OCR Text |
Show HEAVER CITY PRESS Hi fAlP By MARY ROBERTS RINEHART Cepyrfakt fcjr Dm Ciiiv H. WNO Sarrlat Cup 11 said. THE STORY Event of ths story set forth In tba journal or William A. l'orter, professor of English literature: The professor's uncle, Horace Porter, died mysteriously at his home, Twin Hollows, now the professor' property. Jane, th professor's wife, la a psychic. She Insists Uncle Horace, dead for year, had attended his class reunion and products a snapshot to frof-Bsprove her contention. Cameron, Interested In psychics ' .research. Inclines to the Idea of psychic photography. With their niece, Edith, the Porters go to Twin Hollows for their vacation despite Jane's reluctance. A letter Horace had been writing at the time of his death shows that he was Interested In spiritualism. It hints of danger. A "red lamp" Is mentioned. They take up their residence In the lodge, because of Jane' aversion to the house Warren HalMday, In love with Edith, comes to live In the A number of sheep are myaferlously killed In the vicinity. The slayer leaves a cabalistic sign at the scene of the killings. Greenougb, a detective, arrives and Porter has a feeling that he Is under suspicion Twin Hollows Is rented to sn elderly, partially man, paralyzed Rethel, who, with his secretary. Gordon, takes possession. or boat-hous- e. (Continued.) 6.. It Is Indicative or tne whole situa tlon, I think, ttiat he lighted the flash Lie was no longer lurking to the dark, waiting for the motor bout to drive the marauder ashore. That marauder, In the elinpe of a shivering professor of English literature, slightly unbai aoced mentally, was before him. Greenough was frankly puzzled, tie had, one perceives, a problem on Mi hands, lie wanted Carroway to come in and Identify me, for without that Identification he was helpless. And soraewheres out on the water was Car- roway, possibly with a stalled engine. He put his tin nls to his mouth and called: t ' "lilt Bob!" tie yelled. "Bob." But there was no answer, except that Halliilny cnme running out and asked what the trouble was." Green ough was thoroughly Irritated; he lapsed into a sulky, watchful silence, and offered no objection when I shlv eringly suggested that I go back to my bed. I left them both there, tlalll day preparing to row out and locate the launch If possible, and cnme bock to the Lodge. Tills morning I learn that Carro- way'8 boat was found by Greenougb who had a fast launch with a search light, at one o'clock this morning, drifting out with the tide and about two miles from land. It was empty, and no sign of young Carroway was As tt trailed no dory, our found. mystery has apparently become a tragedy. And I am under suspicion. 1 have put that down, and sitting back have stared at It It Is true. And suppose what 1 am expecting at any moment takes place, and Greenougb comes Into the drive, to confront me with the damnable mass of evidence be has put together, the circle enclosing the trl angle; the fact that the sheep-killindid not commence until after our ar rival at the Lodge; the night Morri son, driving his truck load of produce, saw me on the road ; and most of all, with last night I Suppose I tell him the actual fact That my wife has some curious power, and that In obedience to It she la?t night aroused me from a virtuous sleep, to tell me she bad clairvoyantly seen a man taking a boat from our float, and that I must Immediately go down; that there was. she felt, something terribly wrong? Suppose' I told him that, which Is exactly the fact! And also that, once there. I found that Edith had left the canoe In the water, and that I had, like the careful Individual I am, drawn tt op out of barm's Will he believe that! I wonderwayT "And to one way, if yon can stand it. It's not a bad thing." Pressed for an explanation, It ap pears that he bad been thinking of go ing after the reward himself, and that this matter of Carroway has decided him. , "Reward or no reward,' he said. quietly, "I've had a bit of training ; they put me In the Intelligence In Ger-man- during the occupation. And of course the way to catch a criminal is to keep hlra from knowing who's after him. Then auain. If . he learns the police are watching you and he may he's watching them, you know It may nmke him a bit reckless. You never can tell." . But he has a third reason, although he has not mentioned IL He is chivalrously determined to protect me, and through me, Edith. July 7 Another day has gone by, and I am still at large. Free, I suppose In order that I may eventually again sally forth some dark night, with my piece of chalk and another knife for hus not Greenougb. my original one? to kill more sheep; if Indeed there be any remaining for slaughter; or to stab and throw overboard another hapless boatman. The plain truth Is that t am sadly Even what before seemed upset. plain and obvious duty, to go to the other' house tonight and tell Mr, Bethel on his arrival the exact situa tion, has been all day a matter for most anxious thought It had seemed quite simple before. 