THE CHINA MAIL FRIDAY SUPPLEMENT, FEBRUARY 21, 1941.
SHORT STORYKO
"FEAR"
By MAY WYNNE
"The reputation of the place," players. He was one who usually Said Carr drily, "is not pleasant, preferred his own compatty and later that Darnali I'm not a psychic myself, but I have had the reputation of being ner- spoken to friends who are alto- vous to a degree. gether reliable- good, common- sense chaps who went to the barn
What Fenley wanted with Dar- from various motives! curiosity, nall in respect to Halson Barn amusement, honest-to-goodness. Carr could only surmise. interest in psychic phenomenu, and they tell me they would neither repeab the experience nor speak of it. In fact one and all struck me as men who had been afraid."
Fenley chuckled. Without beint a bouster he enjoyed his reputa- tion as a man who did not know the meaning of the word fear.
Carr's speech rang as a chal- lenge which he accepted without hesitation.
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felds to Halson Barn.
Carr said no more--but learned stood near a wood.
and Fenley "Not much in the way of moon-
Darnall was standing on the were going to tackle the spook of light," drawled Fenley, "but I dare threshold-ho looked at his friend the old barn.
say we shall get a spot of it at the with an understanding smile. psychological moment. The only "I am going," he said, "to a grouse I shall have is if the Ele- man in need. Afterwards I will mental doesn't show up. Want tell you the reason for a ghost something to freeze the chups' that is laid." blood, ch? I suppose you are pro- perly psychic and expect all sorts of manifestations. What's the great iden with you?"
Curiously enough, though it be- came the subject of bets, neither of the mer were ragged about their decision.
Carr was not the only one to think Fenley was taking a mean advantage of a man who, com- bined theories with ;) physical nervousness which is so misinterpreted as cowardice,
often
Fenley was ready enough to ex- plain. "Darnall has his views about ghosts," he Jested-"has the theory of earth-bound spirits whe need help. So I shall invite him to come along. Of course, if he gets the wind up badly I'll have Scotch ready for him- but it's his "Have you spoken to Dan Ro- awn psychology i want to analyse binson about his experience," Carr for a character in my new book." asked Darnall. "No one seems to give the vaguest clue to the mys- Carr looked ai
speaker tery. I-er-don't take it serious- thoughtfully.
ly, eh? but if there is any sort of element...
the
in
Darnall smiled. He was a tall,
"I would rather tell you that afterwards." said Darnall, “but, to be perfectly frank, 1 do expect- an experience."
It
Fenley laughed. He was bored by the other's attitude, but attri- buted I to a growing fear. would make a clever little bit of character analysis for his book.
Darnall appeared quite content not to talk, and they reached the barn in silence.
The interior was no different to plain-featured man, with a pair of that of a hundred other old coun- the kindliest eyes.
try bars. There were no hanging the ropes suggestive of a noose: of
upper floor or trap doors.
"I'm not psychic either," he re- "Your affair," said he, "it reminds torted, "but the subject interests me of a youngster who used to set me when handled by an expert, the wings of his moths before the and irritates me when it forms a dope of the killing bottle had kill thrill for old women and flappers. ed them He was interested I'll go to Halson Barn to-night walching the signs 'just for the fun of the thing, and life."
also to cxperiment on a man who
Fenley reddened. interests me- you know Darnali?" Carr nodded, nut altogether pleased at hearing the name. He "Darnall has a perfectly free not only knew Fane Darnall, but choice,' he said coldly. "He can respected him. The latter was in refuse my invitation, and he caut his third year at the Varsity and make all the enquiries about the The latter had adopted a man- had decided to reud for the barn. After all, it is probably a put ner of lazy indifference as he and Church. Not a particularly po- up job of poachers to keep people Darnall tramped across the fields pular man, except amongst tennis from using the place."
"I know the mystery of returning
barn," he said quietly; "that is why I would I am going with Fenley. rather not say more than that."
He lett Carr more puzzled than ever--and more resentful against Fenicy.
towards the derelict barn which
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A quantity of rotting wood lay piled and propped at one end, and as the young men entered, a cou- ple of rots scurried floor.
across the
perch over
Darnall shook his head.
the
It was impossible to ask ques- tions, though Carr's wonder grew. Darnall, pale enough, smiled as though he took a message of good
news.
It was the loneliest of cottages to which he went. A dreary place with weed-choked garden and the air of desolation.
It struck Carr as curious that his friend was evidently expected. A man, gaunt, lean and tired in expression, stood on the threshold. Darnall gripped his hand and they went in together.
Carr waited for an hour it go home seemed impossible to leaving the mystery unsolved,
At last Darnall came out alone and joined him. The two walked away without speaking at first.
Carr felt no wish to criticise or fear- joke about the flight of stricken Fenley. He sensed some- tning bigger than any of them had allowed for.
