The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-10-22


and, a. :: this N"rt NO; srr+iCjFI'
hc-e and :N"-v ~ ~" la"p wtr''
-,as>.s O. shr'.l be-, -i;iacs. > IN
sas und s!m.:a- iea"y oushes--and
tics" hsd a:sn GROWN rahE and high,
- that z "n t~cm IL" Openings l.
ne hedge th4: >n"ved "a entrances
from 'hr lane 'Nc hhus" HuS en-
;!rclv hidden. The un'rimmed grass
grow krcc nigh and ~" rrnv"l
walks we've ovc"g-oHn +" 7""ds.
\, Renry Rsr- came swinging or'
Of the gate ~ Miss higgins p!a""
=, man camo hurciedly ont o. :hc old
W.r.ro~ih place. n, turned As he
came. COR an automchiie stood ~
.he r,.c" o. the lana. and jumped %
mo s"at oes.d> the man NJ the
wheel The gears grated. ~" "ar
started ani al Bcany had vas a
view. OF a cln"d OF dust as IN" car
disappeared toward Westcote. Ben
ny t"r3sd IL a. the opening In tn"
hedge.
The grass II :hc driveway gave
evidence hat vans or some o,her
vehicles had crushed il recently.
I'D this driveway Kenny went, his
o!t-cioth trapped sample copy an
der his left am. Tho huge rsddish-
| brown house. az ne mounted the
wide wooden steps o, Tho veranda.
looked deserted.
The house needed repairs. TIE
rotni was peel!nE; a number Of the
tretwo-k scrolls had fallen or hung
loose; tho veranda moor was rotting
and las: years autumn leaves were
matted in ~" corners u IN" railing.
Z Tho rerarda railing sagged and
lacked many Of It's do~ells. The
whole place WAS on the verge OF
falling in:o complete decay.
The rather massive front door. in
two leaves. had no glass IN the
panels. which were Of OAK. now void
Of varnish. Instead OF IN elect-ir
bell one OF rho leaves OF the door
vas fitted with L cross bar hapd,e
., tho sort that. when pressed down.
sets Changing = gong fastened or
the inner side. Benny pressed the
bell handle down It's rr'l distance
and let Il ny. The whole house
seemed tlled WITH the mighty clan.
gor tina: resulted. Benny Halt"i.
his foot ready 10 slip over the
threshold tho moment tho door vas
opened. ou, No ons came.
putting pm cushions IN me
guest room bureau he said. and
pushed tho bell handle again. Eri.
IDENTITY the door had rot been tight
weak. for the leaf swung slightly
ajar. Through this opening Benny
saw Into the vide "ld-fashicned
hail The afternoon uas near tts
close. but although /: VAS stiil light
outslds three candles burned on
lard In the hail. They we're long
candles. OF wax. and vcre hardly
burned below the little cone AZ IN.
to7. The must have been lighted
~ IN" man who had Just LETT. or nv
.ono Other person about rho time
tho man had ,e,'.
Bsnny rang tie bell again No a
sound ot foo or voice arsvareo. He
pushed IN" toor open q bit further
and put his head into the hall
Hello: Folks he shouted AM
body homer
There was no ansu-r A. 90
side OF the hall WAS large rece2.
ton room-an old fashioned parlo-
would be better term. perhaps
and this was liko the hail, dimi'
Illuminated. Wax candles burned
on the white marble mAntel. B~nn"
took 4 step into the hall and pecred
into the parlor. The furniture vas
OF black walnut with 4 few odd
pieces Of gilded. carved wood. The
room vas surprisingly larEe. The
distances were lost In shado~s.
Opposite the door OF this parlor
was a s!mila- door. but q was
closed by heavy port!eres Benny
took tho few steps necessary 20
carry him TO It and knocked on the
door frame. No one eade him en-
ter. but for that matter. no one
oade him stay out. and no drew ore
o. tho portieres slightly aside. ~
the sight that met his ewes he
stepped back ready 70 utter a CT
OF excuse.
THO room was q diningroom la
splendid room. quite ~ largo as the
parlor--and down It's center stood
the dining table. dressed in 4 snowy
cloth. set with china, crystal and
silver. AZ equal distances along tho
table, length stood lighted wax
candles IN silver candlest.ek5 and
upon the plates we've viands. Wire
bottles stood in silver buckets on
. the Hoor. all packed with ice. ready
~ be opened. On the sidehoard
stood a tray o. cocktail glasses,
each nllsd Nth liquor nesrly 80 the
brim. I; vas a banquet ready f1r
the guests. but it VAS not this Inv.
made Benny step backward so
quickly. The guests were there
In his FRS; surprise Benn" "los"J
tho po1Iere and turned 10 He". bu'
no stopped short. From whore &c
s:nOd he could see into the parlo"'S
forward corner--a corner shut of
from his first view-and in this cor
ner was a woman, She stood with
her back partially turned toward
him and she was leaning slightly
forward above q small tabe. one
0, her hands rested on the edge Of
the table lightly. She was looking
downward at stuffed bird OF som"
sort tha, stood under glass dome
on the small table. and Benny knew.
from thu manner In which she car
r,ed herself. from the cuEve OF her
superb neck and from the mass 81
red gold hair piled upon her head
that she must be a beautiful