The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1920-03-31
CHAPTER IL.
Sunday morning came at last.

Sunday morning came ut last.
It was hardly eight when set onr
for my now quarters. taking with mo
only one small handbag and leaving
my two trunks for the cXprc&Sman.
In the time Intervening since my visit
to the Castor home | had done but
little except speculate on the mystcr-
Gus warnings that both OF the old pco-
pie had surrcptitiously given me. 1t
seemed SO utterly improbable and i'm
possible that there could be any in
cXplicablc mystery about home in Il
modern. up-to-date apartment house
In the center OF civilized city And
II there was mystery, why did they
stay there? Why didn't they move?
Yet rs I pondered over the matter,
l was convinced that both my great
uncle and his Wife were rational. I
dismissed without hesitation the the
ory that there could have been any
supernatural happenings to affright
them. 1t was probable, decided, that
their fears might have been played on
by some conspiracy on the part OF
their servants to induce them to spend
was some spectcr from my great
uncle's past now rising to confront
him that he was seeking to hide from
his wife. 1t might be that she knew
Of 1t or had received threats and was
trying to conceal the matter from him.
There are few men Of millions with
out some secret shameful pages In
their lives. AS I remembered that
old Rufus GaStOn's dollars had been
made in South America, all that had
heard and read of plots and counter
plots below the equator came buzzlng
into my brain. IF such should be the
case. that some betrayed conspratOr
now was seeking vengeance, more
than ever I welcomed the unexpected
chance that had thrown this oppor-
tunity for adventure In my prosatc
path.
Yet maybe their warnings were JUS
titled. There was Barbara Bradford,
who lived under the same roof, Oh tho
very floor with them. She seemed to
be caught in the web of some plot, to
be living In fear OF some mysterious
peril
Was she, / wondered, in any way
connected with the mystery that over
hung the CASTOR home? Did my great
uncle and his wife know her? Her
mission to the park had been to get
some papers. Could they have been
In any way involved with what was
mcnacing my gleat-unclos peace OF
mind? How I regretted now that I
hn 0C1yn hn
knew Miss Bradford. How I welcom-
ed the opportunity I was now to have
Of living In the same apartment house
with her, close mt hand IL ever I could
serve her. I was glad now that cir
cumstances had prevented my going
to France with Birge and Roller.
AS / arrived at my grent-uncle's cor
ner, / saw Miss Bradford approaching
from the opposite direction. She was
reach the corner ais she did. Would
she, wondered, consider our strange
meeting few evenings before sufn-
Client Introduction to justify her speak
Ing to me.
"Good morning, Mr.. Nelson" she
greeted me pleasantly. Making an
early call, aren't your"
I'm coming here to live for WHILE"
I answered. failing into step with her
"The GastOns are going to Maine and
have asked me to occupy their apart
ment while they are away"
5 AS we chatted we had entered the
!. building, and rs before went into
the elevator with her. AS left her
at the door, wondering If she had had
any more encounters In the park, yet
hardly daring to ask, she turned to
me, half apologetlcally, and said: