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Show "Wliat tlte Gray Houise HicS THE STORY Hilton llunhy h: ptirrhum'rt country place the Uruy houna. Dour Fine I'lnina. Minn Ht-lfnoa, a former tenttnt, wunii him Unit the' houtte Is under ft cuie. Further alarming details aielin-prosyed aielin-prosyed upon Adolf Bnuu-ker Unnby'a aeoretnry, by a man who claims to have been rhnutreur for Sir Stanford Seymour, former on-cupant on-cupant of the place. Thi Ilan-bya Ilan-bya huiKh off the warnliiKs. lint they aie shocked when they hear that the caretaker of the Gray house, a man na med Kerr, has been mysteriously murdered flanby consults his friend Pel-ham Pel-ham The family starts for tl-e new home. Appleton, a clerk of IHiuglas and Smith, the ugentfe from whom Hanhy bought the Orny house, explains to 'cJha m, that a dnnKorous pond nnr tne house. In which several children have been drow ned, ha a since been filled In, but he urnea Wl-hain Wl-hain to dissuade Hanhy from oc-cupylns oc-cupylns the Gray house, llanby and Junior learn that the caretaker care-taker was known to the police as "Red Chapln" and had a bad record. Hanby considers asking Leslie Barron, long an admirer of Celia, to Join the house party. Mrs. Hanhy declares she likes the house. Felham becomes a me inner in-ner of the household, with the official title of "house detective." Over the telephone Hanby la warned by a woman not to subject sub-ject his family to the dangers of the Gray house. Leslie Barron arrives making four able-bodied t members of the Hanhy household. house-hold. A phone call from a man who declares he Is an old acquaintance ac-quaintance of Hnnby'a and Interested In-terested In ornithology, but whom Hanby annot Identify urges him to preserve a part of the grounds as a bird sanctuary. The Idea appeals to Hanby and he makes the promise. The Han-bys Han-bys take possession of the Gray house. CHAPTER V Continued 9 "BUI," she said, "yon must be fond of the Hanby clan to do this. Poor old Bill 1" she murmured sofUy. "Why poor?" be demanded. "1 know," she said wisely. "You can't fool me." "I'm not poor," he retorted. "I'm rich. I have a family without the labor of supporting 1L I'm much more sensible than you Imagine. I adore your mother. She married the man she loved. Three things might have happened to me I might have married another woman, and made her unhappy; I might have become one of those sour, cynical old devils who poison this earth ; I might have drunk myself to death. I thought of doing all three at various times. I did try drinking for a year, but DIna made me feel like a d d coward. I am now going to use some of your modern terms. I sublimated my love Into affection for everything that was dear to your mother. That's wh I bear your superior airs with cheerfulness. cheer-fulness. That's why I talk baseball scores with Tim." "Ton love baseball," said Celia. "1 love you," retorted Pelham. "About four years ago the summer we had a liouse at Allenhurst I cherished cher-ished a hopeless passion for you," Celia confided. "It began when yon used to do those fancy back dives at the Allenhurst pool, and was fanned to fury when you rescued that man from the surf. Did yon ever suspect sus-pect itr "Not a bit," he said. "Mine Is an open, modest nature, shrinking and simple. Ton Interest me strangely, Celia. Why did you drop me?" "I went back to school," she said, "and there was an adorable being who taught ns music. 1 wanted to practice prac-tice Beethoven ten hours a day." "Why did yon drop him?" "He was sent away for kissing a teacher or, rather, for being caught kissing a teacher. After that Les rather amused me. I was then an emotionally old woman of seventeen." "Are you really fond of Les?" asked Pelham. "I wish 1 knew!" "I thought one always knew." "Not In these times," said Celia. "One meets so many boys. Les Is on probation this summer. What about a swim before breakfast? There's a gorgeous high dive into twenty feet of water. I want to beat'Junlor at back diving. Please, Bill, give me a lesson I" "Youll have to make It right with Dina," he said. "I'm hoe man In chief, and I want to keep my Job." "Dina and dad will be there before you, if you don't make haste." "What? Taking advantage of me like that? I'll be in my bathing suit before you are I" The two raced toward the house. The swimming party was not ready for breakfast until balf past nine. The meal was hardly begun when a package of mail was brought In. "I'm going to send a postboy on horseback for It, when things are In running order," Hanby commented, sorting It out. "Tradesmen's Invitations, Invita-tions, mainly. Here's one from a Poughkeepsle undertaker, with most attractive illustrations of the latest In caskets." Next he held np a large square en velope, lavender-colored, and adorned with a black coat of arms. "Budlelgb Salterton," he read. "1 didn't tell you, Dina, that I wrote to Mr. Seymour weeks ago, asking If he had a chauffeur like the one Smucker described." Hanby frowned a little "It's odd that his reply should come on our first breakfast here!" "What does he say?" Dina asked. Hanby slit the envelope, "In the center Is a crest," he commented. com-mented. "Underneath la a simple TIic Myticry of a Haunted Mansion --By - Wyndham Marly n W. N. II. Service CopyrlBht by Wynilhum Martyn Kngllsh address. Listen! 'Seymour .Manor, llovey Triuey. Oltery Si. Mary, lliidlelgh Salterton, Devon shire.' That makes the (Inly house fade Into nothing I On the top left hand corner It says. "1'elegi aph, Ot terton.' On the top right-hand eorner It says, 'Great Western station, four miles.' " This was the missive that llanby read aloud : "HILTON HANBY, ESQ., "My Dear Sir: "OwlnR to a nvhlnu trip In Norway my nnswer to your letter has been unavoidably delayed. "DurltiK my May tn your country my chauffeur was the one now In my service. Richard Jetterton. He Is five feet nine In height, weighs one hundred hun-dred and forty pounds, Is dark, pale of face, with an aquiline nose In fact, as you eee. In every respect differing f;om the Impostor who claimed to huve held this position. "I am. my dear sir, "Kalthfully yours, "STANFOUll SUVMODR." "1 resign ns hoe nan." Bill Pel-hum Pel-hum said. "I am now the house detective. de-tective. 