorts beans, sorts a car load a da

ew what leg he was standing on. "Que

. "You'll not pry into our secrets. Such secrets as we en

romi

njoy the work a heap," th

you may be in some danger; in fact I'm quite certain that I can promise it, yet it will

.," Johnny

e breeze fanning his cheek, wondering if it all-the living skeletons,

of bills in his pocket. "N

terialized from a doorw

sharply. If there had been any question in his mind regarding this last conclusion it was dispelled instantly. An inch