Finally, Jim came to a door. He could perceive no light through the chinks in the door. Sensing the increasing uncanniness of a room without windows, without furniture, with flagging for a floor, he turned the knob of the door gently, and it gave under his touch.
Just then there came to him a hoarse whisper from across the room. It made him jump. "I've—I've found some wires," the old man was saying, "in a cable running along the floor——"
"See where they lead!" Detroit Jim was breathless, in anticipation.
And then, shattering the overwhelming tension of the moment, shrilled, suddenly, a horrible, prolonged, piercing shriek ending in a gasp and the sound of a heavy body falling to the floor! What, in God's name, had happened to the old man? And that yell was enough to awaken the entire world!
Detroit Jim groped his way across the room. He could hear now no further sound from the old man…. Steps outside! He sank upon his knees, his hands outstretched. He heard a lock turn; then following upon a click the whole universe went white, and dazzling and scorching!
He raised one arm to his blinking, throbbing eyes. A rough voice shouted: "Hands up!"
There was a rush of feet, the rough clutch of hands at his shoulders…. Presently he found himself blinking down upon the fear-contorted face of Old Man Anderson dirt-streaked, bearded, gaunt, dead!
Slowly his eyes crawled beyond the body on the floor…. Before him, its empty arms stretched toward him, its straps and wires twisting snakily in front of him, was The Chair!
"AURORE"
By ETHEL WATTS MUMFORD