1 report for work here and "If He'i a Salesman," Hanby Reflected, Reflect-ed, "I'm Gone." now. f guessed wrong bout the big-hearted big-hearted chauffeur who blew Smucker to a feed I" Hanby was worried. He had al most banished the affair from his mind. Now everything came back to him vividly, particularly the woman who threatened him with death. . "Well, we're dug In here now," he observed, "and It will take something more than vague threats to turn us out" CHAPTER VI There was a letter for Mrs. Hanby In the package of mall. "Who's been writing to yon, Dina?' her husband Inquired. "The Parkers. They've been wanting want-ing to come here, but I told them we weren't asking any one till we had got used to the place. It would spoil It to have any outsiders yet 1 shall be finding new wonders every mln ute for a month. Besides, we have no saddle borses yet, and Julia is mad about riding. That reminds me that 1 must order a habit and a side saddle." Hanby was still thinking of the mysterious warnings. "It's funny," he remarked presently, present-ly, "that any one should take the trouble to feed Smueker for nothing. There must be something behind It." "Junior and I will find out," said Bill. "It's beneath the dignity of the lord of the manor to sleuth." "The first letter I opened." continued contin-ued Hanby, pursuing his train of thought, "was from an undertaker noted for the simplicity and dignity of his funerals. He Includes flowers. That's thoughtful I The next was from Seymour. Perhaps I shall now be called to the telephone to talk with another unknown conversationalist." "My motto Is eternal vigilance," said , Pel ham. "Carry on your busl ness as nsnal your faithful hawk- sliaw hIiiiiiIiits not nor sleeps. I'll tell you what I will do. Mil." tie hub .Rested briskly. "I'll heal you three sets out of four whenever you are ready. I've been reading a hook on tennis tacllcs. and after r-nminll I Inn It to memory I've burned It. so you enn't read It. You haven't n chance!" Ilanhy's mood was more cheerful "I wrote that hook," he declared "Want to bet?" "fio nnil get Into flannels," Pelham told Mm. "Illl's worried," he ndded to Dina. when Hanhy had left the room. "I never saw him so before. Try and malie Mm Inm-h at It. Hill." Ilanhy's mood of depression passed very quickly. New dally Interests so crowded one upon the other that there was no room for gloom or In trospoctlnn. The Parkers did not come. Parker's stomach, after many unheeded warn In'S. had finally rebelled against Its owner's habit of taking three meat meals a day. Julia Parke:1 wrote thai her husband .as about to he operated upon. One day, walking down the drive. Hanhy met a small, florid, neatly dressed man approaching the house the sort of man to Inspire conli dence even among the most suspicions. suspi-cions. "If he's a salesman," llanby reflect ed, "I'm gone. A mnn like that could sell me anything!" The stranger bowed politely. "Mr. Hanhy, 1 believe?" "Yes," replied Hanby, wondering what It was he was about to buy. "My name Is Appleton Frederick Appleton. You are probably unaware of my existence." "On the contrary, yoo are expected when the bass season opens. Yon were kind enough to give my friend .Mr. Pelham some Information about this house." "As I was In the neighborhood. I took the liberty of coming to see your Improvements. I have always been much Interested In the Gray house." "I shnll be glad to show you over It and ask your advice. I find every day that there are a lot of things about country estates that they don't teach hoys on farms these Improve ments, for Instance." Mr. Appleton's manner was almost eager. "May 1 ask what they are?" "A big swimming pool between the tennis courts and the house, a new garage for six cars, a Japanese tea honse. and a dozen smaller Jobs." Nothing pleases the new owner more than the opportunity to exhibit his property. Mr. Appleton was bored by nothing, ne begged to be shown everything. He had no erirl clsms. He congratulated niltnn Han by warmly. "Yon will make this." he declared "one of the stately homes of America. Amer-ica. You have a genius for this sort of thing." Only In one matter was his view opposed to that of the owner. He thought that the ground given over to the bird sanctuary would do ad mlrably for ornamental glass houses "My wife and I wouldn't think of such a thing." Hanhy asserted firmly "We are for the conservation of bird life. Yoo may not know It, but our rarer species of songsters are tn serl ous danger of extermination. That bird sanctnary Is a hohhy of ours, and It will not be disturbed while we live." Mr. Appleton wrung Ms host's hand. Hanhy was surprised at the emotion written on this cheery, nn lined face. "It does yon credit, sir." he ex claimed. "In my Ignorance I have given no thonght to snob, matters It was criminal negligence. I did not know." "As a matter of fact," Hanby con fessed. "I was ,1ust as heedless as yon until a month ago. Mr. Kayliss whom I met at the Metropolitan club told me all about IL I rather think he Is president of the Ornithological society." "The name seems familiar." said Appleton. "One of our national an thorltles. if I mistake not. I think I have rend a notice of one of his books on the subject." Appleton was sightseeing nntli luncheon. Hanby would not let hire refuse to stay to the meal, despite the fact that he bad a neat package of sandwiches and fruiL The Interior of the house charmed him greatly. He was filled with ad miration at the rules of the Sancta ary club. The critical family circle approved of him. (TO BE CONTINUED.) |