Show Z good neighbors MINAM da as VICTOR REDCLIFFE P copyright 1915 by NY 0 u could you lend mo ino your stepladder I 1 want to tak tako o out some come ot of the window screens the man addressed next door neighbor robert nf mason ason nodded simply limply ho he was the owner of the house bouse into which earle pelham and his bla wife had just moved pelham had paid a liberal rent for the place the im unsocial social manner of his bis landlord displeased him the latter simply lifted the article asked tor for over the low dividing fence once bowed and turned away humph commented pelham almost irritably as he bo entered catered the tha house bouse what la is the matter dear inquired mrs pelham trades tracing displeasure in his manner and voice that landlord of ours asked him just now to loan TOO me a stepladder to got at the screens and he bo acted as it be grudged even a decent word oh you misjudge him earle indeed you do mrs airs pelham hast hastened ned to say eay 1 I feel so EO sorry for him all the town does I 1 learn ills his life is a sad ead wd and history A year ago his alt a bride ot of a year had a fit of sic sickness kneis which led to a complete nervous breakdown she got so eo bad they had to send her to a sanitarium Two months ago she escaped they have not been able to trace her since it la feared that she wandered out amoni among we the swamp lands beyond the sanitarium and perished from hunger or was drowned poor tello wF spoke dolhan hla his sympathetic heart deeply touched by she aho turned toward the th intruders intruder this recital 1 I will be more charitable in my judgments after this the had not dealt with ma meon personally in renting the old home of mrs airs masons family but through no la agent after the death of 0 the parents of at his wife mr air mason had moved into the old home now he was wag renting it furnished and had bad taken up more limited quarters la in the adjoining cottage which he owned the had just moved in mrs airs pelham was busy all day long get ring the interior in order her hus hu band attended ded to outside matters he rv r I 1 IV he e screens tidied up the gar cu and both retired that night pretty well wearied with their unusual labor the house bouse Is too large for us earle mrs pelham remarked 1 I wish we had bud taken tho the one mr mason occupies 1 I dont know that we could got it observed her husband 1 I heard he ws was s going to sell botu both places if he could and leave the town the assoil actions of this old house where bla big unfortunate wife was born must be very painful to him robert mason had bad given up his wife its BS dead in trying to locate her after ht escape from the sanitarium the mar ps archers chers had discovered several clues t ws that led them to believe that the fugitive had wandered into the swamp district this was a dangerous and interminable swamp spot and three days after the disappearance of mrs airs mason 9 a fire had swept the greater portion of it there was every reason to believe that mrs mason had perished A distressing feature of othar her late fate was the tact fact that the physician in charge of the sanitarium had entertained great hopes of her eventual recovery she had bad been improving for some weeks prior to her escape it was about midnight when mr air pelham soundly asleep was aroused from his slumbers by a quick nudge from his wife her voice was tremulous and agitated as she bhe whispered breathlessly get up at once earle why what is the matter mat terl in n quiren her better halt half drowsily burglars shuddered mrs pelham oh do be careful ive been over halt bait an hour lying awake and listening to suspicious sounds bounds the wind I 1 suppose no ho I 1 thou thought glit so at first but toun found v was canU coutin cued lied mrs pol ba haab la in a tf folco I 1 heard the front door rattle then someone tried the side aide windows then there was a window lifted in the garret earret oh I 1 am sure someone Is up there now tarledo tarle earle do you not heart bear youre right rachel assented mr pelham after a moment of intense listening thero there was no doubting tho the fact that the floor coor overhead creaked as hurried footsteps crossed it then there was a scraping sound as of someone ing a trunk or box over the boards then a breaking sound mr air pelham got out ot of bed bad dressed and lighting a lamp tot cot a revolver from a bureau drawer his wife followed his example by throwing on a dress she was close behind him us as they crept up the attic stairs oh do be careful sho she implored as they reached tho the top of the stairs and a low vague croon ing sound reached their hearing bearing from beyond the threshold of the attic door hold the lamp directed her husband when I 1 pull tho the door open suddenly lift it so GO I 1 can see where to fire mr pelham gave cave the door a quick pull with a trembling hand his alite vita lifted and extended the lamp dont dont shoot 1 almost screamed mrs airs pelham we its a girl a woman 1 the flickering lamp fell across a woman singing softly to herself and taking dress after dross dress from a trunk she had opened she turned toward the intruders in a surprised way visitors she observed in a toft soft plaintive tone you will have to cuso cuse me till I 1 got ready to go down and meet my guests I 1 have hava just arrived home somo some wicked people stole me from my husband and I 1 escaped oh earle gasped mrs Tl pelham elham tugging at her husbands sleeve dont you understand its that poor lady next door they mourn as dead oh quick quick run tor for her hus hua band she has found home at last and see that open window she must have reached it with the stepladder mr pelham terribly excited hurried away mrs pelham advanced to the side of the woman whose garments garment wore were nearly in rags pick out your dress dear she aho said soothingly your husband will be hero soon I 1 but strangers in the house began the other suspiciously oh wo we are just guests assured mrs airs pelham you will find everything in order below it was a great shock tor for robert mason maeon when his neighbor advised him of the strange arrival of tho the night ho he calmed himself as ho he realized the situation As ho he entered tho the attic with a wild cry of delight his bis wife ran into his arms arma I 1 oh robert those wicked men who stole etole me away from you gone entirely out of our life my darling assured mason come to your own rooms and get ready to join our kind neighbors at a little lunch he proceeded and made a sign to the Pel hama hams who retired halt half an hour later mr mason led his wife neatly dressed and looking calm and happy into the rooms below tho the I 1 quick witted mrs pelham had spread out a small refection to the letter the program of visitors was carried out and in the eyes of the poor wanderer all could trace a slow but suro sure returning of reason you will have to keep up the pro tense of going over to the next house till I 1 can arrange otherwise whispered mr mason alason to mr air pelham oh you disturb your wife with anything answered mrs pelham and besides we like the little home best famously good people the shared hared the glad grateful joy of their landlord as the days went on and mrs mason arason came back into the full sunshine of reason and health |