CHAPTER TEN--THE TERROR BY NIGHT
IN every department of scientific inquiry, Professor Ravenden was, aboveall else, methodical. The extraordinary or unusual he set aside for calmanalysis. When he came to a dark passage in his investigations, he madefull notes and relied on patience and his reasoning powers for light.Facts of ascertained relations and proportions he catalogued. In crisesof doubt, after exerting his own best efforts, he was not too proudto ask counsel, were there any at hand in whose judgment he feltconfidence. But first he strove to make his own mind master of theproblem.
Thus it was that on the night of September 19, after an evening'smoth-hunt, he went to his room and sat down to write. First, however, hechanged to pyjamas and dressing-gown, for a sudden shower had soaked hisclothing. He then selected from a box a cigar of a brand whose housingand apparel proclaimed it of high price and special flavour, lighted it,and smoked with deep, long puffs. To his daughter or any other who knewhim well this would have signified some unusual mental condition, forthe abstemious professor used tobacco most sparingly. On this occasionhe needed it as a sedative. Professor Ravenden had undergone a severeshock.
For more than three hours he wrote, with long pauses for consideration.Once he rose, strode on slippered feet up and down the room and communedaloud with himself:
"Undeniably I was terrified.... Why otherwise should I have fled?...An object that may well have been harmless and must inevitably havepresented aspects of scientific interest.... Perhaps the repetition...the instinct of peril deceived me, fostered by the previous inexplicableoccurrences... yet, even in my fright, I incline to believe that Ipreserved my powers of observation."
When he slept upon the conclusion of his work, there lay amid thewreckage of scriptive revision upon his table three closely writtensheets of manuscript.
Waking early the next morning, he aroused Haynes and Dick Colton, andasked them to come to his room as soon as they had dressed. Upon theirentrance he bade them to seats, and took up the manuscript.
"In a case of this importance," he said formally, "I shall notapologise, except by mention, for the disorder of my room. It has beenmy practice in cases presenting difficult aspects to reduce thesalient facts to writing, thus preserving the more important featuresunencumbered with obstructive detail. This method it was which enabledme to throw some new light upon the dimorphic female of the _Papilioturnus_ as found in the Blue Ridge chain. In the present instanceI design to read to you, gentlemen, a report upon certain strangehappenings of last night, and to ask your opinion as bearing upon themysterious events which have crowded so fast upon each other recently.Before beginning to read, I may state that I never have been afflictedwith any aberration of the senses, that I am in sound health, andthat after the experiences which I am about to state I tested bothtemperature and pulse for possible indications of fever. My temperaturewas 98.5, which is normal for me, and my pulse, while a trifleirregular, owing to nervous disturbances, was not unusually rapid. DoI present to you, Dr. Colton, any external indications of nervous orfunctional disorder?"
"Absolutely none, sir," replied the physician promptly. "I shouldestimate your temperament to be an unusually calm and rational one."
"Then I shall proceed," said Professor Ravenden, and turning to hismanuscript he read: "Report on certain events noted by Willis Ravenden,F. R. S., Sc.D., at Montauk Point, Long Island, on the evening ofSeptember 18, 1902.
"On the evening named I had set forth from Third House with the purposeof seeking a specimen of the _Catocala_. Besides my capturing net, a canof molasses and rum for an insect lure, and the poison jar, I carried,in pursuance of general agreement, a thirty-two-calibre revolver.Passing around the south end of the lake, I selected for my operationsa patch of _Quercus ilicifolia_ several hundred feet beyond the westernshore and perhaps a mile distant from my point of departure, and smearedthe leaves with the adhesive mixture. Some success was rewarding myefforts, among other captives being fine specimens of the _Saturniamaia_ and the _Dryocampa imperialis_, when a cloud-bank obscured themoon, and the wind which had been blowing lightly from the north becamecapricious and gusty. Conditions such as these are unfavourable tothe pursuit of the nocturnal _lepidoptero_. Moreover, the darkness wasbecoming very dense. Hastily closing and packing my net, I set out forhome. As nearly as I can estimate it then was about 10 o'clock p. m.
