Show id J tiry I 1 1 HL J L I 1 j 17 IK MEW A N D STORY FROM THE START on the V verge e rge of 0 nervous collapse due to 10 overwork L ve lie lane successful ful new york artist seeks rest at idle island site she rents a cottage the lone lane pine from an island character the captain cap s in and his big sister alice andover administrator gay f fileds the cottage Is ten tenanted tena nied anted by an elderly lady Aunt AlmIry who wh 0 consents don to move to atri another abode aboda the apple tree awaking front from sleep gay imagines hp the llie face of a chinaman in the window slit she 1 settles down in her new home anticipating months of ivell earned resi ies and recuperation on ani exploration of thi the island Coy standing g on the seashore Is ls hor by the taj of the drifting body of a drowned ann which she nerves herself to bring brine to the shore A bullet wound in the temple shows show the man to have hake been murdered gay makes it her er way to the with the story fiory returning with him to th he shore they ibey ind find no body there 1 and ciaja ra fi aja v s story of tfx th incident asset pet down toan to an attack of nervous CHAPTER IV continued i i 1 Is this the quiet good little placa tile hey Y brag aji out she asked fier herself self t where hey conic cone ofil steal dead carl hodic froin fr under your very ery eyes i ill tears lears and onighter laughter came tit nt tile lie ahl notion dpn but in spite spile nj n hey he to be bb fae facetious rind kopcon cei ce fired ined bile was ati highly ner voils and unstrung A dividen sudden clear call hallil nall othere there from behind startled her into n frightened scream rind and site she vs prang to hr her feet alte beyond f power of renson reason ns as she was the he mil call had seemed to conio conic cronl tile the valley of death Glun ving up tip she liiv saw on the plazza piazza of bl t I 1 lie ie I 1 a M ann an who leaned out in ill ov over erthe the railing brid beckoned to hot hoche was a stranger she knew nt at 7 once aile of the summer leopie no t nie son i 11 i heg beg your andin p ardon he called pleasantly but will wilf you kindly show me the way down I 1 c cannot annot find the pall no path there Is no way wa y down 1 n avit I 1 beg your pardon you are down d are rc yo you it not efly smiled up pt at hirn him yes but I 1 slid right doan chose steep rocks and it Is hard sliding I 1 assure you I 1 am coming up I 1 will show you sell tile the way the woods nuo and t the ie inde ine will I 1 on 0 yau d direct I 1 to j tp I 1 ill I 1 lq g J 80 th 1 n rile jf I 1 X cje cro crossed sheil I frani the 06 plaz lito tile af the rocky rim tin and waited halted to afier descending with difficulty afew steps to give elve iligir a hand when slie dmd bif gained height hel glit ale little shack hestily hes hs tild tapping tupp nt ohp 1 corner otare ott lre little club ns as they 1 llvine you yet sketching no 1 was 14 oil listen liste it ill oily gny s stopped scort find turned toward i lalih eagerly cu kerly A s sti dirr longing for s sympathy at ii anthy for ier the re notion of one of tier in tier her emotional strain overwhelmed hey hei in a 0 torrent of words word staring A darky tanto ito ghislin i te rested eyes say told him ale the bhole tory of of tile tie hody finity that lind had come col 7 n ib tp to her on the hie naves iva ves me HIP wound IW lite lie the fifick white hands u taw 11 alv alie e had flail gome for help and re turned fc to quid ithone It goffe gone i ay qi iy debry jer jc e blidt a story bory tie he sato r 1 life lie tide car vie aled wm lt mit ali while you 16 acie e owhy awny alt em y alov u sec she admitted full A ay y albe ald lle 0 ren lly 1 pulled the 06 holly aho abo ahoe ve e the water title line the j tide dian didn rea readi ell jilin him the lilac filing about it lle put pill our ill I 1 its J fi hand deeply inter as ed I for orIll tilt e s I 1 iliad slie showed jt her let eyes still iia ii a upon ills tried face ph oil liy by aebig thiet int ts Is title tine work lie he sald rold y it alin it tape fa el I 1 oh nonsense romild i ne antver ver jinhe up tip such a figure rii of 4 you SIM saw lt it ahat ure are yon ill to do wilb this 11 wid aitto the polive police depart i orji nu tit nt I 1 ti k thill hoy belongs hi r perhaps lite hie 11 police I 1 alice call alik t bilm ps af t bill rt lip sirls a sa wl 1 I K hc 11 will 1101 ria e e tl ti icy cv I 1 tva faed ain together s slowly I 1 ow ii 4 aln Ari I 1 bill still parrying the shach cl aik fiig alny ut jit it often with wl licit IV fig eyes conf you anther hate to get ill til ili bucci ur tin aftab 7 eherd alien 1 I will finlie lie till nn linquest at least tin nn in 11 till you oti will lie ile railed called us its B n wl fliess illy 1 11 1 li will be no trout tle rt lt it Is obviously ii 11 iq 1 obviously obvious sly murder he CO cor r I 1 the jie ch I re ge filly poor all lau ahot jilin self or nr might hovi not both v suddenly ring tinn she aid fit 1 litow it I 1 i iad so hard not nol even eun to ot of murder H rae ra e wa whitt white 1 I 1 jou suii would give this to me tie kiili p i or sell it to 4 nip rr for or jf I 1 ran an see seethaa hat that your II your prokep slun I 1 14 blid 0 to o tilly k it 1 1 eab can ninke make it i rip plair story ry nt nf i if f 1 nin am in news ballel