Pueblo chieftain., 1921-10-23
20 YOUR TURN AND HELP BOY SCOUTS
III.-BENNY THE BOOK AGENT
By ELLIS PARKER BUTLE

Benny mad was a view OF q cloud of
dust as the car disappeared toward
Westcote. Benny turned in at the op n
ing in the hedge.
The grass of the driveway gave eyi-
dence that vans or some other vehicles
had crushed 1t recently. Up this drive
way Benny went, his oil-cloth wrapped
sample copy under his left arm. Tho
huge reddish brown house, as he
mounted the wide wooden steps Of the
veranda, looked deserted.
The house needed repairs. Tho
paint was peeling: a number of the
fretwork scrolls had fallen or hung
loose; the veranda floor was rotting,
and last years autumn leaves wero
matted in the corners of the railing.
The veranda railing sagged and lack
cd many of its dowells. The whole
place was on the verge of falling into
complete decay.
The rather massive front door, IN two
leaves, had no glass in the panels,
which were of oak, now void of var
nish. Instead of an electric bell one of
the leaves of the door was fitted with
. cross bar handle of the sort that.
when pressed down, sets Changing a
gong fastened on the inner side B=n-
ny pressed the bell handle down it's
full distance and let it fly. The whole
house seemed filled with the mighty
ciangor that resulted. Benny waited,
/
the moment the door was opened, but
no one came
Putting pin cushions on the guest
room BUREAU" he said. and pushed the
bell handle again. Evidently the door
had not been tightly latched, or the
latch wac old and weak. for the leaf
swung slightly ajar. Through this
opening Benny saw into the wide old
fashioned hall. The afternoon was near
Its close, but although 1t was still light
outside three candles burned on a stand
In the hall. They were long candles of
wax, and wero hardly burned below
the little cone at the top. They must
have been lighted by the man who had
Just left. or by some other person
about the time the man had left.
Benny rang the bell again. Not q
sound OF foot or voice answered. He
pushed the door open a bit further and
put his head into the hall.
Hello! Folks.,' he shouted. "Any-
body homer
There was no answer. At. one side
OF the hall was large reception room
an old-fashioned parlor would be a
better term. perhaps-and this was,
like the hall. dimly illuminated. Wax
| candles burned on the white marble
mantel. Benny took step into the
hall and peered into the parlor. Tho
furniture was OF black walnut with a
few odd pieces of gilded carved wood.
The room was surprisingly large. The
distances were lost In shadows.
Opposite the door OF this parlor was
| n similar door. but 1t was closed by
heavy portieres Benny took the few
steps necessary to carry him to II and
knocked on the door-frame. No oSe
bade him enter, but. for that matter,
no one bade him stay out and he drew
one of the portieres slightly aside. At
the sight that met his eyes he stepped
n ~
The room was a dining-room-a
splendid room quite as large as the
parlor-and down Its center stood the
dining-table. dressed in a snowy cloth.
set with china, crystal and silver. At
equal distances along the tables length
stood lighted wax caedles in silver can
dlesticks and upon the plates were
viands. Wine bottles stood In silver
buckets on tho floor, all packed with
Ice. ready to be opened. on the side
board stood tray of cocktail glasses.
each filled with liquor nearly to the
guests, but II was not this that made
Benny step backward so quickly. Tho
guests were there!
In his first surprise Benny closed
tho portiere and turned to flee, but he
stopped short. From where he stood he
could see into the parlor's forward COR
ner-a corner shut off from his first
view-and in this corner was a woman,
she stood with her back partially
turned toward him and she was lean
ing slightly forward above n small
table. One of her hands rested on the
edge Of the table lightly. She was look
ing downward at n stuffed bird of some
sort that stood under a glass dome on
the table. and Benny knew, from the
manner In which she carried herself
from the curve of her superb neck and
from the rdlIs of red-gold hair piled
upon her head that she must be a
beautiful woman. She was gowned as
beautiful woman snould be gowned
but, although 1t was nve yet night she
was In the fullest evening dress. Ben-
ny took another step toward the street
door, on his tiptoes this time. This was
no place for Benny Barr. He had bolt
ed In upon some swell function.