Show HERE fiBRE TODAY Tudor wealthy orphan suffers a a. fous breakdown e l In France after e learn learn- l death t In n na battle a of l her brother r et te bur She Sho returns return to the Tudor estate Sandy Cove COYO and ts Is met by her aunt an active widow Mrs Clara Tudor an and lattera atter's daughter Laurel The Tho summer frightened by the tho reported pres- pres lof a wild man whom 1 Fay ay believes has seen peering peering- In the windows of the Sheriff Hulte e and his friend John Barry Darry a New detec- detec Pay Fay Is attracted by the tonality of Captain n her brothers brother's d who was with Wilbur II bur when he fell t night fo of ceA lira Tudors Tudor's dance I l wealthy philanthropist h I who hought to be In love with Mrs Irs Tudor poses to Fa Fay She rejects him After and before retiring Laurel conies con con- ies It o Fay that she Is In love with Harry mas mus an old love of Fays Fay's but for whom has long ceased to care Fay 1 In ah and the wishes same sr room her h In P the h si-r si morn morn- Laurel Is found dead from asphyxiation murder Is suspected Fay breaks the tho alto her Aunt Clara VGO o ox WITH WITH TilE THE STOny Dr Dr Green Irs Tudor wishes you olio her She frightens me I don't dont le her If H she would only ak down and cry crr or faint 1 would what to do for her but the shock ms to have numbed her h doctor vanished down the hall geant Barry motioned toward the dw seat Miss Tudor this may turn out to be bene ne ne e nr e case of ot natural ral death but ul uld It not it will be a matter for riff Hulse and he has asked me un- un to give him the benefit of ot my vices You Vou mean suicide mean suicide Fay started In ron Laurel had everything in the live for r have already told Ih how w happy she was last night pl pier r than she has ever been in all before mean that something had ocr oc- oc ocI r red d quite out of the ordinary course for tor her A romance 1 Yes res It Has Ibs not been announced as tin tUn fact her own mother was only of ot it today todar but the affair ild I know have met with her approval J Young 1 nIfe Lieutenant Harry mus had asked her to be his wife ft She was S thoroughly happy in the You knew lenew of ot no other ro- ro i would d do not o have a been so soon ri db received c b by her e mother ot on one whatever Laurel was desper- desper love as was Harr Harry If It it were heart disease what can have hae sed sodomy my cousins cousin's death coroner performs an aue aue au- au e cannot be he sure surl Miss ss Tudor I the fl-the u i a light sleeper le per Would you any anyone one entered the room durI dur- dur I night night- mot be sure I returned from nc nee in hi a highly nervous condition and that would predispose awakening at the slightest sound last night by I excitement of the dance and I r re- re ned awake until long after Laurel dropped oft to sleep low roV do you ou feel teel now Miss Tudor ayour head feel teel heavy or coned coned con con- ed Are you in the habit of ot tak- tak any narcotic or sleeping potion ily oy head feels quite as II Sergeant Barry Why do you OU our UEY our questions just now made think of ot suicide even though I I. I I It ow manifestly impossible such a be in connection with my 10 31 happy little cousin Are you I jesting row now that there may have far worse that some I ous unspeakable crime was com com- ed Jn that room last night Do murder murder murder- leJ roke off as the door at at the tie he end of ot the hall opened suddenly Mrs Tudor appeared leaning upon do doctors doctor's tors tor's arm must see her You must let me lIdo not believe you any of you be that my baby is dead h is maam ma'am though I am mighty say it The sheriff produced nd unlocked the door 10 seemed not to have heard but butler butler ler wa way with the slow measured fa somnambulist to the bedside he tell fell upon her knees and took small rigid hand in hers 1 The Ir sher- sher rau remained respectfully p t outside u rJ door but like a shadow the young ergeant had passed him and 1 now behind the kneel kneel- r aby Speak to me You are sleeping you will awaken parted white blue lips gave and the fixed stare of the sdi half d halt open eyes convinced the gh crazed mother that her plea fallen upon ears forever deaf deat and first outburst of tears she sher Ie r head upon the coverlet of or the v came swiftly forward and with lerat Barry attempted to lift her feet ft touch me Mrs Irs Tudor turned 1 ally upon the girl and then hep jt lIvered and she cried cl appeal appeal- tOh Oh I Kay ay cant can't you see I want J alone falone That I could not nt endure lf just yet et My grief is my back in pitiful shocked ement ment but the doctor nodded to tol l and himself escorted stricken woman to her own