OCR Text |
Show THE SALINA SUN, SALINA. UTAH She could not remember. But The Bat was unique. At any rate, Bat or no Bat, she must think out a course of action. The defection of cook and housemaid left her alone In the house with Lizzie and Billy and Dale, of course, If Dale returned. Two old women, a young girl and a Japanese butler to face the most dangerous criminal In America, she thought, grimly. And yet one couldnt be sure. The threatening letter might be only a Joke a letter from a crank after all. Still, she must take precautions look for aid somewhere. But where could 8truckT It didnt matter. r A Novel from the Play Roberts Rinehart and By Mary The Ret, STOFF eopyrl-h- t. by Mary Roberta FROM THE START Defying all efforts to capture him, after a long series of murders and robberies, a supercrook known to the police only as "The Rat" has brought about a verltaBle reign of terror. At his wits end, and at the man's own request, the chief of police assigns his best operative, to get on the trail of the n, Rat. CHAPTER II Continued She had skimmed the paper hurriednew a headline caught her eye. Failure of Union Bank wasn'k that the bank that Courtlelgh Fleming had been president of? She settled down to rend the article, but It wns disappointingly brief. The Union hank had closed Its doors the cashier, a young man named Bailey, wns apparently under suspicion the article mentioned Courtlelgh Flemings recent and tragic death In the best vein of newspaperese. She laid down the paper and thought Bailey Bailey she seemed to have a vague recollection of hearing about a young man named Bailey, who worked In a bank hut she could not remember where or by whom his name had been mentioned. Well It didnt matter. She had other things to think about. She must ring for Lizzie get up a fid dress. The In bright morning sun, streaming through the long window, made lying In bed an old womans luxury ahd she refused to be an old woman. Though the worst old woman I ever knew was a man I she thought with a satiric twinkle. She was glad Sallys daughter young Dale Ogden was here In the house with her the companionship of Dales bright youth would keep her from getting If anything could. She smiled, thinking of Dale. Dale was a nice child her favorite niece. Sally didn't understand her, of course but Sally wouldn't. Sally rend magazine articles on the Younger Genera-tloand Its wild ways. Sally doesnt remember when she was a Younger Generation herself, thought Miss Cornelia. But I do and If we didnt have sports roadsters In the eighties we had buggies and youth doesnt change Its ways Just because It's bobbed Its hair. Before Mr. and Mrs. Ogdon left for Europe, Sally had talked to her . long and weight sister Cornelia . Trobletn ily, on the problem of Dale. of Dale Indeed! thought Miss Cornell!! scornfully. Dale's the nicest young thing I've seen In some time and shed be ten times happier If Sally wasnt always trying to marry her oiT to some young snip with more of what fools call 'eligibility' than brains But there, Cornelia Van ('.order Sallys given you your Innings rampaging off to Europe and leaving Dale with you all summer and you've a lot less sense than I flatter myself you have, If you enn't give your favorite niece a happy vacation from all her Immediate family and maybe find her some one thatll make her happy for good and all Into the bargain!" for Miss Cornelia was an Incorrigible mn toh maker. Nevertheless, she was more concerned with the problem of I bile than she would have admitted. Dale, at her age, with her chnrin and beauty why, she ought to behave as If she were walking on air, thought her And Instead she aunt, worriedly. acts more as If she were walking on She seems to like being here I know she likes me Im pretty sure she's Just ns pleased to get a little holiday from Sally and Harry she amuses herself she falls In with any plan I want to make and And yet Dale was not happy yet Miss Cornelia felt sure of it. It Isnt natural for a girl to seem so lackluster and and quiet at her age t lid she's nervous, too as If something were preying on her mind particularly these last few days." Then Miss Cornelia's mind seized upon a sentence in a hurried flow of uv sisters last Instructions a sen- ii'-that had passed almost unnoeed at the time something about ale and an unfortunate attachment but of