Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1911-07-20


kneeling on long, narrow pine box.
from which he was jerking nails with
a clawed hammer His head was bent.
and he had not heard her quiet en-
trance
All at once Pauline was cool and coll
lected. Henry" she said evenly, lis
there body in that box"
Mr.. Fones sat back on his heels, his
mouth wide open. guilty expression
In his eyes. "Polly" he gasped.
What are you doing here?'
"Hen"y. Is there body in that box?
repeated his wife calmly.
"A-a- what" demanded Henry
Fones. nghast.
Paulne's voice was unwavering. "A
body"
Henry arose and went around the
box and placed n loving hand on her
shoulder. Polly. what Is the matter!
y Are you ill'" he queried anxiously.
Henry nes," she quavered all OF
IL sudden. how could you do lit
have discovered everything"
"Everything" repeated her husband
sheepishly. "And believed had COW
cred my trail pretty thoroughly.
didn't want you to know. dearest"
al should think not" cried Pauline
hysterically. "Oh. Henry. you must
fly at once, but first do get rid OF the
-the--bodies!'
Henry Fones shook his wife vigor-
ously. Polly Fones. are you crazy
with your talk Of bodies? What do you
meany" he demanded sternly, and 1t
was this tone of his that brought Pau
line back to herself.
II have found all these, Henry" she
said. bringing out the batch OF tele'
grams. "All your dreadful secret"
Mr.. Fones scanned them carelessly.
"What about emp" he demanded.
What do they mean, HenryY" She
pointed accusingly to the fatal word In
each message.
For one instant he stared. puzzled.
then he threw his head back In roar
Of laughter that echoed through the
little house. "Bless your dear heart,
Polly" he said at last. wiplng the tears
from her pretty eyes. you've been
railroad mans wife for three years
and don't know that 1t means freight
car bodies. Some Of them have been
in wrecks and need repairing. and
others are worn out. When they take
the trucks from under them the upper
part Is called the body oh, lordy,
what a lot of discriminating evidence
you've piled up against me" He fold
ed her in his arms and kissed away her
chagrin. He magnanimously forgave
her for her lack Of faith in him; he
explained tc her that the numbers at
the end Of the message signified the
serial number Of the car and was Its
mark of identity.
Then she told him about the brass
. key and asked the question which had
been lowering on her lips for several
minutes, "What are you doing here,
Henry Fones?" and Henry Fones
promptly explained.
ats the House O. Dreams. dear-its
my surprise for our wedding anniver-
sary, the 18th of June. I've worked
every spare moment since the outside
was completed to get it ready for you.
l borrowed three days from my vaca-
tion In order to run down here. and
now I am discovered. Don't smother
me. quite, Polly, darling! Oh. almost
forgot-the first question you asked
me, dear This long box contains
don't shudder-window shades!'
II feel like Bluebeard's wife," smiled
Pauline as she gave the brass key to
her husband
"I.ook tn re, Polly. read that re-
turned He y, holding the brass key
close to her eyes.
There on the slender shank some
thing was engraved in fine lettering.
"House o. Dreams" II said.
All at once the lettering was hidden
by the happy tears that fell from Pau
lines eyes,