Evening star., 1921-06-12

caught the gesture. She walked to a
medicine.
Its time" she said as she gave 1t to
him. that we all were in bed. Shall
ring for John?''
I'll ring" Garth answered. "a little
later ! should be glad Of word with
See here" Garth exploded at last
. There's no point in your closing your
confidence to me. 1t only makes mat
ters a thousand times more difficult.
You're afraid. OF WHAT"
Don't think" he managed to get out
that I'm a coward. I'll stay. My con-
tracts will be carried through"
No" Garth answered, you're not
that kind of coward, but there's some
thing else. Don't deny, Mr.. Alden.
What is it,"
''A-a coward
The words stumbled out of his mouth.
But l don't know whatlt is. You're
TO tell me. MIR. Garth, il it's anything"
This rot about the woods and the
spirits of dead soldiers?" Garth asked.
Alden stirred. He nodded in the di-
rection of the rear easement windows.
Just across the lawn"
"iou haven't SEEM" Garth asked
sharply.
But" Alden said. 'the servants
Nonsense, Mr.. Alden. That's one of
the commonest superstitions the world
over, that soldiers come back to the
battlefelds where they have died. and
in time of war;
'Tf there's nothing in it," Alden whis-
pered. why is it SO common? Why did
my servants swear they had seen? And
the fog! We've had too much fog lately
every night for a week. My man died
in the fog"
Garth whistled.
sCsonld fhav houa n;cfakan 1jr, For
you?"
There were no marks on the body"
I'VE are talking too much. Il
want you to stay and Judge for your
self"
why" he asked himself, won't
pect me to find in this house?'
So he pressed the electric bell and
walked to the hall. He met John
'Please show me to my room" he
said. Mr.. Alden's asleep. Perhaps
you'd better speak to his wife before
you disturb him."
John bowed and led him upstairs.
Goodnight, sir" he said, opening
the door. May you sleep well. It's
a little hard here lately"
GARTH closed the door. Struggling
his shoulders. OF what a deli
cacy the threat must be to require
such scrupulous handling! IF there
is anything" Alden had said. Garth
brought his hands together.
There is something" he muttered
something as dangerous as tho death
Alden is manufacturing back there"
He went to bed. but restlessnesS re-
H0@
Of time. He had been, perhaps. on the
frontier Of sleep. for. as he sprang up
right, he could not be all at once
sure what had aroused him. A mans
groan, he thought. Suddenly, tearing
through the darkness, came the affirm
ation-a feminine scream, full Of ter
ror. abruptly ended.
He threw on his clothes. grasped
his revolver. dashed down the stairs
and burst into the 1iving-room.
Tell me what's happened" Garth
commanded.
The woman's voice was scarcely in
81 let him sleep here. Just now he
groaned. I ran in. Somebody-some.
thing had attacked him. I ran in. L
saw it"
"Wherer'
She pointed to the rear window.
II saw 1t going out there It was
lossS' II went III inc ios' couio-
Garth sprang to the window. II
was. in fact. half open. Before he
could get through Mrs.. Alden had
caught, his arm.
Don't follow. It isn't safe on,
there"
81 want that man." he said. \
She pointed at her husband
Look at him. He saw it in the
fog that came through the window
1t is all fog out there. Don't leave
me alone"
He thrust the revolver impatientIy
In her hand. .t....
side on such a night"
The moon. he knew, was at the full
but its golden rotundity was heavily
veiled to night. Garth could hear
nothing. but he waited breathlessly
still straining his ears. This. he
mused. was the place where many
soldiers had died In battle. the setting