Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-24

No-not at last accounts. He's out
somewhere. When 1 was little he
used to come to Aunt Tillie for money
"a tall. lantern -jawed man. saw
him once three years ago. He was here,
Aunt Tillie tried to keep me out of the
kitchen. But l thought he was up to
some funny business and stayed. He
took a fancy to me. He said he was
camera man In the movies. He wanted
me to go with him--thought / could be
as good as Mary Pickford. I'm glad 1
didn t go--from what know now. He
was a bad man. Aunt Tillie was scared
or him. Poor soul She gave him all
she had-most Of what was left from the
old farm. guess
DO you think-' began Peter, then
paused. And as she glanced at him
inquiringly, "Did you notice that your
Aunt Till lie seemed-er-frghtene last
night?' he asked at last.
II thought SO for while, but she
said she. was only sick. She never lies
to me"
''She seemed very much disturbed" ."
Her nerves not what II used to be
especially since Mr.; McGuire's taken
"You don't believe then that she
could have seen John Bray-that he had
come back again last night?"
| why, nO, Sdlu Detn, turning IN
surprise. IT never thought of itgand
yet she, paused, "yes-ir might have
She became more thoughtful but didn't
60 on. Peter was on the trail of a clue
to the mystery. but she had already
told him so much that further questions
seemed like personal intrusion. And
go
"I'd like to tell you. Beth" he said,
that I'm your friend and Mrs. Berg
ems. If anything should turn up to
make you unhappy or to make your aunt
unhappy and ! can help you, won't you
let me know?''
why - do you think anything is
goin to happen?' she asked.
| His reply was noncommittal.
| II just wanted you to know you could
count on me he said soberly II
think you've had trouble enough"
| But I'm not afraid of Jack Bray
she said with a shrug, "even IL Aunt
Tillie is. He can't 40 anything to me.
He cant make me 60 to New York II I
don't want to-
She clenched her brown fists in her
excitement and Peter laughed.
II think I'd be little sorry for any
you didn't want to do," he said.
She frowned. "Why, If I thought
that handy legged, lantern jawed, old
buzzard was comm around here
frightcnin' Aunt .Tillie. I'd-I'd--"
"What would you do?"
"Never you mind what I'd do. But
I'm not afraid Of Jack Bray" she
finished confidently.
The terrors that had been built up
around the house Of Mcclure, the
mystery surrounding the awe inspiring
prowler, the night vigils. the secrecy
all seemed to fade into piece Of hob
bledchoy buffoonery at Beth's con-
temptuous description Of her recreaut
relative. And he smiled at her
amuscdly.
"But what would you say" he asked
seriously, "if I told you that last night
Mr.. Mcclure saw the same person
your Aunt Tillie did, and that he was
terrified-almost to the verge of col
lapse?"
Beth had risen, her eyes wide with
incrcdulity.
have another spell last night2 You
don't mean-?"
IT went up to his room. He was
done for. He had seen outside the
drawing room window the face Of the
very man he's been guarding himself
against"
".1a cant son t,3sI Isn, she sssped'
"Your Aunt Tillie talked to a man
outside the door Of the kitchen. You
didn't hear her. I did. The same man
who had been frightening Mr.. Nc
Guire."
"Aunt Tilliel' she said In astonish- :
ment.
"There's not doubt Of It. Mcclure
saw him. Andy saw him, too; thought
he was the chauffeur
Beth's excitement was growing with
the moments.
why, Aunt Tillie didn't know any
thing about what was frightening Mr..
McGuire-no more'n I did," she
gasped.
"She knows now. She wasn't sick
last night, Beth. She was just be-
Observation-Disclosures half out Of her
wits. / spoke to her after you went
home. She wouldn't say word. She
was trying to conceal something. But
there was a man outside and she knows
who he Is"
"But what could Jack Bray have to
do with Mr.. McGuire?" she asked in
bewilderment.
Peter shrugged. "You know as much
as l do. I wouldn't have told you this
II you'd been afraid. But Mrs.
Bergen is" -,
"Well, did you ever?"
"No, 1 never did," replied Peter,
smiling.
1T does beat anything"
"It does. It's most interesting. but
as far as / can see, hardly alarming
for you, whatever it may be to Mr.. Nc
CURE or Mrs. Bergen. If the man is
only your great uncle, there ought to
be a way to deal with him"
"Ive just got to talk to Aunt Iillie, y
Beth broke in, moving toward the door.
Peter followed her, taking up his hat.
"I'll go with you," he said.
For a few moments Beth said moth
ing. She had passed through the stages
of surprise, anger and bewilderment,
and was now still indignant but quite
self contained. When he thought Of
Beth 8 description of the Ghost of Black
Rock House, Feter was almost tempted
to forget the terrors of the rcdoubtablc
Mcclure. A man of his type hardly
lapses into hysteria at the mere thought
of a "bandy legged buZzard.' And yet
McGuire's terrors had been 80 real and
we're still 80 real that it was hardly
conceivable that Bray could have been
the cause Of them. Indeed, it was hardly
conceivable that the person Beth de-
scribed could be source of terror to
any one. What was the answer?
"Aunt Tillie doesn't know anything
ebout Mcclure" Beth said suddenly.
"She just couldn't know. She tells me
everything.