course, Cornelia, dear, shes f ' young and Im sure It will come to nothing now her father and I have made our attitude plain!" "Pshaw I bet thats It," thought Miss Cornelia Dales fallen in love, or shrewdly. thinks she has, with some decent young man without a penny or on eligibility to his name and now shes unhappy because her parents dont approve or becnuse shes trying to give him up and finds she cant. Well and Miss Cornelias tight little white curls trembled with the vehemence of her decision, if the young thing ever comes to me for advice Ml give her a piece of my mind that will surprise her and scandalize Sally Van Border Ogden out of her seven senses Sally thinks nobodys worth looking at if they didnt come over to America when our family did she hasnt gumption enough to realize that if some people hadn't come over later, wed all still be living on crullers and Dutch punch I She was Just stretching out her ly n 1 - Rln-ba- rt Avery Hopwood and Avppy Hopwood. WNU Service hand to ring for Lizzie, when a knock came at the door. She gathered her Paisley shawl more tightly about her Who Is It oh, Its only you, shoulders. as a pleasant Irish face, Lizzie, crowned by an pompadour of graying hair, peeped In at the Good morning, Lizzie I was door. Just going to ring for you. Has Miss Dale had breakfast I know It's shamefully lute. Good morning, Miss Nelly, . said Lizzie, and a lovely morning it Is, too If that was all of It, she added, somewhat tartly, as she came Into the room with a little silver tray whereupon the morning mall reposed. We have not yet described Lizzie Allen and she deserves description. A fixture In the Van Gorder household since her sixteenth year, she had long ere now attained the dignity of a Tradition. One could net Imagine Miss Cornelia without a Lizzie to grumble at and cherish or Lizzie without a Miss Cornelia to baby and scold, with the privileged frankness of such old The two were at fandly servitors. once a contrast and a complement. Fifty years of American ways han not shaken Lizzies firm belief In banshees and lepraciiauns or tamed her wild Irish tongue fifty years of Lizzie had not altered Miss Cornelias altitude of fond exasperation with some of Lizzies more startling eccentricities. Together they may have been, as one of the younger Van ' Gorder cousins had Irreverently put it, a scream" but apart each would have felt lost without the other. Now wlmt do you mean if that were all of It, Lizzie? queried Miss Cornelia, sharply, as she took her letters from the truy. Lizzies face assumed an expression of doleful reticence. Its not my place she said with a grim shake of her head, "but I saw my grandmother last night, God rest her plain as life she was the way she looked when they waked her and If It was my doing, wed be leaving this house this hour! "Cheese-puddinfor supper of course you saw your grandmother!" said Miss Cornelia, crisply, slitting open the first of her letters with a Nonsense, Lizzie Im not going to he scared away from an ideal country-plachecuuse you happen to have a hnd dream! Was It a bad dream 1 saw on the stairs last night, when the lights went out and I was looking for the candles?" said Lizzie heatedly. "Was it a had dream that ran uway from me and out the back door, as fast as Buddys pig? No, Miss Nelly It was a man seven feet tall he wns, and eyes that shone In the dark and Lizzie Allen ! Well, It's true, for nil that," Insisted Lizzie, stubbornly. And why did t lie lights go out tell me that. Miss Nelly? They never go out In the city. "Well, this Isnt the olty," said Miss It's the country Cornelia, decisively. and very nice It Is and were staying here all summer. I suppose I may he thankful, she went on Ironically, that your grandmother you saw last night. It might have been the Bat and then where would you be this morning?" Id he stiff and stark, with candles at my head and feet," said Lizzie Oh, Miss Nelly, dont talk gloomily. of that terrible creature, the Ball She came nearer to her mistress. Oh, Miss Nelly, Miss Nelly do let's go back to the city before he flies away with us all ! Nonsense, Lizzie, said Miss Cornelia again, but this time less firmly. Her face grew serious. If I thought for an instant that there was any renl possibility of our being In danger here," she said slowly. But oh, look at the map, Lizzie t The