The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-18

A CONSPIRACY OF silence SEEM
\ ed to fall on our group all
during the long day when Val
lay in the blue room, going from
faints into Mysteries and from hys-
terics into strangely calm periods.
She was continually sending for Jim
and me. j wondered II, with him as
with me, she seemed always on the
verge OF asking something and al
ways drawing back.
In the late afternoon Nirg MIA
decided to walk over to Mason
Towers with Pat.
"Whatll we do now that we find
ourselves alone together for
change. Lilac Lady," Jim asked.
If you don't mind, Jimmie boy
I replied. Il sort of feel like get
ting out for breath of air"
"All right. I'll come with you"
please, Jim, I'd rather go alone"
A trifie miffed, Jim retorted:
Don't care for a tete-a-tete with
your old man, eh? Some day youll
be sorry"
"You say that in the hurt tone of
the child declaring how sorry every
body will be when he's dead and
gone and it's too late" J said strug-
CLING for a light tone 10 cover my
earnest and gripping purpose. But
l really do want TO go out, JIM
because your walk this morn
ing had such pleasant results?"
questioned Jim, tartly.
"Oh, boy--dear. that's unworthy!
Can't you understand that | want
to get of by myself and pull my
self together
No; I'll never fully understand
the modern woman-even though
I'm married to her. But run
along. OF course, know you
don't want me TO go with you,
but still might insist IL ii
weren't for the fact that it's only
decent for one of US to stay in
the house in case Val needs U.S.
Jim seemed to lay II lot of
stress on how much it hurt him to
have me insist on going OF and
leave him, but l hadn't time to
puzzle about that. All day long
Ia been counting on the twilight
hour and what I must do in 1t.
IN WALKING ATTIRE.
] hurried to our room, donned
short skirt and heavy sweater arid
completed my costume with a pair
of thick walking boots and n
warm tam. Into my pocket
slipped tiny electric flash and
jackknife I'd unearthed in the
big secretary down in the living
room. With n ball of heavy cord
to complete my ammunition, |
started off.
There was something shudder-
some and ghostlike in the twilight.
The little green path. down which
had started so gaylY only this
morning seemed grim bit OF
dank underground. But I hurried
along, glad that there was light
enough so / could trace my way
without using the pocket fash.
Instead of going all the way to
the main road. as had done In the
morning. ! branched off about
three-quarters Of the way down
the path, With this climb down
the embankment in view, I had
worn tho heavy boots nd bought
for cross-country tramps. Steady
ing myself by the bushes that grew
profusely on the sides OF the steep
bank. let myself down cautiously
At last, just ms I had calculated.
I came out on the very plateau
where had found Val. Ahcad OF
me bu'kcd dark shape. | knew
we'll enough that II was the big
gray roadster in which shelly had
driven to meet his doom, but Il
looked like something monst"ously
strange and terrible, something I'd
never seen before. Haunted. 4
dreadful, impossible thing that
couldn't be and yet was. \ menace
and horror.
It took all tho courage poa-
scssed to force myself onward. ny
now darkness was cloaking the
woods and creeping down 10 the