The Washington times., 1911-03-19
Get to the "Mystey Story Editor" Before Thursday Noon,

indisposed TO listen. hoping thus to
catch some clue to his evenings adven-
ture. Nor was the housekeeper unwiII-
ing to talk.
Yes; there had been A right smart of
new people in town this summer. She
did hear that lost of folks were renting
their places for four months for as
much as a thousand dollars. One OF the
heifers had died last week: she didn' t
rightly know what was the matter, but
John could tell him. Some said as how
one of them city fellers had broken the
record oUt to the goff links Saturday,
and a lot of them society folks was get
ting uD an amychoor circus. Yes, for
charity: she didn't know what char
ity, but it did seem a funny way to
raise money for religious purposes. Why
didn't they have sewing circles, or
church fairs. Or sociables, same as they
(the villagers) did? No, no one had
queer question. after all that folks said
about it. Not that she believed in
ghosts; she had never seen one, and
didn't calc'late to. either.
Haigh gave it I'D as n bad job. lie
arose and went out into the dewy night,
TO finish his cigar. Then. rather tired,
he sought his led. where he lay reading
Poe and De Maupassant until. when he
turned out his light he said he felt
real sHooky." His sleen, however. was
more sound than 1t had been for some
time.
The morning. and ranv a succeeding
ore. found him un with the birds He
spent much of his time in the go-cart
and the Valley Of Solitude. But his Gu
r'ositN was s2ted not at all: Brookside
bore the same aspect dav after dav.
The laugh of the woman REQUIRED not
though he waited time ard again in the
spot where he had heard II before.
And then. 1T last when he was about
Z" Givc IN the Drofitless affair, some
thing happened
II vas p Snndav. the hour about nine
in the morning. The dav was very beau
tful,~'tEe Valley Road more entiCinC
than was its wont The co-cart swung
into IT as hv custom. Daniel lolIing on
the seat. immaculate in fannels. He
was downcast, and the cigar between
his teeth was unlit: he was che wing tine
butt. ard il Is bad sign when a sane
r,an thus nisuSes good smoke. IE
his head. Daniel was composing A little
verse of mournful cadence in which the
rhyme heart and "nart" was fol-
lowed by ''dnsnair' and passing fair"
He was backslidir-. il was evident.
therefore, int"rruntion came opnor-
tunelY, and in the shape of peculiar
green bird hopninS in the dust nv the
walls of Frool:side. Haigh whistled.
and leSSered the sDeed Of the runabout
The bird cooked its head TO ore side.
eyed hir1. and few CIumSily to a branch
ovcrhenginE the road. from which it
sGua wked defiance
Why. its a parrotr cried Daniel.
stoprtng. No. it's a parrakeet Now.
what in thunder IS parrakeet doing
horo'" He studied the bird duzzicaIlv.
Pretty Polly! Do you know that you
are an anomsiy?"
The parrakeet stormed angriIy. Haish
laughed.
"Oh. we'll" he said. '..f vou feeI +b.t
way about II. I'll take II all back. You
are not an anomaly; YOU are merely ir-
regular and out Of place. Where did
Won come from. anyway
The parrakeet swore fuentIv, and in
spa nish. which Haigh understood.
'Hello,' he exclaimed. II knew 7
was bad sort, but pom NV word 7
had no idea was so depraved as all
that. You're A naughty bird
At this a woman's laughter beIIed f11II
upon the air. Daniel was startled. He
rose in the runabout. looking around
him.
Come" he expostulsted. This Is
going too far"