Evening star., 1921-07-03

laugh had ripped through the dusk;
high. girlish voice had challenged him.
"Here am! Hide and seek with the
Policeman
He saw. half hidden in the folds OF
the curtain at the side of the embras-
ure in which he had stood figure, in
distinct, clothed evidently in black. He
took it for granted Mcdonald had sent
the girl Clara first. Slowly the dark
figure detached itself from the shadows
and settled in the chair while Gartn
watched, his uneasiness drifting into
blank unbelief. He couldn't accept tne
girlish laughter, the high. coquettish
voice, as having come from the gray
witch-like hag whom the light now ex-
exposed mercilessly.
she said laughingly. Every pooy
surprised because I'm so youthful. MY
dauehter's coming home this after-
noon. That's why I'm so happy. iney
wouldn't let me go west with her. but
when ones as advanced. as young
Garth experienced a quick sympa-
thy, yet behind the menta1 deteriora-
ton of extreme old age something
you slept in the front part part Of TT the he
house last :. nighs. nj ,ts shot" he !r'eo' ''u
she shook her head. Her sunken
mouth twitched in a smile a trine SLY.
"Once 1 drop off it would take
cannonade to wake me up.
She arose and With a curious ao-
sence of sound moved toward the ooor.
sweater. 1t was for my son-in.law
Now that he's put himself out OF the
way it might fit you.
THE door closed behind her slender
L figure, and Garth tugged at his
watch ribbon, wondering. Her actions
had been too determined. her sS aasi
wor1s too studied. They had seemed
" hold a threat. Was she as seniie as
abe appeared. or had she tried 10
throw sand in his eyes?
He rang and sent for the cook cara.
The girl, when she came, was young.
and, in a coarse mold, presty. Naen
che sat down the light disclosed
fremuIousness as pronounced as NC
DonaId's. Before Garth could ques-
t;on her sha burst out hySter1cally:
II am going to leave this house,
was going to leave today. anyway.
Garth pitched his voice on a coid'
.For the present you'll stay. Mr..
rav,or didn't kill himself. He was
murdered" ;.. 10,
hands. shivering. .
II didn't kill him. l didn
But" Garth snapped you kno"
"s She shook her head with stubborn
"T don't know anything" she an
swered, except that must leave tnls
house" ,.,.s o,a
lady's crazy, and she frightens you?
T want to know about that"
AS Clara lowered her hands the in
creased fear, rather than the tears In
her eyes, held Garth.
'Tve only been here a. week:
haven't seen much Of her. 1t isn't
that" she whispered. IT'S because the
house is full Of queer things. The
servants all felt it. They talked about
spirits and left. Five have come and
gone in the week I've been here. But
I've never been superstitious, and l
didn't hear anything until last night.
Garth stirred.
what did you hear? When was it?"
about midnight" she answered
tensely. Il had had company in the
kitchen until then, SO I was alone
downstairs. Mcdonald had told me
before he went to bed to make sure
the last thing that the library fire was
all right. I had looked at it and had
put the fender up and was just leav-
ing the room when heard this sound
like means, sir. 1--we never heard
such suffering"
She shuddered.
1T was like a voice from the grave
like somebody trying to get out of
the grave"
"No. sir. I ran to the kitchen, but,
as told you, there was no one there:
Mcdonald had gone to bed. and so had
his daughter"
Garth stopped swiftly forward and
grasped her arm.
"What's that you're saying? His
daughter! You mean to tell me Nc
Donald has a daughter, and she was
in the house last night?"
She shrank from his excited ges-
Yes. He asked me MOTTO tell you.
but I'm frightened. don't want to
get in trouble. She's the house.
keeper. She engages all the servants
and runs the house..
Then where is she now"
"She must have gone out early this
morning, sir, for haven't seen her all
day. I wanted to be fair. I've only
been waiting for her to come back so
1 could teal her I was leaving.
"Send Mcdonald back to me-" Garth
said, "un1ess he's left the house. too"
The butler had deliberately lied to
shield his daughter, and had asked
secrecy Of this girl. 1t was turning
out an interesting case after all-pos-
sibly an abnormal one.
Mcdonald slipped in. He was more
a1itated than before. His face was