Show the gray house hid the mystery of a haunted mansion THE STORY allton hanby has purchased a country place the gray house near pine alsa Sele former tenant warns him that the house ts under a curse further alarming details are impressed upon adolf hanby a secretary by a man who claims to have been chauffeur for sir stanford seymour cormer occupant of the place the han by laugh off the warning but they are shocked when they hear that the caretaker of the gray bouse a man named kerr has been mysteriously murdered hanby consults his friend pe ham the family starts tor the new home appleton a clerk of douglas and smith the agents from whom hanby bought the gray house urges pelham to dissuade hanby from occupying the gray house considers asking leslie darron long an admirer of cella to loin the house party mrs hanby declares she likes the house pelham becomes a member of the household leslie barren arrives making tour able bodied members of the hanby household A phone call from man who declares he I 1 an old acquaintance of hanby and interested in ornithology but whom hanby cannot identity urges him to preserve a part of the grounds as a bird sanctuary the idea appeals to hanby and he makes the promise the hao bys take possession of the gray house A arranger introducing himself as frederick appleton calls at the gray house and Is welcomed because of bis interest la bird life CHAPTER VI continued 10 after luncheon hanby admitted that the workmen were not accod what the contractor had promised since yon bring op the subject cald sir appleton may I 1 point out the probable causes he spoke with much assurance on work and workmen on the cost of material and on the manner in which grafting foren en could deceive even the intelligent hut amateur scrutiny of a man like mr nanby 1 I wish you were out of a pol alon mr nanby said when apple ton finished may I 1 ask aby id ask you to be my agent hera besides these improvements I 1 hav three tenant banners who want repairs for barns and houses add im bound to say they seem most onrea I 1 came here to play not to work appleton smiled he bad the look of one who delights to bring good news things generally turn out for the best he observed 1 I left the em ploy of douglas smith last week strictly speaking I 1 could not afford to do so but after almost thirty years to have to take orders from one with not one third of that sen lie aas too bitter 1 am not a proud man mr hanby but I 1 resigned this Is a business trip mr charke of ameila Is considering al and I 1 hoped he might select me to supervise them its charke s said hanby 1 I need you more than be does mrs nanby was very glad at the i news where will yon stay ehe asked there Is no accommodation near perhaps yon have a room over the garages be suggested timidly 1 I am accustomed to look after myself all the rooms are occupied wb not stay ua until something suitable turns up this Is an enor bouse as you know appleton was made specially wel come because his coming exempted each member of the household from some unaccustomed and unwelcome task junior bad been deputed to eee that the workmen finished the swimming pool on time cellas arith was strained at estimating the cost of lumber these labors mr appleton took over me liked him for his sim lie told them about his wife whom be adored an invalid lady on able to leave new york because of some special treatment for that ehe was tb foreman of masons resigned directly be found a man over him whom be could not fool App tetona mild appearance deceived him it was one of his grounds of grievance when be bought an interview with mr hanby too eay mr appleton wore at yon something terrible hanby scoffed dont lie about mr ap parton do a thing like thai but rm liable to turn rough any time an inefficient loafer tries to put up fool story like that get haa the audacity hanby told his wife to say that old appleton called him foul they laughed together at the ab ot it 1 I lost my temper I 1 admit con essed appleton at lunch 1 ex that labor owed something to the capital without which it could not exist lou tailed oer o er his head canby said 1 I thought that must be it the old man bothered them very little ue did not intrude it was his habit to walk about abe grounds at the bangle cigar he allowed and then to retire ue insisted on making his own bed and keeping his room in order the servants after the untidy ways of junior and les found him no brou trou ble at all ete fuves me twice his salary ev ery week ranby declared and he allows me to be a gentleman of aels ure again appleton la all right said junior thinking of the overseers job that had been his we all love him ex capt les what have you against him bill pelham demanded report all BUS things to alie house detective les did not welcome abe looks that were cast epou him nothing be admitted 1 I cant like every one can 17 les demanded cella tell me at once what la it de reminds me of my uncle rus sell if you must know ue has the same highly polished face I 1 don t like my uncle and its abe lion of ideas I 1 suppose les tella said severely 1 dont believe that s the real reason there was no doubt about leslie t smile lie was a singularly good