Evening star., 1921-11-13

1neyTe r!ght anconvdhient, tnoSo
trains" apologized Miss Turnbun
The railroad has never done thing
for Scarletburg since 1Ss0-it leaves
at SAT. or is 1t 49?'
Her look was SO helpless that Helen
volunteered.
to the station in the carr"
Mercy, no! Thank you ever so
much. but I wouldn't ride in one Of
those things"
The man, whose face she had never
seen, sat, wrapped to the eyes, against
the cushioned seat.
Il don't think I have your address,
whereat the little being Strengthened
proudly to mention the important
name.
I'm care of Mrs. Darius Pennybank
of Middleboro."
"Shan we send the-rent there?
THE rent? Oh" The old woman
stood collecting her wits. Judge NAL
lok will handle all that. He's COM
ing over tonight with the lease-he
lives next door, you know. And If
you want anything, call on him. He's
our coroner, you know"
Helen Leffley might have smiled at
this. but the tangled discord of the
her husband was growing like a can
Ger against her heart.
Il hope you'll find the house in good
ORDER" the old lady wandered on.
And, oh, yes-there's the mice.
think you'll find some traps in the
cellar-Caroline must have put them
down there. I left the key on a nail
came from Pratt's and l left them
out on the storm porch. Oh, dear!
Something to do with the six forty
seven-or forty-nine, perhaps-in-
spired the little body to desperate
action. With an agility quite unex-
pected in so decrepit a frame she
scurried away into the dusk.
/, Fred" called Helen to her husband,
who had sat silent all during their
trip from Charleville.
Reaching impatiently to the thick
muffier which had concealed the low
er part Of his face, he tore it away,
revealing haggard. handsome fea-
lures in which his burning eyes were
set.
"Well?" he suggested sullenly
Were here, Fred" she announced
with sort of lip-cheerfulness. "If
you'll run UP and find the key I'll
pay the chauffeur"
The tall man numbered out of the
car. trousers fiapping loosely around
uncouth garments brought back to
Helen's mind something Of the terror
which had smote her on the day be-
fore when she had come upon him,
attired as for a masquerade. Her
eyes followed him anxiously as he
creaked open the iron gate and
slouched up the worn brick walk. Her
hired car dismissed. Helen followed
quickly: gray loneliness struck into
her heart like the damp chill of night
Metallic deer and dogs stood frozen
on windswept lawn. From a square
brick house on the lot beyond a yell
low light beamed heartily, glinting
through the twigs of skeleton trees.
This companionship gave her comfort
and lent a feeling that Judge Mallok,
whom Miss Turnbull had mentioned
as her neighbor, would prove to be
as kind and hearty as the light of his
windows.
In the dingy vestibule around tho
PIG pig fToHt matthsS door she she found Fred strik-
giving an internal glare to the bleak
surroundings. He was not hunting
tor the key, 1t proved, but had taken
advantage of the shelter to light an
showed Helen the nail which Miss
Octavia had indicated; in another in
slant she had the door open and the
breath of the house came to her
like winds out Of a sepulchre. I'm
caused witch shadows to dance across
the wall paper, whose faded Egyptian
border and eilded cornice combined
to give the impression Of q tomb in
which some second-grade Pharaoh of
middle-claSs tastes had lain molder-
ing through the centuries.
X X + X
CHE carried the flame to an ornate
gas fixture which tipped the newell
post. The interior, she thought, took
on a world Of cheerfulness in that
steadier light.
IT'S really a dear old place, Fred"
she told him in the voice Of one in
viting a sulky child. Some Of the
furniture's dreadfully ugly. but we
wonderful light will come through
those high windows. With a little
She broke off. embarrassed. despite
her effort. She remembered the in
Fred's poor mind, at the thought of
Spurling. How could she tell him
that it was Bob's money that had
brought them thus far?
Fred Lefiey still stood there. his
impossible clothes which a demented
fancy had caused him to buy from
IL colored waiter. The cloth was Of
a faded blue. shiny with wear, and
IL
ated form. But she could have cried
out her joy at the look which had
stolen into his pallid face. He was
smiling and looking round him with
a glance that was pleasantly natural.
It's not half bad" he said, and
girl"
On the impulse of his humor he
laid a hand heavily on her arm. She
hoped that he did not feel her vince
that boarding house photograph.
howling all night long. under our
bedroom. There seems to be a bit OF
lawn outside. too, and some trees
This Hsr is basr the isaead Nm Nell She n.v.r
failed to rally and to hope whsnevef
he revived like this, after days Of
hateful melancholy and insane dig
trust. Possibly the country would do
New York physician had said it
would. Possibly he would become
normal again 30 that she could talk
to him reasonably and tell him about
Bob Squirting and ask Sss him ,n,.Ios,tns for the
and might be hiding now somewhere
in those misfit clothes.
She bounded into the parlor and
lit the gas In every Jet; The CLINT
Of Ss Walnut ana
filled her eyes as she gased across
the drabbish Brussels carpet and set
her mind to scheming out a new ar
ranKement which would make the
place more livable. Nothing much
could be- done with the mantel: 1t
was one Of those dismal pagodas of
black marble with gilded grooves and
a succession Of aimless shelves,
mounting up and up. almost to the
ornately nodded cornice..
I'VE can have a colored woman in
at least for half day." she
said brightly. "The place is fright
fully cluttersd. Well move q lot Of
these things to the basement--it'll be
ever so much fun. And oh, Fred!
Do see that darling, adorable old