Bat has been flying In this district that's true enough but be hasnt come within ten miles of us yet ! Whats ten miles to the But?" the obdurate Lizzie sighed. "And wlmt of the letter ye bad when ye first moved in here? The Fleming house is unhealthy for strangers, it said Leave it while ye can. Some silly boy or some crank. Miss Cornel ins voice was firm. "I never pay any attention to anonymous In-sp- said Lizzie time in the uiornln'? But Its yourself knows well enough the doors in this house Is thick and not a sound goes past them. I should hope not, said Miss CorBut tell ' me, nelia, rebukingly. Lizzie did Miss Dale seem well this morning? That she did not, said Lizzie When she came down to promptly. breakfast, after the call, she looked like a ghost. I made her the eggs she likes, too but she wouldnt eat em. Ilm," Miss Cornelia pondered. "Im sorry If well, Lizzie, we mustnt meddle in Miss Dales affairs." No, ma'am." But did she say when she would be back? On the two "Yes, Miss Nelly. oclock train. Oh and I was almost she told me to tell you parforgettin ticular she said while she was In the city shed be after engagin the gardener you sgioke of. The gardener? Oh, yes I gpoke to her about that the other night the place Is beginning to look run down so many flowers to attwid to. Well thats very kind of Miss Dale." Yes, Miss Nelly." Lfzzhr hesitated, obviously with some weighty news on her mind which she wished to impart Fiigilly she took' the plunge. eak, e And theres n letter this mornlu down at the bottom of tlie pile " persisted Lizzie. It looked like the other one Id half a mind to throw it away before you saw It! "Now. Lizzie, that's quite enough funny-looki- n ! Miss Cornelia had the Van Gorder 1 s manner on, now. dont care to your ridiculous fears any further. Where Is Miss Dale? Lizzie assumed an attitude of prim rebuff. Miss Dale's gone into the city, niuam. Gone into the city? Yes, maam. She got a telephone call tlds morning, early long distance It wns. I don't know who It was called her." Lizzie! You didnt listen?" Of course not. Miss Nelly. Lizzies fare was a study in Injured vir"Miss Dale took the call In tue. her own room and shut the door. And you were outside the door? Where else would I be dustin, that dls-eiu- But shell have to falseness of her! do .the best she can for twins and appendycltls Is acts of God and not to be put aside for even the best of wages.' Is that so? says I and with that I left her, for I knew If I listened to her a minute longer Id be giving her bonnet a shake and that wouldnt So there you are. be respectable. Miss Nelly, and thats the gist of the matter. Miss Cornelia laughed. Lizzie But Im youre unique, she said. glad you didnt give her bonnet a shake though Ive no doubt you could." Humph !" said Lizzie, snorting, the fire of battle in her eye. And Is It any Black Irish from Ulster would play Impudence to a Kerry woman without getting the flat of a hand In but thats neither here nor there. The truth of It Is, Miss Nelly, her voice grew solemn, Its my belief theyre scared both of them by the haunts, and the banshees here and thats all. "It they are, theyre very silly,' " said Miss Cornelia, practically. But It doesnt matter. If they want to go, they may." An hour or so later, Jflss Cornelia sat In a deep chintz chair in the comfortable living room of the Fleming house, going through the pile of letters which Lizzies news of domestic revolt had' 'prevented her reading earlier.' Cook and housemaid had come and gone civil enough, but so obviously determined upon leaving the house at once that Miss Cornelia had sighed and let them go, though not without Since then, she caustic comment had devoted herself to calling up various employment agencies without entirely satisfactory results. A new cook and housemaid were promised for the end of the week but for three days the Japanese butler, Billy, and Lizzie between them would have to bear the brunt of the service. Oh, yes and then theres Dales gardener If she gets one,- - thought Miss CorI wish he could cook but' I nelia, dont suppose gardeners can and Billys a treasure. Still, Its Inconvenient now, Van stop Cornelia Gorder you were asking for 'an only this morning and the moment the littlest sort of one comes along, you want to crawl out of it" She had reached the bottom of her pile of letters