The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1920-05-05
not gone with them, my debt to the

tDllc ult Ilpl ScCIil ltNtlS lIltcIcSlGu
in the first part Of my narrative but
when began telling Of the proposi-
tlon the Gastons had made to me apd
of the mysterious warnings each Of
them had separately given me, could
see her interest kindling
"There Is something wrong in that
apartment house." she explained. "We
have had nothing but trouble ever
since we lived there. wonder IL
there Is anything in the theory that
evil deeds make bad karma, which
spreads It's effects all about. I know
I fool there is sinister atmosphere
about the whole place"
"Im beginning to feel 1t, too" I said
bitterly.
I told her then OF my unexpected
and unwarranted discharge without
explanation the day before.
"How do you account for it?" she
asked perplcXcdly.
you must have some enemy, some
malicious person, who has spread
some terrible tale about YOU"
II haven't any enemy In the world"
l replied, yet even as I spoke there
it'ohSN pSiooo lily tlC lIlulcSOItUI
glance the scar-faced man had given
me in the restaurant few evenings
before.
"I wonder" said Miss Bradford
thoughtfully, "if the same people who
are. trying to blackmail us are not try
ing to involve you with us I'm some
way7'
"Why should they?"
"Thcy may have been watching and
have seen YOU enter the house with
me twice. They may think that you
and are friends and that you were
there in the park purposely that first
time"
'Evcn So" replied. "that doesn't
explain this"
l pulled from my pocket the note
I had found on the floor Of my bed.
room and showed 1t to her.
"Whcre did YOU get that?" she
gaspcd In astonishment.
Last night heard footsteps and
whispers. I thought Mt the time
was dreaming. This morning found
this note on the floor"
"You heard Whispers" she cried ex-
citedly. whispers that seemed to
come from up near the ccilIng?"
II thought heard them. I wasn't
sure"
II know, she said, shudderIng.
''T've heard them-twice."
We looked at each Other despairing-
ly. We both Of us realized that we
must be surrounded with some potent
evil forces working to accomplish our
ruin. The motive In the anonymous
letters that Miss Bradford had been
| receiving had plainly been blackmaii.
But what was the motive in my own
aase2 Why had someone stolen the
| CASTOR pearls and then In an anony-
! nous letter to me spoken Of the theft2
wondered, too, II the successful at
, tempt to dlscrcdlt me at my place Of
business had not originated from. the
same mysterious source.
Was my grcat-uncle Rufus to blame7
The suspicion of him rose in my
mind and would not be downed. I re-
called the unusual pretext on which
he had sent for me after having paid
no attention to my existence for nearJ
| ly year. recalled his curious warn
Ing and that Of his aged wife. re-
membered that they had insisted on
leaving the jewels behind against my
urglngs, and that they had been In
sistent on my having the combination
Of the safe. Could 1t be possible that
they also had some grudgc against the
BradfOrds, their nelghbors, and in
some way had got hold Of Claire Brad.
| ford's secret2
II think you said," I asked Miss
Bradford, "that your family and tho
| Gastons were not acquainted in any
way"
mo-" she replied, 1--WE don't know
them at all. Why do you ask that?"
II was wondering If 1t could be pos
slble that my great.uncle Rufus could
have had any hand In all this. He's
queer, secretlve old chap"
"It's probable that he and my father
might have known each other. Both
were In business here in the city for
many years. I never remember,
though, of hearing Dad speak Of him
wait, yes, I did once"
"When was that7"
ut must have been sig or eight
~~"~a a9o. There was something In