University of Maine at Portland - Reflection / Umpire Yearbook (Portland, ME)

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l: Tll l'C lunch. He was wandering tlowu Weston Street when whom should he 5133: but f'lianrtl llargraves. a elassv mate at cnllege. Their greetings were nmist and good natured. H'hat brings then to our thriving metmpnlis ? l'Well. Cliff. was the reply, hthe Thurs sent me up to cover the 'H auntetl l-Iouse' proposition. Tell me what you can about it. W'ell. .I don't see as there is much to tell. Chick. batesay. you're coming you're coming over to the house for ltlnehino. it's all settledeand we'll talk it ever afterwards. On the way over Hargraves told his story. Noises had been heard and a lot taf regulation spook demonstrations were to be had. But although many people had tried to solve the mystenr no one had met with success, moreover. although they had heard noises. no one had ever been seen there. . At lunch, Morgan met CliEls mother and .his sister. june. He became so interested in the latter that he almost fnrgot his misasion. He was dragged away by Hargraves with the promise that he could come over every evening. Letls go over to the house. said Cliff. They gave the house and groands a hasty examinatien before entering. Apparently all things within were in fme condition. The two chums seated themselves on a sofa and talked the matter over for almost two hours. All right. we sleep here tonight, they said as they went out. lIt will be fun even though we dotft come any nearer to the end of the mystery than hetere.'I At aan they were settled for a night of peace CU. At any rate. they were prepared for anything. Each young questioned Hargraves.' PUYlAX man had a small but effective black- jack and a powerful flashlight. Be- sides. theyr had one small lantern and two blankets each. At last they were ready. let come what may. The lantern had been placed on a table in the living room and with its dim light things began to take on a weird, though nut unpleasant look. They chatted about spooks, but soon their conver- sation wandered to various subjects. 'Itme. school, and coming football. At a point where Breton was win- ning a hard-fought game with Cossnl, the band began to play. hV'Ve win! we win! shouted Cliff, but was inter- rupted by Morgan. 'Come down to earth! music? The two were silent. Upstairs at band was faintly playing. Net a word passed between the two. Hargraves picked up his flashlight in his left hand and took the blackjack in his right. Morgan did likewise. Slowly they tiptoed up the steps. Morgan led and noticed that the seventh stair step was quite soft. He stopped and marked it and then went on. They had reached the top of the stairs when the music stopped in the middle of a bar. A thorough search disclosed nothing, so they returned. On the way down Harold stopped on the seventh stair and pulled off the carpet. Underneath was a thin flat board which was held up by springs. When it was stepped 0:1. it closed a switch. ttLook here! he whispered. point- ing to a pair of wires leading through the main step. They cut both wires and went on down. In the living mom again they talked the matter over. Somethings tells me that there is a radio set here, Cliff. was Morgan's Do you hear

