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"What is it?" she gasped

"We don't know," replied the man "It followed us up here, or rather it chased us up; and then went down again just before you regained consciousness I i develop," whispered The Oskaloosa Kid

"It's The Oskaloosa Kid," caht upstairs then?" queried another

"An' wot croaked this guy here?" asked a third "It wasn't nothin' nice--did you get the expression on hisan' the red foa in this house beside human bein's I know the joint--its hanted--they's spooks in it Gawd! there it is now," as the clanking rose to the head of the cellar stairs; and those above heard a sudden rush of footsteps as the men broke for the open air--all but the two upon the stairway They had re and now, their retreat cut off, they scra the hallway they rushed to the closed door at the end--the door of the roo theain ade

"Let us in! Let us in!" screamed two voices "Fer God's sake let us in Can't you hear IT? It'll be co chain could be heard at intervals upon the floor below It seemed to the tense listeners above to pause beside the dead ruesoain, this ti with a creepy slowness which wrought more terribly upon tense nerves than would a sudden rush

"The e

"Oh, don't!" pleaded The Oskaloosa Kid

"Let us in," screamed the men without "Fer the luv o' Mike have a heart! Don't leave us out here! IT's cos in," pleaded the girl on the bed She was, herself, tre with terror

"No funny business, now, if I let you in," coe

"On the square," came the quick and earnest reply

The THING had reached the head of the stairs when Bridge dragged the bed aside and drew the bolt Instantly two figures hurled thee resecure the doorway