looking lad when be smiled altti small white even teeth and a mouth cut almost too well for a man teats all you are going to get from me be said leave it to abe bouse detective pellam interrupted 1 I II 11 give les the degree and report to you tomorrow les Is full of prejudices cella answered dont worry ue has a young and uninteresting soul men your age turned to her mother 1 I confessed to bill my hopeless passion for him at al linhurst len hurst but be gasn wasn t even flat you were only fourteen try him now darling bill said cella seductively 1 love you and I 1 shall have a hundred thousand dollars on my wed ding day will you marry me just to spite lesl 11 hell be my best man you les be d d first I 1 cried les hotly you see ties really fond of me cella announced look at the ore in bis eyes and the passion in bis voice if ever 1 marry him hell beat die sometimes I 1 d like to les admit led mr appleton said cella Is a charming old gentleman with manners that les would do well to copy charming les cried can any one chow me how to gnash my teeth dosal Dos bl warned canby dere be as luncheon was the only meal at he appeared afraid you were not coming huld cordially 1 I have just paid off the workmen on the swimming pool be said the japanese tea bouse on th tennis lawn will be done tomorrow yon certainty make them work said 1 I flonder how you do 1 reward the efficient and als charge who shirk their duty it waa system all the years I 1 was in the employ of douglas smith mr appleton I 1 cella called the old man turned his smiling face to her ave made a very important discovery about the bird sanctuary what be said so quickly that hey could see the news disturbed him 1 I was wandering past it last night after dinner unwise said appleton toes lie advised to keep away bo you made a discovery cesi baw a great black anaka at east seven feet long Is that all aly dear ulsa cella TOO saw one of the roost valuable of the ophidians ns the black snake I 1 a rat eater a mouse hunter worth hta weight in old to your honored parents in the protection of the song binl rats are the natural enemies of the birds the black snakes are the natural enemies of rots an fn guided mr Apple tons eyes to tim who ft as at that moment tatang a snake hunt tim will be wise not to kit any but venomous veno moua emkes such as the copperhead tim Is not going near the bird sanctuary his mother declared after luncheon appleton sought oat sir ey the end of the week 1 shall have completed all the alterations he said 1 I have seen to the farm repairs and have reduced your ac count keeping to a card index system well within the comprehension of your son that mean you are leav ing us I 1 hope alas es ily poor wife has bad a turn for the worse and my duty Is at her side darby and joan you know mr canby darby and joail 1 shall have to get some one to take your place that should not be necessary said mr appleton oh dear me nol you will have no more trouble with workmen III see douglas about it said canby tin going into town in a few days 1 I doubt if mr douglas knows of any one everything in that line was left to me in his desire to be courteous to you he might recommend some wholly unsuitable person hanby sensed the dislike the former employee felt for the man who bad failed to appreciate alm but this did not away the new owner in the least nor did Apple tons offer to send a man meet with approval douglas was one of the biggest men of his calling in new york and dan by maintained that be would not recommend any but an expert when appleton Apple toa had gone bill pel barn asked leslie a question what was your grievance against that cheerful 1 I like the way be looked at cebia sly dear lesl bill protested that 8 all right returned les but you know my uncle rus sell ive read enough about him tn the papers about his financial triumphs I 1 don t meau that he rag as wicked an old beast as ever lived a calca lating smiling respect inspiring old libertine and be smiled in the father ly way that your old applejack has now go and langa and tell the others cella will think it a scream keep it to myself said bill but you wont mind it I 1 dont agree with you poor jealous boy he meditated so unhappy at cellas exasperating way that be seized on the old world courtesies of appleton as offensive 1 les he said presently have to get over those things there are some things no decent man ever gets over lea replied warmly warned bill who cornea I 1 A stranger stepped out of a station taxi walked over the terrace and rang the bell chos that les demanded except that bhe Is a woman forty three years of age height alve feet alve weight one hundred and fifty bos two gold stop pings in the lower bicuspids has never been Is fond of hiking and da voted to classical I 1 can tell you nothing but for those details she la a complete stranger upon whom 1 have never before set eyes bill you re a marvel said lea 1 I dare not contradict you I 1 am t all canies conies out of a correspondence course on bow to be a house detective bow can I 1 check up on the teeth les asked you cant that be playing the game it would be rude of you to ask the lady to open her mouth take my word for tt TO BB CONTINUED |