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THE PUYIAN e ! $tnriw es! A CUBlS NEW ADVENTURE- AND AN OLD REWARD. By PHILIP IL SHARPE, l2-l. Morgan was new at the gameithere was no doubt about iLehe was new at the game. He had been with the Daily Timer for two weeks. and all he had done was handle a few notes that were alnmst routine. Then it would he, n.X- lorgam. go down to the Police Sta- tion and get the newsflelCive the so- ciety editor a lift, and such things as that. Harold Morgan was attending col- lege and had secured the position of cuh'l reporter for the Titties during his summer vacation. And he was be- ginning to think that newspaper work was dead stuH. He was ambitious and was a lover of adventure. He was of the take-awehance type of young man, and good luck usually favored him. Just now he was beginning to think it had deserted him. While he was considering the situa- tion. the gong rang for Number 13. As that was his number, he went to the in-phmie. l'The Editor-in-Chief wants you;I was what he was told. Visions of a callwduwn for something or other surged through his mind. Perhaps he was even hredl T he chief was a man of few Words, kind, yet guilt, and, to be truthful, l'lotgart was afraid of him. He en- tered the office with confidence in his face. even though he did not have it. in his heart. iiSit clown? said the chief. and without further preliminary he began: Morgan, you have been with us for two weeks. I have been watching you and believe that there is good ma- terial in you. I am going to find uut. You have heard of the Haunted House at liVinChester? N0? Well, a very valuable estate there is owned by a rich Xew Yorker. His father had it built for him about 233 years ago and had all modern improvements installed in 1.019. In 1990 he died of heart failurbno. a natural deatheand the property passed to his son by his will. Hstbout six months after the death of the old man, queer things began to happen On that estate, and it worked up quite a. flowery reputation. None of the villagers will go near the place after dark. and the pmperty, although valuable, cannot be sold at any price. Now, I donlt believe in spooks, do you? I thought not. Well, I am sure that there is :1 good reason for them and I think it will be a good story. You are going up there, your expenses will he paid, and you have ten days to clear it up. If you donit make it, donlt come back. White in for your cheek. You leave on the 9.12 train tomorrow mom- ing. Thatis all, Morgan did not know what to say, so he made a hasty exit after mumbling his thanks He went back to his typev writer with his head in the clouds. Next morning he was fifteen minutes early tor the 9.12. Just before noon he stepped off the train into the little station of VVin- Chester. He looked up a hotel, made arrangements for his room, and then decided to take a stroll before

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THE PUTIAN 7 comment I think that the switch I stepped on told them that we were coming. If we do a little investigat- ing we shall have a real surprise? So the two young men again went up- stairs. I am sure I have at last got the dope. Morgan remarked. tlDo as I tell you and you will see. The two went into :1 bedroom and crouched in the comer. At Morgatfs sugges- tion not even a whisper passed between them. They had been there Fifty min- utes when the buzz of a radio set he- gan. Clitic felt Morgan's hand tighten over his wrist and they both waited, nerves tense. They did not have to wait long. In a, eouple of minutes they heard a door open and someone entered the room. As soon as they were satished that the newcomer was alone they both Switched on their lights and made a hinge at the startled man. Before the stranger could make even the slightest noise he was knocked Hat and a hand clamped over his mouth. He was bound and gagged and then theyr investigated the situation. The left half of the hreplaee was open, Showing where he had made his en- trance. The whole fireplace was on a cleverly constructed turn-tahle and was c.lperated by springs. They looked into the opening and were astounded at what they saw. A separate room, not geeessible from any other place was upon the opposite side of the fireplace and it was equipped with a very power tul radio set. The entire works, even to the antenna. was'all in the room, but what attracted their attention the most was the laboratory equipment in the room. There were shelves of many chemicals. test tubes, burners, and many kinds of instruments and par- aphernalia which neither boy could de+ time. What thee. began Cliff, but hesitated: one look at Morgan settled the matter. The latter had .a handful of twenty dollar billaebut they were printed on one side only. Morgan was happy. He had at last found his share of adventure. At Cliff's house the next forenoon the two had to tell the whole story over For the benefit of Clith mother and Sister. They asked many ques- tions and Harold let his chum answer most of them. but when they asked the reason for their going upstairs and waiting. Cliff turned to Harold and said. l'I have been thinking about that myself. just what gave you the tip P There was one thing that struck me strange, and that was the idea of that step signal switch, he replied. iiI also got thinking about that music and won- dering just how it happened to come from upstairs. A radio set was the only answer. and I remembered that I noticed a small room under the secret room. As the house had no unsightly bulge on it, I assumed that thEre was another room on the second Hoot. So I guessed. and came out on the lucky end. I felt all the time that the ghost reputation of the house was upheld to cover up some criminal ace tionrjust what I did not know at the time. but you see that look was with us. We made a good haul. The money we make on this proposition will pay our expenses in college this tear. lll wish I had been there, June told Morgan. The latter said that he would have appreciated her presence. After a few minutes of trying to get in a few words, Cliff was wise enough to withdraw. As he left the room he