"Owing to the darkness and the irregularity of the ground, my progresswas difficult. When I had almost reached, as I estimated, the shore ofthe lake, I stumbled and fell. As I regained my feet, a strange soundwhich appeared to come from above and a trifle to the northwest ofme attracted my attention. It suggested the presence of some wingedcreature, although it resembled rather a crackling than a beating orflapping of pinions. It seemed to differ from the strange creaking whichI had before noted when abroad at night, and which I at once recalled.Somewhat alarmed, I drew my revolver and cocked it. At this moment thewind, which had been dead from the north, veered in a sharp gust to thenorthwest. A rushing noise from the blackness above seemed to be drawingnear me at a high speed, and as I braced myself for some assault, anobject which I believe to have been very large, struck the ground withgreat violence a few rods, as I judged, to the west of me and camebounding over the earth in my direction. At the same time I discerned afaintly perceptible oily odour.
"For a moment I was paralysed with alarm. I make no concealment orpalliation of the emotion. As it seemed, without volition, I thenleaped backward, and ran toward the end of the lake. Thus I avoided theadvancing object, but only to run into further danger (if danger therewas), for I heard another crackling noise of passage, and this timedimly saw in the void a great body pass swiftly above my head. Ofthe dimensions or shape of this phenomenon I can give no accuratedescription; but it seemed larger and of more solid bulk than any birdknown to me as inhabiting this locality, and its movement suggestedrather a skimming progress, borne by the wind, than a measured flight.Throwing myself upon the ground to avoid its notice, I remained until aheavy splash told of its having reached the lake. Then I rose and ran.
"With my first exhaustion of breath came reason. I turned, and whileone hardly can answer for his own performances, I intended to returnand investigate, for shame burned hot within me. Indeed, I already hadretraced my steps for perhaps a hundred feet when there burst upon mea rain-squall so furious that I lost my way completely and was soonfloundering in the edge of the lake. Realising my helplessness in thisonslaught of the elements, I set out for home, and after an hour'swandering, according to my estimate, reached Third House at ten minutespast eleven.
"Conclusions: That the two objects were presumably a pair of livingcreatures; that they were either in a state of panic flight, orwere water-creatures hastening to refuge, since at least one of themterminated its course in the lake; that they probably were the samecreatures whose presence has been noted overhead previously by myself,Mr. Haynes, Mr. Everard Colton and others.
"Query: What relation, if any, do they bear to the death of the sheep onthe beach and of the sailor Petersen?"
Professor Ravenden laid his manuscript on the table and looked at hisauditors. Haynes had been making notes. Colton sat in rapt attention.Each drew a long breath as the reading closed, and the professor said:
"Gentlemen, have you any suggestions that will throw light upon thesephenomena?"
Colton spoke first. "You suggested, before, an air-craft of some kind,perhaps in joke."
"Partly," agreed the professor. "But these were by no means largeenough. Air-ships, as you doubtless are aware, are of vast extent."
"Besides, they usually don't travel in pairs," said Haynes. "You canlocate the spot where you saw the things, I suppose, Professor?"
"Approximately."
"Then let's start at once," said the reporter, rising.
They made good speed to the lake, and examined its western shore withoutmaking any discovery. Spreading out, they scouted carefully, and hadgone perhaps fifty yards, studying the ground for possible
signs, whenDick Colton, who was in the middle, gave a shout and began to exhibitsigns of strangulation. The others ran to him, and he turned a suffusedand twitching face toward them, pointing to an oak patch near by.
"Excuse me," he gasped; "but look at that!" Tangled in the patch was thedilapidated ruin of a large kite of the Malay or tailless type. Most ofthe paper had blown away, but what remained was of an oily finish, andexhaled a slight odour. Professor Ravenden looked at it carefully, andan expression of deep humiliation overspread his mild face.
