The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-10-31

MeE NOAAG W a 1AAIV ~ { - Iii
at Helen's.%., That vas az
there was on the iHVitatIon ION
\ cards and they had been feeelveH
BY ali OF the members Of the young
dancing set and many Of the young
or married persons OF the to"n'
"Holer = Helen who% asked
every one else. This was lnoeed
A carrying out to letter the mys'
\ FERROUS atmosphere that had been
SSoyen sboit The night called Hal
lowe'en.
There was only one man IN Tue
town who seemed @ zee! that ne
knew who Helen was lEere hao
been a Helen In his lie rive years
before, but she had gone 20 i've IN
Sorrento, italy, in q villa overlook,
/, ing the bay Of naples. They nal
0uarreled over their differences oil
Temperament, and she had sailed
away to live her own Iife in what
her own moran;ic way She wrote
stories for a living, such as it was.
He had seon her name from time
ia time, hi, he had never had
line from her pen since she left.
The little invitation cards Great
"a nd, end Of fun in the town and
eyery one was trying to find out
where the party was TO BIO held.
"Do you know Of a Helen,
George" asked Grace Pennington.
George Motron shook his head
moo, l don't" he said, hesitattng
ly. "At least, not here" he added
The girl laughed. "Oh.h - then
there is Helen-somewhere!
The man was non.committal.
In the course OF few days. fur.
Their cards arrived. Follow tho
Hectic highway"
The plot thIckened, but the day
before Halloween a number OF ar
rows appeared on posts and trees
ITO the Hectic highway" they read.
But they ended at four crossroads
and not until Halloween did thu
other arrows appear
Those invited had decided to
meet at a given point and, togeth
er, follow the arrows. They had,
BY mutual agreement. decided to
wear n sheet and pilIowcase SO as
to carry ont for their unknown hos
tess, IN. detail, the atmosphere O.:
tho occact1n.
They reached the crossroads.
sGeorge, you are good at roads
sou lead" said Grace Pennington.
who was one Of seven in George
!. MoTton's big touring car,
Tho man got out and looked at
the sign at the crossroads. A black
cats face with lantern behind ii
had been hung on the point OF tho
arrow and the direction given vas
down through dirt road leading
on one Of the main highways.
at is Hectic highway indeed, .
remarked George as he led the pro
cession Of cars into the dirt road,
narrow and dark save for the ocCa
sional skUll-anG. cross-bonas lantern
that had been hung on lie arrows.
AT the end OF the road there waS
4 sharp turn up d sandy hill. and
In lowered speed the ghostly Glaze
guests proceeded.
x At last they came to an old farm
house which had been so npar!% re.
juvenated that no one Of the crowd
recognized il as being the shacF
they used to pass on occasional
picnic parties.
In lighted letters. set in black
glass. was the word H-E-T~E-N.S.
There were murmured "Oh's"
and "Ah's" from behind pillow
cases. But who Is Helcn?" asked
every one with hated breath. This
was indeed lark.
Signs told them where to so,
white arms reached out to shake
their hands, groans came from tho
shrubbery as they passed into the
dimly lighted house. Weird music
was waited from no one knew
where and small tables lighted only
with pumpkin lanterns stood around
the dancing room.
Down the old cellar stairs each
guest was guided, George Morton
standing at the head 10 see that all
the members. OF the party we're ac-
counted for. And still no sign OF
the hostessj 10 human voice to vel
come the GUESTS. George was be
ginning to feel queer.
.eE When they were all assembled In
the dank cellar a voice spoke. il
made no particular impression
upon any one except George Nor.
ION, It was, Enthusiastically, tho
voice OF his Helen,
ut is five years since / left this
old crowd to go to live on the other
side OF the water have returned
i shall live here at this place,
which shall be called 'Helen's,' and,
together with the writing OF my
stories, shall have little tea
house which l hope you will all ire
ouent, for tea, for dancing, for
quiet hour in which to concentrate
/ am glad to be back with you and
have taken this way OF letting
YOU know have come to stay. Are
you glad to see me?" The light was
thrown full upon the face of Helen
Tracy-lovelier than ever
It was long moments before the
girls had stopped kissing her and
during all the time that the noisy
welcoming had been going on
George had stood back. alternately
,ipinching himself to see II he wer9
dreaming and helping epthets upon
the crowd for being so slow to re
turn to the dancing floor above.
At last he was able to reach the
GIRLS side. "Helen," he said, TAX
ing her hand. Have you forgotten
-me?"
mo: in spite Of myself have
been remembering YOU all these
years,"' she said frankly
George did not let 10 her hand.
,sIS that true? Oh, II you only lInew
6S1antv Il have YSnRed for a sight OF