Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-11-17
cHAPTE Err ..
. Take a Country House.

a furnished house for the summer out
OF town, and found herself involved in
one OF those mysterious crimes that
keep our newspapers and detective
agencies happy and prosperous. For
~ years | had been perfectly COM
Portable; for 90 years 1 had had the
window-boxes filed in the spring, the
carpets lifted, the awnings put up and
the furniture covered with brown
linen; for as many summers had said
good-by to my friends, and, after
watching their perspiring hegira, had
settled down TO a delicious quiet in
town, where the mail comes three
times a day. and the water supply
does not depend on a tank on the
roof.
And then-the madness seized me.
When I look back over the months |
spent in Sunnyside, 1 wonder that |
survived at all. AS 1t is, | show the
wear and tear OF my narrowing ex-
periences. have turned very gray
Liddy reminded me OF II only yester-
day by saying that a little bluing in
the rinse water would make my hair
silvery instead OF a yellow white.
hate TO be reminded of unpleasant
things and l snapped her of
NO" said sharply, I'm not going
to use bluing at my time OF life, or
starch either"
Liddy's nerves are gone, she says,
since that awful summer. but she has
enough left, goodness knows! And
when she begins to go around with a
dump in her throat, all / have to do
A.
and she is frightened into a semblance
OF cheerfulness-from which you may
fudge that the summer there was any
thing but a success.
The newspaper accounts have been
so garbled and incomplete-one of
them mentioned me but once, and
then only as the tenant at the time
the thing happened-thatI feel il my
due to tell what 1 know. Mr. Jamie.
son, the detective, said himself he
could never have done without me.
although he gave me little enough
credit, in print.
i shall have to go back several
years-lS, to be exact-to start my
story. AT that time my brother died
leaving me his two children. Halsey
was IL then and Gertrude was seven.
When Halsey had finished his cleo.
trical course and Gertrude her board
ing school both came home to stay.
The winter Gertrude came out was
nothing but a succession OF sitting up
late at night to bring her home from
things, taking her to the dressmakers
between maps the next day, and dis
couraging ineligible youths with either
more money than brains or more
brains than money. BY spring was
quite tractable. So when Halsey sug.
gested camping in the Adirondacks
and Gertrude wanted Bar Harbor. we
compromised on a good country house
With links near. within motor dis
lance of town and telephone distance
Of the doctor. That was how we went
to Sunnyside. y
We went out TO inspect the property.
and 1t seemed to deserve it's name.
It's cheerful appearance gave no indi-
cation whatever OF anything out OF
the ordinary. Only one thing seemed
unusual to me: The housekeeper, who
had been left in charge, had moved
from the house TO the gardeners lodge
few days before. AS the lodge was
far enough away from the house. II
seemed to me that either fire or
thieves could complete their work of
destruction undisturbed. The proper.
~ was An extensive one; the house on
the top Of hill. which sIoped away I'm
great stretches Of green lawn and
clipped hedges 10 tho road. and across
the valley, perhaps a couple Of miles
away, was the Greenwood Club house
Gertrude and Halsey were infatuated
The property was owned by Paul
Armstrong the president Of fhe
Traders bank. Who at the time we
took the house was In the west with
his wife and daughter. and a d..
Walker, the Armstrong family ply.
stefan. Halsey knew Louise Arm.
strong-had been rather attentive TO
her the winter before. but as Halsev
was always attentive to somebody. +
had not thought OF 70 seriously. all
though she was n charming girl T
knew ~ Mr. Armstrong only through
MS connection with the bank. where
tha childrens money was largely in.
vested, and through an ugly story
about the son. Arnold Armstrone. who
was reported TO have forged his fa.
theY's name for 2 considerable amount
10 some bank Daper However. the
story had had no interest for me.
cleared Haisey and Gertrude
away 10 = house party. and moved cat
10 aunuyside the lrst Of May
The first night passed quietly
saough have always been grateful
for that one nights peace: 10 shows
vhat the country might be under IA.
Torsble circumstances Never after
that niEht did ! put my head on my
pillow With any assurance how long
It would be there or on my shoulders,
for that matter
On the following morning Liddy and
Mrs Ralston. my own housekeeper,
CTTRCCRTpE tn TIL