"I do not resent your amusement, Dr. Colton," he said. "To you gentlemenI must seem, as indeed I do to myself, an unworthy and fearful discipleof science."
"Not in the least," said Haynes quickly. "Your experience was enough tofrighten anyone."
"I should have run like a rabbit," declared Colton positively."I laughed because it seemed such a ridiculous ending to my ownforebodings."
"Perhaps it isn't entirely ridiculous either," said Haynes, who had beenexamining the kite cord, slowly. "There's something queer about this.Where did those kites come from, and how?"
"Broke away, of course," said Dick.
"Supposing you try to break that string. You're a husky specimen."
"Can't do it," said the doctor, after exerting his strength. "It's thefinest kind of light braided line."
"And it hasn't been broken, in my opinion," said the reporter. "Look atthose ends."
"Cut! Clean cut!" exclaimed Colton.
"And within twenty feet of the bellyband," added Haynes. "Now, ifsomeone will kindly explain to me how--"
"This kite," said the professor, who had been studying it, "is, ifI mistake not, one of a string such as are used for aerostaticexperiments. The oiled paper is for rain-shedding purposes. It is asubsidiary kite, used to raise the slack of the main line. Therefore thestring has not parted at the point of greatest tension."
"And it's as badly crumpled up," added Colton, "as if it had collidedwith a brick block."
"Its mate ought to have drifted to the opposite shore of the lake," saidHaynes. "I'll go look." Presently he returned with the second kite. Itwas twin in size and type to the first. The skeleton was intact, thoughthe paper showed signs of its rough trip across the ground before itreached the lake.
"About sixty feet of string left on this one," said the reporter. "Cutclean, just like the other." He laughed nervously. "Begins to lookpretty interesting, doesn't it?"
"How many kites do you think there were in the string?" Colton asked theprofessor.
"Seven is by no means an unusual number in experiments of this nature."
"Then where are the rest?"
"If the main line was severed they may well have been carried out overthe ocean. Particularly this would be true if these were the two lowestsubsidiary kites."
"Hello! What's this?" said Colton, looking up. Over the breast of thehill toward the Sound strolled a man. He wore the characteristic garb ofthe Montauk fishermen, and evidently was from the little colony on thenorth shore.
Haynes walked forward to meet him, "G'-morning," he said pleasantly."Did you happen to see anything of a gentleman in a black suit an'eye-glasses, wanderin' absentmindedly about this part of the world?"
"No," said Haynes. "Have you lost such a one?"
"Reckon he's lost himself, Hain't showed up since last evenin'. Justthe kind o' man to lose himself in open country. Sort o' crank, alwaysmakin' exper'ments."
"What kind of experiments?"
"Foolish doin's with kites, like a kid."
"Is he staying with you?"
"Boardin'. Been there a week. Says he's study-in' air currents. Goes outin the evenin's an' puts up a lot o' kites. I've seen him with as manyas seven onto one string. He's mighty smart at it."
"What time did he start out yesterday evening?" asked Haynes.
"Long about ha'-past seven. Looked for him back when the wind droppedand come again so uneasy, just before that shower. But no Mr. Ely."
"Is that one of his kites?" asked the reporter, pointing to the brokenrhomboid which he had laid in the long grass.
"Certain, sure!" said the fisherman. "Where'd you find it?"
"It came down near here. So did one of the others."
"That so?" said the fisherman, seeming somewhat concerned. "Hope heain't come to no harm." While they were talking Professor Ravenden hadbeen making a rapid calculation on a pad.
"I believe that I can lead you approximately to the point whence thesekites were flown," he said. "Will you follow me?"
For more than a mile the small and slight professor set them anastonishing pace. Presently he stopped short and picked up the end of astring at the foot of a small hillock.
"This also seems to have been cut," he said, and followed its course.