these to be thrown away these to be answered ah, here was one she had overlooked somehow. She took It up. It must be the one Lizzie had wanted to throw away she smiled at Lizzies fears. The address was badly typed, on cheap paper she tore the envelope open and drew out a single unsigned, sheet. If you stay in this house any longer DEATH. Go back to the city at once and save your life." Her fingers trembled a little as she turned the missive over, but her face remained calm. She looked at the envelope at the postmark while, her heart thudded uncomfortably for a moment and then resumed Its normal beat It had come at last the adventure and she was not afraid! She knew who it was, of course. The Bat! No doubt of It. And yet did the Bat ever threaten before he the-nex- g letters. Miss Van Gorder?" Tm sorry for Miss Van Gorder,' says she the about Her Fingers Trembled a Little as She Turned the Missive Over. I might have told Miss Dale she could have been lookin for a cook as well and a housemaid she muttered at last, but they hadnt spoken to me then. Miss Cornelia sat bolt upright In "A cook and a housemaid? bed. But we have a cook and a housemaid, Lizzie I You dont mean to tell me" Lizzie nodded her heat. Yesm. Theyre leaving. Both of em. Today." But good heav Lizzie, why on earth didnt you tell me before? Im really very much annoyed with you because you didnt. I shall get up Immediately I want to give those Is Billy two a piece of my mind. leaving too? Not that I know of the heathen Japanese 1" said Lizzie sorrowfully. And yet hed be better riddance than cook or housemaid. Now, Lizzie, how many times have I told you tha you must conquer your prejudices? Billy Is an excellent butler hed been with Mr. Fleming ten years and has the very highest recomI am very glad that he mendations. Is staying, if he Is with you to help him, we shall do very well until I Miss Corcan get other servants. nelia had risen now and Lizzie was helping her with the Intricacies of her toilet "But It's too annoying, she went on, In the pauses of Lizzies What did they deft ministrations. say to you, Lizzie did they give any reason ? Oh, yes, Miss Nelly they had reasons you could choke a goat with," said Lizzie, viciously, as she arranged Cook Miss Cornelia's transformation. was the first of them she was up lute I think theyd been talking it over together. She comes Into the kitchen with her hat on and her bag In her hand. Good morning, says I, pleasant enough, you've got your hat on, says I. Im leaving, say? 'she. Leaving; are you? says I. 'Leaving.' says she. 'My sister has twins, says she. I Just got word I must go toller right away. WhatT says I, all struck In a heap. Twins. sTlys she, 'youve heard of such things as twins. 'That I have, says I, and I know a lie on a face when I see It, too.' " Lizzie "Well, It made me sick at heart Miss Nelly her with her hat and her bag and fcr talk about twins and no consideration for you. 'Well ! says she, 'you can see that Annie, the housemaid's leaving, too.' Has her sister got twins as well 7 says I and looked at her. No, says she, as hold as brass, 'but Annie's got a pain In her side and she's feared Its appen-dydtiso she's leaving to go hack to her family. Oh, says I, and what 1 s t . r aid? She ran over In her mind the new acquaintances she had made since she moved to the country. There was Doctor Wells, the local physician, who had Joked with her about moving Into the Bats home territory he seemed sbeulook-fo- an Intelligent man but she knew him only slightly she couldnt call a busy doctor away from his patients to Investigate something which might The only prove to be a mares-nes- t boys Dale had met at the Country club she sniffed, Id rathHumph er trust my gumption than any of theirs. The logical person to call on, of course, was Richard Fleming, Courtlelgh Flemings nephew and heir, who had rented her the house. He lived at the Country club she could probably reach him now. She was Just on the point of doing so, when she decided against it partly from delicacy, partly from an Indefinable feeling that he would not be of much help. ' Besides," she thought sturdily, its my house now, not his he didn't guarantee burglar protection in the lease." For .a moment she felt very helpless, very much alone. Then her courage-returne1 Pshaw, Cornelia, If you have got to get help