adik and i 1 call tie do wotH lera will tills this V lve it phot ogra plied it fu like ilke nn aclid si copy 1 to 0 ilia ony joy relive alln rl ln out ut quickly rind took y tin pud pads 1 I 1 can not do that she ole said sni 0 feel for tile the i tw RS I 1 launch I 1 I 1 I 1 were led by ETHEL HUESTON I 1 copyright 1927 by the bobbs men ill co service down that tined nod painful path on purpose lo jo receive it the pool body swept to my very feet it seems to ninke me his ills avenger dont you see I 1 dare say you yoli nip me very childish but I 1 feel that alil this lins has been sent peni straight to me rind I 1 cannot ernde it I 1 rim am sorry hut but I 1 must do it myself suddenly they find cleared the for est cst tind stood glood on lite brow ot the file hill the lone pine was directly at hand tills this Is my cottage slie she said just cross down the slope to in lie laho tin and rollow follow it down to the piet pier I 1 arn am sorry about jhb lie drawing but you se see e how it Is oil y you it are quite right light ot of course it has alas been very verv fa gitig buee t ing 1 1 you allie tills I 1 wish there ans anine place we are could go for tea 11 there Is 14 it i pance ace there are lot ot of places the island Is full 0 of ten lut but I 1 shant go thanks nil to ten tea willi a perfect arranger afra n gor in the it lie good cond little island would he even more damning than tile the discovery ol of n nonexistent corpse liven even worse vorse I 1 than living alone which seeni seem q the lie very of depravity here 11 II 1 I 1 Y 10 a ee step give her itil and ant a nt ac cordin to lt it makes women queer they think Is wrong with me mb living alone wout what do theyva advise an ali orphan for adoption or oil a husband iusa and for attach ment Il heaven leaven kr knows jos but anyhow I 1 live alone she laughed pleasantly goodby good by I 1 say it with sorrow for you seem almost one of my own lie he held field out his hla hand and gay dropped tiers liers in it goodby good by tile best of luck to you for myself I 1 wish no better luck than the joy of seeing you yet again now now she elie reproved rep him film smiling dont flatter consider the stately pines the rugged coast and the surging surf flattery go with the good I attle lie island it gu go with you either I 1 assure you I 1 mcall bevery jil biord word of it come soon good luck goodby good joo dby by gay Cayl walked toward tile the lone fine E trilling smiling tie lie was pleasant it lind find been nice the momentary colitti ct with will one ol of tier her own airn kind kidd hut but the smiles lied died on tier her lips as slie site tu curried ailed riled lite hie door of lie 1 lone one pine inc the ilie ho house use still big empty empty very sull suii the rite stillness was like death gay ny thought of lie hie son sen W washed dished body fiody with palely gleaming filinda flung out oui t ne e the RM and I 1 shuddered S slip lip ild did not look nt fit ille drawing or on the file first page of it tier her sketch hook book hut hilt 1111 tile lie 1 pad I gjul illicitly akl into the draver donw er of 0 r the desk and clogged it tight S she ife grew ill lin ill at wise fuse its as flusk dusk descended mid on oil h a si sudden lIdell impulse at last wint outa quickly mil lown flown the hill and called to aunt almiry wont Voi lt you kerp keep a poor timid nervous old mold maid all night she ask ed plen pleadingly 1 I 1 dont yant to stay alone ive got the you know beebee my aly house Is hati fit ed im afraid of ghosts tind things lings ti do you think drink it was just a ghost gave her n cozy chair and made tier hera a cup clip of ten alint was s unfailing resource lu case or nerves now dianh tour jour ton tea dearle binol anil dont a word won about it well lell have a nice conj cozy evenIng just like ilke it party she was evidently determined to soothe gny gay determined to humor tier liar heep tier her quiet quid slie site petted tier her talked pleasantly of annne and pleas fint ant things lings ti when left at last they made ready to retire for tile night flight slie site said gil dav v should have the solitary ile cicil and sho she herself bould sleep on in tire the couch sties afraid of me lite I 1 do belleve bejlov hel leve c gay thought to n herself lier self she wanta the room between u in case I 1 turn violent tier her lips twIt twitched clied w with ill amusement ht at the thought ns she crept between the alie white covers turned atit the lights and wen benl about the lie rouin from dow 16 to window raising tile the blinds when slie site varne rame to alie lie window thill sli showed dived the loue lone pine at the top op of if lie hill she gave a n sudden little ex cs did yu le leave ave a 0 light on slie site ash asked a d noll nol with a bound guy CRY w was as out of ile bed and at tier her sloe side by lie window both storing staring up the hill nt at tl ie cot inge age From tile the wide window pi pie living room there allowed if n round circle of misty light pale wavering and uncertain but bill a light its no earthly light gay CRY sold said moodily its a ghost I 1 tell you tile the spirits are abroad tills this night say you like queer things tire are going on 1 feel it I 1 am all creepy and oli oil took look I 1 oh it Is the handl oil oh I 1 1 tier her voice sank