Beyond the knoll was a hollow, and on the slope of this a smallwindlass.
"That's his'n!" cried the fisherman. "But where's he?"
Haynes walked over to a small oak patch beyond. For several yards infrom the edge the shrubbery showed, by its bent twigs, the passage ofa large body. Patches of cloth on the twigs told that a man had tornthrough in hot haste. On the soil underneath were footprints. But at theend of the path and the footprints was nothing.
"Look here!" Haynes exclaimed. "He rushed in here to escape something.Here's where the trail ends. You can see-"
"My God! Come quick!"
It was the fisherman on the other side of the oak patch. They ran aroundand found him bending over a body almost hidden in the edge of thethicket, where the scrub was low.
"That's Mr. Ely!" he cried. "He's been murdered!"
The head was crushed in as by a terrific blow. Near the right shoulderthe arm-bone protruded from the flesh. Colton lifted the corpse, andthere through the breast was the same kind of gash that had slainPetersen.
"It's that cursed juggler," said Haynes bitterly. "Why did we let himget away?"
"This man has been dead for several hours," said the young doctor in alow tone.
"As long ago as ten o'clock last night?" asked Haynes.
"Very probably."
"What killed him; the crashing of the skull or the stab-wound?"
"Whichever came first."
"Assuming the correctness of your hypothesis that this unhappy manrushed into the oak patch from the other side, Mr. Haynes, how is thefact that we find his body here, several rods distant from the apparentend of his flight, to be explained?" asked the professor.
"On the ground that he rushed out again," replied the reporter dryly.
"Then you discerned returning footprints?"
"No; there was none there, so far as I could see."
"And there is none here," said Colton, who had been examining thegrassless soil under the thick canopy. "But see how the thicket isbroken, almost as if he had flung himself upon it. Haynes! What'swrong?"
Without any warning the reporter had thrown up his hands and fallen atfull length into the oak. They rushed to his aid, but he was up at once.
"Don't be alarmed," he said, smiling. "I'm all right. Just anexperiment. I shall go over with this man to make some inquiries at thefishing colony and arrange for the disposal of the body. It may take meall day. In that case, I'll see you this evening."
He took the fisherman by the arm. The man seemed dazed with horror, andwent along with hanging jaw. Colton and Professor Ravenden returned toThird House, in pondering silence.
At the house Dick found himself suffering from a return of his oldrestlessness. In the afternoon he saw Miss Ravenden, but she evaded eventhe necessity of speaking to him. With a vague hope of diverting hismind and perhaps of finding some fresh clue, he returned to the lake,and studied the land not only near the spot where the kites had fallen,but between there and the sea-cliff, without finding anything to lightenthe mystery.
At nine o'clock Haynes came in, pale and tired, and stopped at Dick'sroom.
"They have arranged to ship Mr. Ely's body back to Connecticut where helived," he said. "The fishermen are in
a state of almost superstitiousterror."
"Anything new?"
"Yes and no. It's too indefinite to talk about. What little there isonly tends to make the whole question more fantastic and less possible."
Colton looked at him. "You need sleep, and you need it badly," he said."Any pain?"
"Oh, the usual. A little more, perhaps."
"Take this," said the other, giving him a powder. "That'll fix you. Iwish it would me; I feel tonight as if sleep had become a lost art."
Nodding his thanks, the reporter left. Dick threw himself on his bed;but the strange events of the few days at Montauk crowded his brain andfevered it with empty conjectures. When finally he closed his eyes therereturned upon him the nauseating procession of medicine bottles. Thencame a bloody sheep, which fled screaming from some impending horror.The sheep became a man frantically struggling in an oak patch, and theman became Dick himself. Almost he could discern the horror; almost thesecret was solved. Blackness descended upon him. He threw himself upwardwith a shriek--and was awake again. When at length he lay back, thevisions were gone; a soft drowsiness overcame him, and at the end thedeep eyes of Dorothy Ravenden blessed him with peace.