get the help you want and hang the consequences! she Youve ' always hanJured herself. kered to see a detective.do' his detecting well, get one or decide to- do the Job yourself Ill bet you could, at that.! first-clas- s She tiptoed to the main door of the room and closed It cautiously, smiling as she did so. Lizzie might, be about and Lizzie would promptly go into hysterics if she got an Inkling of her mistress present Intentions. Then she went to the telephone, and asked for long distance. When she had finished her telephoning, she looked at once relieved and a little naughty like a demure chilij who has carried out some piece of Innocent mischief unobserved. My stars! she muttered to herself. You never can tell what you can do till Then she sat down again you try. and tried to think of other measure of defense. Now, if I were the Bat, or anj criminal, she mused, how would 1 get .into this house? Well, thats It I might get in most any way its so big and rambling. AJ1 the grounds you want to lurk In, too Itd take a company of police to shut them off. Then theres the house 'Itself lets see third floor trunk room, servants rooms couldnt get In there very well except with a pretty long ladder thats all right. Second floor well, I suppose a man could get Into my bedroom from the porch If he were an acrobat but hed need to be a very good acrobat. and theres no use borrowing trouble. Downstairs is the problem, Cornelia downstairs Is the problem. "Take this room, now.". She rose Theres and examined It carefully. the door over there on the right that leads Into the billiard room. Theres this door over here, that leads Into the hall. Then theres the other door by the alcove and all those French windows whew 1" . She shook her head. -- (TO BE CONTINUED.) xxixxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-:-x-:-xxx- Great Roman Ruler in Advance of Age Appliis Claudius Caecus, who appeared In history In 312 B. C., was called by one German historian the boldest Innovator In Roman history. By law the tenure of office of a censor was limited to eighteen months, but Appius Claudius seemed so much the superior o all other men of his age that he was censor for five years and he carried through, despite frantic opposition from the conservatives, a law to bring new blood Into .the governing classes. The aristocracy was Jealous of Its prerogatives and made birth the essential to a senatorial career, but Appius Claudius broke down the admission lie put into the senate requirements. the names of many plebeians who had recently attained wealth and even free men of distinction who were not especially prosperous. Probably the greatest contribution to Roman progress was tils building of two great public works on a scale that Schoolboy Howlers Extracts from written answers to English schoolboys examination paThe Nile Is the only remarkpers able river In the world. It was Dj Doctor Livingstone, and It "Constantinorises In Mungo Park.ple Is on the Golden horn, a strong fortress, has a university, and was the residence of Peter the Great Its chief building Is the Sublime Port "Cyprus came into our possession in 1ST8, and was given to Lord Beacons-field- . "Julius Caesar Invaded Britain 100 B. C. The condition of the Britons was In a rude state. The people lived In huts made of straw, and the women wore their hair down their backs with torches in their hands." u - 800H B Rome had never known. They were the famous Appian way, the great road that led from Rome to Capua, and the vast aqueduct to bring water to the city. Few tourists who visit Rome have failed to drive out upon the historic Appian way or have failed to catch sight of the tremendous ruins of the ' once mighty aqueduct that strikes across the Campagna. Kansas City Star. EL "A neighbor advised me to try Lydifl Plnkhams Vegetable Compound, which ehe said had :: helped her so much, So I bought a fea bottles and tried It ' oat It sure helped me wonderfully. I felt much better. My work was na longer a dread to mo. Ifl bear of any ono who Is troubled the way I was, I will gladly recommend the Vegetable Compound to them and I will answer any letters In regard to the same. Mbs. Bebtha Meachan, 1134 N. Penn. Ave., Lansing, Mich. 1 had been sickly ever since I was fifteen years old. After taking Lydia E. Pinkhams Vegetable Compound I got so 1 could do all my housework and I am in good health. Mbs. Mask K. 