The New Adventures of Ellery Queen by Ellery Queen Read Free Book Online Page B

looked at the empty space where a three-story stone house seventy-five years old had stood the night before.
    â€œWhy, it isn’t there,” said Alice feebly from the upper window. “It … isn’t … there.”
    â€œThen I’m not insane.” Thorne stumbled toward them. Ellery watched the old man’s feet sloughing through the snow, leaving long tracks. A man’s weight still counted for something in the universe, then. Yes, and there was his own shadow; so material objects still cast shadows. Absurdly, the discovery brought a certain faint relief.
    â€œIt is gone!” said Thorne in a cracked voice.
    â€œApparently.” Ellery found his own voice thick and slow; he watched the words curl out on the air and become nothing. “Apparently, Thorne.” It was all he could find to say.
    Dr. Reinach arched his fat neck, his wattles quivering like a gobbler’s. “Incredible. Incredible!”
    â€œIncredible,” said Thorne in a whisper.
    â€œUnscientific. It can’t be. I’m a man of sense. Of senses. My mind is clear. Things like this—damn it, they just don’t happen!”
    â€œAs the man said who saw a giraffe for the first time,” sighed Ellery. “And yet … there it was.”
    Thorne began wandering helplessly about in a circle. Alice stared, bewitched into stone, from the upper window. And Keith cursed and began to run across the snow-covered driveway toward the invisible house, his hands outstretched before him like a blind man’s.
    â€œHold on,” said Ellery. “Stop where you are.”
    The giant halted, scowling. “What d’ye want?”
    Ellery slipped his revolver back into his pocket and sloshed through the snow to pause beside the young man in the driveway. “I don’t know precisely. Something’s wrong. Something’s out of kilter either with us or with the world. It isn’t the world as we know it. It’s almost … almost a matter of transposed dimensions. Do you suppose the solar system has slipped out of its niche in the universe and gone stark crazy in the uncharted depths of space-time? I suppose I’m talking nonsense.”
    â€œYou know best,” shouted Keith. “I’m not going to let this screwy business stampede me . There was a solid house on that plot last night, by God, and nobody can convince me it still isn’t there. Not even my own eyes. We’ve—we’ve been hypnotized! The hippo could do it here—he could do anything. Hypnotized. You hypnotized us, Reinach!”
    The doctor mumbled: “What?” and kept glaring at the empty lot.
    â€œI tell you it’s there!” cried Keith angrily.
    Ellery sighed and dropped to his knees in the snow; he began to brush aside the white, soft blanket with chilled palms. When he had laid the ground bare, he saw wet gravel and a rut.
    â€œThis is the driveway, isn’t it?” he asked without looking up.
    â€œThe driveway,” snarled Keith, “or the road to hell. You’re as mixed up as we are. Sure it’s the driveway! Can’t you see the garage? Why shouldn’t it be the driveway?”
    â€œI don’t know.” Ellery got to his feet, frowning. “I don’t know anything. I’m beginning to learn all over again. Maybe—maybe it’s a matter of gravitation. Maybe we’ll all fly into space any minute now.”
    Thorne groaned: “My God.”
    â€œAll I can be sure of is that something very strange happened last night.”
    â€œI tell you,” growled Keith, “it’s an optical illusion!”
    â€œSomething strange.” The fat man stirred. “Yes, decidedly. What an inadequate word! A house has disappeared. Something strange.” He began to chuckle in a choking, mirthless way.
    â€œOh that,” said Ellery impatiently. “Certainly. Certainly, Doctor. That’s a fact . As for you, Keith,