1 would say to him: "Sir, I have rented you this house. True, I warned your secretary of certain unpleasant qualities It Is supposed to have, but I must also warn you. The (wilding Is reported to be haunted I do not believe this, nor I daresay will you, but I feel that I ' ; must tell you." Or again: "There Is also a popular or unpop ular Idea that some recent sheep killings around the vicinity are some how connected with this huuntlng. The police do not think so, hut the more Ignorant of the natives do. If lids alarms you, I am prepared to pay buck your money to you." Not quite In this fashion but with a similar candor, 1 have been prepared to clarify my relations with my new tenant. But now what happens? Will Greenougb, for Instance, credit my eu tire disinterestedness? Will be not rather believe that I have given but one more evidence of my essential lunacy? Would I not myself, only few weeks ago, have distrusted any Individual who came to me with such tale? a After alt, 1 have told young Gordon. least I bave that to my comfort If anything happens 1 bave seen Bethel, and I have not told blm. He gives me every Impres sion, In spite of his Infirmity, of being able to look after himself, and after tonight's experience be Is welcome to do so. Let him have his raps and bis footsteps; let him find his on the floor, and his faces In the pan try. Let blm freeze In cold airs or stew In bis own Juice. I have done .... At tea-kettl- e part. , Ilia car drove In at my . , ; - eight-thirty- , and followed It along the drive. True to her agreement, Annie Cochran bad only waited nntli seven and then bad taken a firm departure, and I daresay this threw blm Into the exercrable temper In which I found him. The secretary bad assisted him Into the house, and I found blm in the library, with only one lamp going, huddled In a chair among a clutter of wraps, and Introduced myself. He barely acknowl edged It. "Where the devils the servant?" he barked at me. "I thought there was a woman, or somebody." "There Is a very good woman," I said, "but she goes borne before dark. That Is," I corrected myself, "she I told your leaves early. secretary that." "Do you suppose she's left a Are? -Quite Gordon I" he called. "Go and see If aside from my unwillingness to there's a Are. I want some hot water." drug Jane Into this, particularly a? He fumbled In a pocket and brougnt the possessor of a faculty whlcb she out what I fancy was a beef cube or herself only reluctantly reveals even some similar concoction, and sat with to me. Is my conviction that such a It In his ban! Rtory. soberly told, would only Increase "Which way does the house face?" Greenough's suspicion of my sanity. he avked, suddenly. ia is if to add to the precarious-nes- s "East. Toward the bay.". of the situation, llalllday himself "Then I want a back room. Don't In ail Innocence baa added another like the morning sun. Don't like any dimming factor; gave It, Indeed, to thing In the morning." he added, and the detective Inst night. peered, up at me '' through bis spectacles. Yesterday. It appears. In repairing the Root, he found a new and razor-shar- p Young Gordon returned then with a knife between the top of one cup of bot water and a spoon, and Mr. of the barrels and the planks whlcb Bethel favored me witb little or no made the flooring. further attention. He has but one -- I didn't tell you, Skipper," he says, usable hand, and the secretary held "because I was afraid of alarming the cup while be stirred the tablet In It. Only once did be favor me witb you. And, of course, there might have boon some rlmple explanation. Starr direct speech during this proceeding. He glanced up as I stood be had not might have dropped It, during bis carasked me to Bit down and said: pentering." "Been having some sheep killing lie was first amused and then Infuriated by the web whlcb seems to around here lately, haven't you?" I may have flushed slightly, but 1 be closing around me. doubt If be could see It, although bis "Of course they can't do anything," he says, "unless they catch you In the eyes were on me. "Yes," I admitted. "Saw It In the papers," be said, and act." " went bark to bis broth. Bui tiie unconscious bumoi of that Then If ever was my time to plunge, Kititcttii'iii set uie laughing, and after but to snve my life I could not do it nmniciil he saw It and grinned pheep "You know what I mean," be That truculent, childish old man, one (Hilly 1 most unpleasant In Its consequences leg stretched out before him In the reabout IL laxation of partial paralysis, one band to me, today I got her to talk come?" It did bow "Just contracted la bis lap with the tonic "I don't know. 1 bad been asleep, ppasm of bis condition, taking soup I wakI think. Yes, I know I had under the direction of a pasty-faceto be seemed I and boy who grinned at me above his ened, anyhow, somewhite bead, was no recipient of such looking at the slip. There was kneeling." 