lm nt as scarcely dressed when voices I le l from below among which the cents of ot Coroner haw mingled deeper more resonant ones which Fay catch her breath sharply lay lad d Kenneth Clayton learned of or gedy What had brought him I VI J ank Instinctively from a ath tJi t th Kenneth Wy Cile Clayton 3 now but privileged family friend his I pres- pres not amiss at this time of or ay oy she descended the stairs she real real- I all at once that her head did not lutte right in spite of ot what she had Sergeant Barry Darry and In a sudden she clutched at the bal bal- ite I I Clayton met her atthe toot foot tootI I ie stairs arid and his hand closed about hers Is it true that IJa Laurel rel- rel ic Js dead Mr Clayton suppose Clara Is prostrated l ourse but she she she-she she takes it so EO g Jy She could not believe the taj first when I told her That would be only natural dear I 1 wont won't ask asle you now have given a thought to our little talk last night but butI butr I r have come to offer my services to both you and in any possible capacity Oh Ohl Fay cried in genuine distress I r am sure that Aunt Clara win will bo deeply grateful but you will not think me unkind Jr f I feel that that that-l I want to be alone This has all come so suddenly I that I don't dont feel teel I r can discuss it even with so so-so so so good a friend as you ou The coroners coroner's nasal tones sounded I from the he stairway H isn't whether its it's likely or not doctor its it's what the evidence proves I I dont don't care if It the other girl got off ott without without with with- out being harmed or not nor if It there Isn't A sign of or gas In n the room This This' I heres here's a case of ot asphyxiation There followed an indistinguishable I murmur in Dr Greens Green's deprecatory tones and then the coroners coroner's stubborn stUbbo rejoiner I The blood test will tell If It I find the Indications that I 1 suspect from rom I j i I i i i I I II II I i I I II I I I I I I I i I I Yon not think nir mt unkind if I feel ferl I Hint to be I the appearance of the skin this is goIng gro- gro ing to be one o ot th the biggest cases the i count county ever evet knew kne 1 The fro front lt door slammed As the loUd loud measured steps dp descended from th tha veranda eranda Fay in horror to her hel companion You hear beard she asked They think that It was murder But how could it have been The room by electricity like all aU the rest of ot the Che house there is not even a gas range In the kitchen and we had no Ire fire Inthe in the grate Besides how Is It conceivable ble that Laurel could have smothered to death and I not even been awakened awakened awak awak- ened Dont tr think about It my dear Clayton patted her arm gently You know what an alarmist Coroner Shaw is ls And as for tor the sheriff he Is al always always al- al ways making mystery out of ot nothing Just because a few cushions and a a. steamer rug were stolen from launch and the pantries of one or two of ot the summer residences were broken broleen into f by some m enterprising n t tramp a our fe friend here was cooking up p a fine lit I tle em mystery e until nJ vt this mornings morning's r s affair f 7 came along t to drive it out of his mind T r too had forgotten the man ray Fay shuddered Involuntarily That white drawn face tace with Its staring eyes arose in h hgr r memory The wave of ot dizziness swept over her once more She got to her feet teet somewhat ily with one land hand to her swimming head Really if It you dont don't I think I 1 will go nd try to rest On the stairs Fay came face to face tace with her aunt The latter was composed composed com com- posed but ver very pale and in her blue blueeyes blueeyes eyes there was a haunted tortured look My dear she said I did not mean to drive you OU from me now 1 was beside myself I did not know what I 1 thought or said Jay Fay kissed her and went on up the stairs Despite her assertion that she could not think of Laurels Laurel's death the problem confronted her with will Insistence insist Insist- ence But who on earth could have wanted to harm Laurel The young girl had hadnot hadnot not an enemy in the world and she was facing the Ule greatest happiness life lite could told Wold for tor her If It this hideous idea of murder could have any basis In fact it must undoubtedly be the work of some insane Intruder With that thought there came again the memory of ot that strange sinister face tace and ay sat bolt upright Now in retrospect with her brain by the shock h of the it seemed J t to her that after t all rr there had been something vaguely familiar in the strained halt half crazed face that had stared into hers from the dark dark- ness Continued in our next issue I |