Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-20
-u,s nEGINsLTHE STORY

che'gs Wnrepent strangers from reach
w ,go ~ bouse by light or bv ddU.
~ on;ro % IA desperately AFRAID OF
Aou.hoSy. identity unknown. Pcfcr
som.y;1sa sn;es a cottage on the estate, ara
oov'i s ,ioht is called by telephone og
~ gWeGuiye and asked to come 10 ainner
m'Vt AZ meet his daughter, Pegey &C.
=, T,,rn. On his arrivdl ne mas bem
Cameron, a ncigh6or; here qua asfs
Ssy whv. She teis MN sne cume 70
III, s.,, hsr aunt, the honsekceper,, 10
hnGp, an, And besides, she adds,
~. .anted 10 "peek little.'
AND HERE IT CONTINUES
m see. You wanted to see Miss
"A pegsy's new frock through the
feSSI.s. feS'Syss-and the other one. Aren't they
prettyI"
81 81 listened listened, too. I couldn't help It,"
' EaveSdf"O OF. uoJdcd "Oh. Mr.. Nichols, but
oa ors a. MAY the piano beautifully = :,
souu uPUt Rv not like an angel in Heaven
ii peter with smile.
MY "aAlmost-if angels play. You make
ma forgct--" she paused.
w w"What-?'
THAT there's anything in the world
except beauty r.,,, hor,,r
found himself, had swept into a song OF
the cabarets. to .%anrn wni"n 'nere WIS
c,yTg ca,syTbere's that-." he muttered,
,,r.inr a thumb in the direction from
which he had come. nav >,
NI 1Rnt she shook her head. "No," she
aid "Tbat's different.
"How-different?' ;,
"Wrong-false-un- Unworthy
As she sroped for and found the word
4. stared at her in astonishment. And
IN her ewes back Of the joy that seemed
~ no always dancing in them he saw
The shadows of q sober thought.
"But don't you like dance music!'
"Yes I do. but it's only for the feet.
Your music is for-for here And
with q quick. graceful gesture she
clasped her hands upon her breast.
"Tm glad you think so. because
that's where it comes from
At this point Peter remembered his
mission, which Bcth's appearance had
driven from his mind.
.Ill play for you some time" he
said.
He went past her and out to the serv-
ants dining room As he entered with
Betb at his heels. Mrs. Bergen, the
housekeeper, turned in from the open
door to the kitchen garden. clinging to
the lamb, her lips mumbling, as though
she were continuing a conversation. But
her round face. usually the color and
texture Of q we'll -ripened peach. was
the color Of putty. and seemed suddenly
10 have grown old and hnggard. Her
eyes through her metal trimmed spec
taclcs seemed twice their size and
stared at Peter as though they saw
through him and beyond. She faltnred
at the door jamb and then with an effort
reached chair, into which she sank
gaspng.
Beth was kneeling at her side in a
moment, looking up anxiously into her
startled eyes.
"Why. what is it, Aunt Tillie?" she
whispered quickly. "What it is? Tell
me-
The coincidence was too startling.
Could the same thing that had
frightened Mcclure have frightened the
housekeeper, too? Peter rushed past
her and out Of the open door. 1t was
dark outside and for a moment he could
see nothing. Then objects one by one
asserted themselves, the orderly rows
Of vegetable plants in the garden, the
wood box by the door, the shrubbcry at
the end of the portiCo, the blue spruce
tree opposite, the loom of the dark and
non-committal garage. He knew that
one OF his men was in the trees op-
posite the side porch and another
around the corner Of the kitchen, in the
hedge, but he did not want to raise
hue and cry unless it was necessary.
What was this thing that created terror
at sight? He peered this way and that,
aware OF an intense excitement. in one
hand his revolver and in the other his
police whistle. But he saw no object
move, and the silence was absolute. Ip
moment-disappointed-he hurried
back to the servants dining room.
Mrs. Bergen sat dazcd in her chair,
while Beth, who had brought her n glass
/ OF water, was making her drink Of it.
Tell me, what is it?' Beth was in
dsting.
"Nothing-nothing, murmurcd the
woman.
but there Is"
NO, dearie-'
Are you sck?"
II don't feel right. Maybe-the
Dut SouT eyes look
DO they-Y' The housckcepcr
tried to smile.
Yes. Like they had scen---"
|. A little startled as she remembered
me mystery of the house, Beth cast her
glance into the darkness outside the
open door.
"You arc-frightcned"' - she said.
NO, no.
What was it you saw, Mrs.
Bergen" asked Peter gently.
DE was just at her side and at the
sound of HIS voice she half arose, but
recognizing Peter she sank back in her
chair.
Peter repeated his question, but she
lhook her head.
Wont YOU tell US? What was it
you saw? A man-?'
Her eyes sought Beth's and look Of
tenderness came into them, banishing
he vision. But she lied when she an
swered Peters question.
-, saw nothin', Mr.. Nichols--I think
III so up--"
she took another swallow of the
water nnd rose. And with her strength
came greater obdurncy.
saw nothin'--" she repeated
ssaln, as she saw that he was still
0oklhg at her. "Nothin' at ALL"
Peter and Beth exchanged glanccs,
ana Beth' putting her hand under the
,souSekeepcr's ~ arm, helped the woman
70 the back stairs.
:, Peter stood for n moment in the mid
ale OF the kitchen floor, his gaze on the
soot through which the woman had
,ani'hed' Aunt Tille, too. She had
s sseh some one, some thing-the same
sone s one or thing that Mcclure had
n0 ossn. But granting that their eyes had
b.d uecelved them, granting that each