1 And information as bad to give. body there, ho allowed me no further opportunity; "Kneeling? Saying his prayers, you the cup empty, be indicated that be mean?" with a recollection of the wished to go upstairs, and with a nod altar. In my direction he shuffled out, Gor"1 think he was feeling for somedon supporting him on the Infirm side. thing, under the float" I followed them to tbe foot of the There Is a certain circumstantial stairs, and part way up, pausing for quality to this, one must admit He breath, be must have suspected my had been seen and was being folpresence there for he turned and lowed, and his knife for some reason looked down. was still where he had left It Or "What do you tliluk Is behind this rather, It was not there, since Halli" Just that day had that day found it and taken be said. Not goodnight Nothing whatever It away Ud it not been for that about the bouse; nothing about m? poor Carroway might have met his presence or my approaching departure. end there on our slip, and not later. "Who's killed them?" he rasped. But the knife was gone, and there "Some maniac, probably." was nothing left but flight. "A maniac I" he barked, and steadyJust where that flight began no one ing himself by Gordon, twisted around can say. It eeems incredible that be had left his boat moored directly bewith Halliday so low our It seems more likely close at band. that he ran up the beach a way, and that well, de mortuis nil nisi bonnm. Perhaps I am wrong, but It seems to me that Carroway could more easily have followed nim by one of the row boats from our slip, than follow the method he did. with the loss of time d sheep-killing?- boat-hous- involved. Greenough Decided to Go Out After Him. so he could see me the better. "Re liglous tomfoolery, eh? The Blood of the Lambl" He cackled drily, staring down at me. Then he turned, without another word, and went on up and out of my sight July 8. 1 am, I am convinced, under erpion age. Old Thomas Is too frequently In view, as be patters around bis daylight tasks, and tonight I bave a dis tinct Impression that some observer who takes an Interest In my movements Is outside, watching my window. Jock believes this also. He Is restless, moving from the passage into my room and back again, and twice, standing near me, the short ruff on the back of his neck has risen. Halliday brought me today further details about Carroway's disappearance: "The hotel clerk ran down to the piers," he says, "and be heard the engine going for some time. Tbe boat didn't dart up the beach, but out Into the bay, as If Carroway felt the other man had a good start of htm, and was trying to cross the bay. Then he either lost tbe sound of the engine, or It stopped. "He waited on the slip for a halt hour or so and then went back to the hotel. Greenough came In about that time and called up Starr, and they went together to the town slip. But Carroway hadn't shown up, and after a time Greenougb decided to go out after him. "They found the boat pretty well out In the bay the tide was going out and empty. They looked around, as well as they could, then Starr got Into It and brought It back. But here's the part they're not telling: Feter Geiss says Greenough got some waste and wiped something off the top of the eugine boi." "He didn't see what It was?" "They wouldn't let him near the boat, but be says It was the circle again." Of any other details there are ap parently none. Bob Carroway bas ap parcntly gone tbe way of all flesh, poor lad. And while Greenougb or some emissary of his watches me from my own drive, the murderer Is perhaps concocting some further deviltry. iu tbe meantime a veritable panic bas, according to Halliday,' seized tbe countryside, and of this we have cer tain evidence ourselves. Tbe road be yond the Lodge gates, usually a procession of twin lights, is tonight dark end silent No motor boats with re turning picnic parties rumble across tbe water, throwing us now and then a bit of song. The fishermen, starting out at three In the morning, are going armed and in fear of their lives. And each man sufTcts the other. Jane's attitude these days Is curi ous, she is quite convinced, ror instance, that she bad a premonition of Carroway's death the night she sent me to the slip. As she bas no Idea that this premonition of hen may be Still, I myself would not have started out unarmed after a killer, even of sheep, unless I bad first raised the alarm and was fairly sure of assistance to follow. "But I don't see," 1 said to Jane, "why you felt that there was anything ominous in this dream of yours, or whatever It was." "I never have thera without a rea son." There may be one comfort to the superstitious in all this; not once, since the night when we lighted the red lamp In the pantry, has I have Just had rather a curious experience, and I am still considerably shaken. I had no more than written the above words when I glanced out the window, and distinctly saw a small red light through the window of the den In the main house. My