'Williams, Ketchikan, Alaska. From Michigan to Alaska, from Maine to Oregon and from Connecticut to CallfornlaJetters are continually being written by grateful women recommending Lydia E. Plnkhams Vegetable Compound. Tho Compound 13 made from roots and herbs and foe more than fifty years has been helping to restore d women to health. Are you on the Sunlit Road to Bet-te-r Health? E. V run-dow- over-worke- Incorrigible Angry Pedestrian (lecturing reck- s less driver after narrow escape) You'll come to the electric chair some day I Motorist (calmly) With pleasure, eir, If you'll let me know when you are to be electrocuted. Boston Tran" script. Why He Is Unpopular Many a man Is on such good terms with himself that he never thinks of being pleasant to anybody else. If Kidneys Act Bad Take Salts Says Backache Often Means You Have Not Been Drinking Enough Water When you wake up with backacha and dull misery In the kidney region It may mean you have been eating foods whlcl create acids, says a authority. An excess of such acids overworks the kidneys In their effort to filter it from the blood and they become sort of paralyzed and loggy; your kidneys get sluggish and clog you must relieve them, like you relieve your bowels, removing all the- bodys urinous waste, elsa .well-know- - you have backache, sick headache, dizzy spells ; your stomach sours, tongue is coated and when the weather is bad you have rheumatic twinges. The urine Is cloudy, full of sediment, channels often get sore, water scalds, and you are obliged to seek relief two or three times during the night. Either consult a good, reliable physician at once or get from your pharmacist about four ounces of Jad Salts; take a tablespoonful In a' glass of water before breakfast for a few days and your kidneys may then act fine. This famous salts Is made from the acid of grapes and lemon Juice, combined with lithia, and has been used for years to help clean and stimulate sluggish kidneys, also to neutralize acids in the system, so they no longer Irritate, thus eften relieving bladder weakness. Jad Salts Is inexpensive, cannot Injure and makes a delightful, effervescent lithia-wate- r drink. Drink lots f soft water... - Boschees Syrup has been relieving coughs due to colds for years. sixty-on- e Soothes the Throat loosens the phlegm, promotes expectoration, gives a good night's rest free from coughing. 30o and 90c bottles. Buy It at your drug store. G. G. Green, Inc., Woodbury, N. J. Shoes of Robert Burns When Robert Burns, the Scottish plowboy, was breaking the soil on his fathers farm, he probably did not think that the shoes he' then wore would be objects of curiosity 3,000 miles away long after his death. But the shoes that the great poet wore when a lad are owned by a gentleman who lives in Portland, Maine, and many of the boys of that clt," have Inspected them. The shoes have wooden soles, whlcl In turn are shod with thin plates ol Iron. The uppers are tacked to the soles in a rude but strong manner, and the historic footgear Is In a good state of preservation. Philadelphia Inquirer. His Mean Revenge A fish peddler In Australia has dls covered a new method of revenge against the woman who Jilted him for a local prohibition leader. Twice a week he stops his cart in front of the womans home and goes around to tlie rear with a bag in his hand. Returning to the cart he removes numerous empty beer bottles from the bag and lines them up in a row beside the cart The neighbors do not suspect that ttt carries them in with him. RECOVERS Pinkh&ml Lydia j Taking Vegetable Compound - living VC.MII SICK DEAFNESS HEAD NOISES ReUebtd bp LEONARD EAR OIL "Rub Back of Ears jS" INSERT IN NOSTRILS Q0j S At AH Druggists. Price fl Folder about DEAFNESS oa request. L ItSUIO, lac, TO flflk On, lev Tort I To Cool a Burn Use HANFORDS Balsam of Myrrh AS ImIui in aatborixol bottl fint to refari row wooer ii nit hr At Iont Negu Inflamed eyelids or other eye irritations. You will find a soothing and eafe remedy In MITCHELL EYE SALVE. at all HALL A EUCKEL New York City druggists. KIN B LEACH Kpsutts wonderful and sure. Onecumplete box of KRRMOLA will convince the mott tkeptl caL AJjbc ctires Boiemfc. Price 11.26. Askvonr detier. Beauty Booklet FKt.K. Ir. C. H. Michigan Ave, Chictfw Borrj Go., lepu a 1 i i |