The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-07-17
THE
MYSTERY
HOUSE
CHAPTER Ill.
Inside Mystery House

me?" asked Moreno at the break
fast table one morning
81 do said Betty.
1--WE don't" said the boys.
81 might, though, if you get some
candy and promise you'll not go to
Bluff Taylor's house" leased Hal
"Oh bother said Moreno. but
blushing, 81 don't know whether III
buy any candy or not"
well, if you do" suggested AL,
you can just save us some, for I'm
not going"
Are you going, Agnes?" asked
Betty.
"Not this morning. if you don't
mind" replied Agnes, 81 want to
find out something about that mys-
terry"
What mystery" asked Moreno.
Not"
"The one in that book that Agnes
is reading, l suppose" interrupted
Betty.
Soon after breakfast Betty and
Moreno started uptown, leaving Ag-
mes on the porch reading her be
loved book as Betty had expressed
it. AS soon as they were out Of
sight, Agnes closed the book.
at won't be my fault if they
think I'm doing what I'm not" said
Agnes to herself. "But l just must
find out" She looked all around
to see that no one was watching
her, and then vaulted over the
fence that made the boundary line
between the Dewe home and the
Mystery House. Agnes tried the
windows to see if they were I'M
locked, but, of course. they weren't.
Even the cellar windows were
locked. She was about to give up
hopes of getting in when she dis
covered cellar window on the
other side of the house and the
glass was broken out.
Maybe | can squeeze through
that 'muttered Agnes, I'm going
to try it, anyway" So, she put her
feet in first and slowly wormed her
self inside. Her feet dangled on
the wall of the cellar; she could not
touch the floor. Then she heard
a low chuckle and then-then-she
felt someone take hold of her and
set her down ON the floor of the
basement. She turned around and
faced
BILLY Borton :" she gasped
What are you doing here?"
agnes Pale!" he said mockingly,
What are YOU doing here?"
II came to investigate this old
place" Agnes answered.
"And so did l." said Billy, "but
had to ditch the boys"
Ditch the boys?" pondered
Agnes, 81 don't understand you"
81 mean that | ditched Hal and
AL, said Billy.
ooh, | understand that part per.
fectly WELL" Agnes said, but what
do you mean by 'ditch'?'
oh" laughed Billy, "By that I
mean that slipped away from them
to get here"
did you break the glass out of
the Window" asked Agnes.
mo, that was already broken"
said Billy, "But say, isn't it funny
that we both happened to come at
the same time?
Yes. it is" agreed Agnes, "But
now did you happen to Gomez"
Il heard you girls talkin' about
this place and so l said to myself
ia like to see inside that place
Then one morning said to Hal and
AL, wouldn't it be fun to see
what's inside of that house?' Then
they said that there wasn't much to
see-Just a common, ordinary
house. But | didn't. agree with
them, so just slipped off by my
self to see what twas like"
That's about the way with me-"
said Agnes. Betty and Moreno
aren't no more interested in this
place than l am in geography, So
| just thought | might as well look
around while have the chance"
Yes, and we'd better not waste
any more time. We won't be able
TO stay in each room very long, for
the girls will soon be back" warned
Billy, Lets look this basement
over first"