first thought so certain was I that the lamp was carefully hidden In the attic, was of hre. Long before I had seen Mr. Bethel's light, in the room above It, go out and soon after that young Gordon's had been like wise extinguished. I went quickly to my window and leaned out So dark Is the night that It hangs outside like an opaque curtain, and as the light almost Immediately disappeared, I was left staring into this void, when suddenly Jock on the staircase landlDg gave vent to an unearthly howL The next moment 1 heard, under the trees and toward the house, the short dry cough of cardiac asthma, and smelled the queer unmistakable odor of Uncle Horace's herbal cigarette. I bave reasoned with myself for the last ten minutes or so. All the evidence Is against me; Greenough may be watching me, or having me watched, and some poor devil out under the trees Is suffering from the night air. Or old Mr. Bethel, unable to sleep, bas somehow dragged himself out for a midnight airing under the trees. But I saw the lamp. And It Is locked in the attic I myself put it there, and at this moment have the key. July 9. made an excuse this morning to Annie Cochran, and she slipped me 1 no the kitchen staircase ot the other house and so to the attic. The lamp was as I bad left It and the closet locked, and today I am asking myself of whether, with that curious lack did I at finds one nlgnt, perspective not see Instead of the lamp far away, the lighted end of a cigar cloee at hand. . Annie's report on my tenants is satdoesn't isfactory on the whole. . She tha but the for secretary, care much old man's "bark Is worse than nil bite." He comes down In the mornto his breaking, or Is helped down, food for him- -, his cuts she and fast, he seems to dislike the boy's doing It reads the paper and then goes to work. "To work?" I asked. "What sort of ' work?" -lie's writing a book. But It appears that be Is writing ft sense. He la only In the nonllteral It also appears And book. a dictating he has chosen this place because of its Isolation, and Annie's orders are that he receives no visitors. But It also appears that younf Gordon Is perhaps not as courageous as he made out to me when he came to look over the house, and that he has been "bearing things' "What sort of things?" "He didn't say. But be asked me this morning If I'd been in the house last night 'If you find me here at night, ItH be because I'm paralyzed and can't move,' I said, 'and If, yon take my advice, you'll not go round hunting If you hear anything." "That must have cheered blm considerably." He Just "1 don't know about that looked at me and said, 'What's the game, anyhow? I'll bet a dollar you're & - In on if" Editb bas sprung a surprise on us all. I have noticed for a day or two that she has been taking a keen Interest In the mail; yet Edith's mall, with Halliday here. Is largely a matter of delicate paper and the large square handwriting of the modern young woman, and has dealt this summer largely with reports on hcv.se parties, summer resorts, and various young men who seem recognizable to her nn der such cognomens as Chick, Bud and Curley. This morning, however, ber mall Inenvelope, and cluded a business-likshe flung the white, rose and mauve heap aside and pounced on It f A moment later she got up and "coming around the table to me, gravely kissed that portion of my head which Is gradually emerging, tike a shore on an ebb tide, from my hair. "As one literary artist to another," she said, "I salute you." And placed before me a check for twenty dollars. She bas written a feature article on our sheep killing and has sold tt "And It took me only two hours," she says triumphantly. After that she was rather silent, computing, I dare say, how much she can earn, giving four hours a day to It for six days a week. At the rate, then, f ten . thousand a yearl "Considerably more than 1 receive, Edith," I said gravely, and I saw I had been right by the way she started. She set off at once for the but came back later considerably crestfallen, and poured out her troubles to me. "If he had anything he would give It to me," she wailed. "If I can write and make money" "You can't fight the masculine Instinct my dear, to support Us woman ; not Je kept by her. Besides, have you considered this? You will not always find subjects as salable as this one bas been." "Subjects I" she said scornfully. "Why, this place Is full of them." The result of which has been on my, part all day an nneasy apprehension as to what she will choose next Nor am I made easier by a question she asked me Just before dinner. "What became of the Riggs worn-- , an?" she asked. "Do you suppose she's still around here?" "I Imagine not Why?" "I Just wondered," she said, and wandered to that particular corner of the veranda from which fhe has a distant but apparently satisfactory view of the THERE Is nothing that W- taken the place of an antidote for pain. SafeS dans wouldn't use it, and use by others. Sure, or kZ? M lion users would have turned thing else. But get real Bayer (at any drugstore) with box, and the word fflwfcggB iMi Jfl aH AiDlrls is ths trade mark of Bayer Manufacture or Monoacetlcaclfleater ot HANFORD'S boat-hous"- boat-hous- e. e. (TO BE CONTINUED.) Women we Reasons for breathing the nose Instead of the mouththough are to warm the air; (2) to moisten (l) the air; (3) to remove the dust and germs; (4) to produce more suction In the chest, whlcb helps draw blood into the lungs as well as air, thus help. Ing the heart and more easily attain Ing second wind. . Sail Hnrotav- - Aau.. new discovery prevenufTl etart you: . , w, oun 122, MEDITERRANEANS -1 OKthi-ntia- a -- . Morocco, Spain. Alters, Malta. AtheM,Coo. m uuyu raieBuneana fcgrtUttlj rwimnuio, Includes hotels, (tuidea. motora. etc. & Cratoa. FRANK July 2, 1928) $600 u C CLARK, Timet BUgNX Humble Toad Classed as Friend of Farme " The lowly toad Is of great value ti the farmer, according to the Depart ment of Agriculture. The eatlrj habits of toad9 give them an Import tant place In nature, says a statemeil by Remington Kellogg, of the bares: of biological survey. Although the; are Indiscriminate In. their appetites V 1 ... 1 i i me oonoxious insects eaten oy r l for more than toads compensate harm done by preying on those ths are beneficial. Toad3 are great gourmands, and the course of a season eat untold nutui bers of Insects, many of which an highly destructive to plant life. Largi numbers of crop pest3 are destrojel by the toads. Meal time with toadi often begins before sunset and a tlnues throughout the greater part cl the night: hence the food contatoi mixture of diurnal and nocturnal organisms. In their night warfare oi Insects the 'toads take the place InsectivorouJ m the ground-fe- d after these have ceased their ectirj Itles for the day. 1 !i oi Hybrid Triumph What la reearded as aa ment In plant breeding has Just b ol achleve-- more that resembla closely tnh in Bookkeeping roA Ink hv maDT tlH o! banks, to Tt,o nca nf particularly savings tOD Inrorosr la iilmnl a matter Of mo H being Interest venience, the ,m Att tha DrMH aiB- ..i... I q i m I One Secret of Beauty Is toot umiu" Frequently yon hearpWj leave,. The green shows considerable seasonal variation, however, m It. vm th;pron?otIn8 Propertlet, the SSI with laboratory animals In this ,D "Pr,n8 "Dd nm than tn present community T at thOT1" IRMflX rteTAddreaa, Allen'! on T' hock, nkl.Viwiinyrori stifle, horse. No blister; no pain. At hair rxstpaid.Describeyourca5ei faWjTtSt wmet ona. horse book 3 free. . A tatlaft) near Mr"Ott'V"fBroi, 8-- inn ran inr Changet in Harp The Irish harp w originally rangular Instead of trlu,,guu ' iy b quickly ana ' ",!.'-- ,eem wet throng TI green (Ll1 aaae -a niw of vltamlne D as well In Its small m know you always raj tn "1 waited 27 minutes for a bus You Watercrett Good Food scurvy-preventin- i other. on rubbers or nvW The list of foods the doctor says yon should eat bas been a new one, watercress. augmented by This familiar garnish for meat and salad Is a remarkably rich source of the vltamlne necessary for growth and of the vltamlne C, Dr. Catherine IX Coward and P. EggleV on, of the University of London, hive j accomplished In the production cross between a cabbage and i radlt Mi! says the Popular Mechanics' re zlne. The two are of remoU rrnnea tho hvbrld il Innotiln sldered far mora remarkable tiu those yielded by crossing varledac! A Holbein apologize, but the angry peer declared that nothing but the offender's death would content blm. Whereupon Henry replied, "You have not now to deal with Uolbeln, but witb me. Whatever harm you do hlra shall rebound tenfold on your own head. Whenever I please, I can make seven lords out of seven plowmen, but of seven lords I could not make one JJol-bel- n. m sailing Jan, 30 fx A,i,j iuviuuiuk ri.rlr'. ransyivania" II.. j". mvwn sums by being written In colored color preferred maj ft Any . other a (If or It Is not necessary w fcrent color. Genius of Holbein Recognized by King Why Breathe Through Note? BALSAM OF Myrr, Money back for flnt bottle if not rcited. e ' 8.llc;UM(1 For Foot Rot i SheepJ routs m noots of Cattfe ii When Huns Holbein, the celebrated portrait painter, went to England, he became a favorite of King Henry VIIL who took him Into his service, and paid him a salary of two hundred florins a year. One day, It is said, a nobleman called upon Uolbeln when the latter was very busy, painting from life. Holbein sent a message asking to be excused the honor of the visit for that day. The nobleman, highly offended, walked straight upstairs and broke open the door of the studio. At this, Holbein also lost his temper, and aimed a blow at the Intruder whlcb sent hlra from the top of the stairs to the bottom. When his passion had cooled down, the artist realized bis danger, and wisely went at once to the king, to whom he told the story of the quarrel. Shortly afterward, tbe ooblenran made his appearance' clamoring for vengeance. Henry made 'WW, ww mmt |