bank away breathlessly watching suddenly outlined in the misty orb of light had been the bellec lion of a hand reaching out slim shadowy and ghastly oh 11 gay murmured sickly oil it Is his hand ill 1 was shaken tier her arin beneath gays hand trembled tremble d but 1111 site she was firm arni site she did not believe in ghosts 1 I saw it she rite said weakly MIS just the reflection of a leaf ceaf or a spray of twigs moving in tile the wind look it Is gone there Is no there Is no hand it was wag the he light from a boat beat reflecting against tile lie leaves just a reflection reflect lon dearia they often fool me hae it your own way gay gai said moodily coll it a leaf it if you sou like I 1 call it a hand blind his hall annd 1 I think maybe ma I 1 will sleep with you 5 ou Aunt almiry said faintly gay laughed them their and squeezed the lie little figure gayly as she bhe clambered into bed beside tier her rather take inke a dunce chance mi in tile rne turning violent than be by yourself when tire the spirits walk you she teased you say uch such a filings reverent re elent I 1 j they arose enily early tin and offer after a quiet breakfast gay k I 1 s sp 1 I thanked her and set out cor offered to go with 11 cpr pr but she refused bravely smiling oil 01 nu no I 1 am not afraid now it Is da daylight lIlt spirits tire are till all nicely fir back in their snug little gries again slie site went up tip to tire cottage cott cot tuge tin nn lucked tile the loor door and entered alib lie room over er it lay isly tile the quiet little husli hush that in 11 1111 house but slie site was biot W it agrall af rall iven winit slip that thai the window shades shIe sll in tile he living civill room were lowered toabe to alie bottom site blip was not nit afraid 1 I pull them down slip suld ild aloud because be enuse I 1 out ut iii fort dilak oh well I 1 perhaps 1 did II if efrom habit without thinking knows I 1 had bad other things on my mind she sat down tit nt once to her desk etwas tier her pinn to go to the city on tire the first boat to 6 relieve herself of nil responsibility in the matter and then filet suddenly site she decided that she would not go nt bt all but write in instead stead site she would describe the entire incident to the lie insl del detill sill enclose tier her sketch and that would he be an end of 0 it she reached into the drawer and pulled out paper envelopes and tier her sh sketching etching pad to ni ensure for the lie size of envelope slie site opened tile hie pad to 0 o remove lie dra drawing whig the rite page hint met tier her eyes vas virg ind and white tin nn pencil line 0 lo 10 o m ar its purity say av turned the pad about in tier linnia annd studying it slowly and then site she turned every page e tile one after the oth e er r and examined every one tire page find been neatly extra extruded vicI from the lie hool book awl and tier her penciled sketch ot of the scene in the cove was I 1 not there its disappearance settled lite affair 0 of t tire the club cove ns as far as gay cyns concerned with nothing to sun suit tier her seemingly wild story slie she felt tile the less sald said of it the hie bet better ter ony city knew khew however that sit slie was the I 1 lie subject of if endless discussion endless neighborhood wit in tier her absence price and for a n few ch d tys slie she confined herself ns as possible to the lie seclusion of her cottage cott bilge one afternoon perhaps n week after tier her discovery and betrayal in ili tire cove birin tiring g suddenly of tier her work she phe shoved the ease easel into the corner rind and decided decide to clean hauso nastily slie she bundled her slim knich ered figure into h a great bungalow apron that made a 9 fat and sendy housewife of tier her twisted a bright silken scarf tur about tier small hend bead and fell to work slie site dusted she swept slie she rearranged with willi brush ond and pan in hand brind die clie was or tier her 1 knees becs nt at the fl fireplace coughing distastefully with the dust of ashes ns slie she cleared out the St riders of last nights driftwood when suddenly a hand slipped beneath chan chin from behind tilting tier lier head backward while two firm lips pressed down on oil tiers hers from above pressed firmly warmly for one long breathless moment and then n tremendous electrify ing silence gay dropped pun pan und tind rush brush tile the asies and stood up ill very tall very businesslike even with will the huge apron bulkily enveloping tier deeply outraged tire man who stood before her in it silence na prent great mi all na as profound inq n her hei own ans one she it lind n d seen before nor seen lils lila IN like e before slie site knew tit nt once travel worn hoots lie wore were travel worn knickers s ills his blond hair 9 little toti tousled sled showed sunburn nut but in thrill first glance it arts really his M eyes site she eyes dork and gray alth with little mocking glints that shone through his hi amazement gray ev PR beneath bc block lashes thick and long that hat curled up tip word velling veiling the gray with block amusement Amuse nent rient soon supplanted the astonishment ment in his fuce face amusement and interest tits his snag frold ans wn perfect pleased ri cased to meet you he sald a d with a mockingly deferential In clinn |