Then presently Darnall spoke. "What about a
you the "I am going to tell there?" asked Fenley, pointing to story, Carr," he said, "but first I couple of chopping blocks; but must ask you neither to tell Fen- ley or any others. To me there loubt if we have long
tis something too pitiful and sacred wait." he replied. "Robinson told in this tale of human suffering ne the time he left-it was 11.30. to allow it to be told as a mere It is just after eleven now.
ghost tale. "I thought midnight was
"I have always been interested correct tumpus." said Fenley, but, in the occult. My theory is that rather to Darnall's surprise, he when anyone comes back from the crossed over beside him.
Unseen World there must be The whole of the interior of the very definite reason.
I have prov- barn was in darkness, only around ed this twice. When I heard the the open door space a faint light men talking of the haunted barn glowed.
I did not question those who had gone to exploit a ghost, but made enquiries from local friends.
The silence was complete.
At first the watchers stood alert, concentraling on that strange starch into the unknown, bul presently, heedless of cobwebs, they lolled back against the wall, Fenley was wondering in bored amusement if Darnall were get- ting enough of it all, when a sud- den chill in the atmosphere startled him. It was no draught
that or rising night breeze, but strange sense of cold which is said ไป accompany any manifesta- tion of the occult.
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"Finally I elicited the yarn of a gamekeeper and his wife living about a mile from the barn. They had no children, and I suppose were quite devoted; the only trou- ble was the man's fits of temper, amounting to mania,
"When one of his 'rages' came
of on he seemed capable
any crime, but with his wife these at- tacks were very rare till the time her when they quarrelled over perfectly innocent friendship with Yet there was nothing to see her cousin. Peter forbade Annie yonder within the radius of light to go out with him--and she dis- sound to break the si- obeyed. His fury was terrible, lence, and yet both were aware and he warned her he would do of a fear which gripped their her in if she disobeyed again. senses and brought beads of per- "She disobeyed-overruled by spiration to their brows,
the other lad's gay coaxing, but Neither had ever heard of such she knew her husband had learn- the an experience, and as their pulses ed of her folly, and when beat in heavy throbbing, the in- time drew near for
his return tolerable fear grew. There was home panic fear seized her. something terrible here, yet terri- "The cottage, as you saw, was ble in a new inexplicable way. in the loneliest of places, and the A fear which brought physical young woman, timid and afraid, weakness, without faintness. A must have worked herself up into horror which spoke of death and a frenzy so that at last, catching murder, yet showed no manifesta- up her cloak, she ran out and tion of crime.
away to Halsom Barn, where she hid..amongst the wood.
It was as if the fear of a tor- tured soul had entered into each, "To understand what happened an agony which rose to a climax to-night you must try and ex- and then vanished, leaving in its perience the agony of horror over- place a still grimmer horror. But whelming the terrified girl
- she for the darkness, each felt they was little more, Loving the man might have seen eyes filled with wholeheartedly, she could pity him agony and remorse; a murderer as the victim of a maniac's fits. already repentant of his deed, She visualised the horror of the whilst wave after wave of human deed she was convinced he con- despair left them dizzy and afraid templated.
with a fear beyond the fear
of death.
Fenley had entirely forgotten his companion, the study of an- other man's character under nerve strain was utterly wiped out. His only desire was to escape from two experiences each as tragic as the other......
"And then, as she crouched there in terror, she heard him call her name and so great was her terror, that she sank down there
in death.
►
"It was there he found her, saw the piteous terror stamped in the open eyes, and knew what her fear, had been. He had" come” Caring, nothing as to Darnall, raging, too blind with anger to heedless whether he had fainted know what he intended to do--- or gone crazed under the ordeal, though he had thrust a knife from he reeled away, out into the the table into his pocket. moonlight.. : out" across the meadows, sweating, trembling, till a hand gripped his shoulder, and he saw Carr,
"Where," asked the latter harsh ly. is Darnall?”
Fenley's laugh was eerie enough. "I left him to hobnob with the devils." he replică.. "I've had enough of them."
ex-
"Seeing her dead, realising his mad folly, he knew there the fear I was cognizant of to-night. I came, expecting such an perience. As the fear passed 1 prayed that Annie might know of her man's grief; and he of her forgiveness.
“I believe I was used as a me-- “dium · between two worlds, even.
though I am no Spiritualist.
"You know what fear is," atat- ed Carr, and got the answer which "By prayers I was permitted to he might have asked for in vain serve. Annie's home will have -to-morrow-
again the spirit of peace. Annie's "Fear," muttered Fenley, "It husband will take up his life was fear. But I'm not translating again. it for your benoflt. You'll prob-.
"The ghost of Halsón Barn will ably': find. Darnall a gibbering bring no more a fear that is dead." maniac."
The dawn was breaking as the "Ah!" said Carr, "and you left two: reached their collegew him to it!T
To Jolin Carr, too, had come a Then he went back across the revelation.