New Britain herald., 1922-07-20

as much for the folks The house has not been the same since Andrew came back from foreign parts more a boy only different but up to his old tricks. He played a joke on the houseman Monday and scairt him SC he left. Hobart has took to liquor and made q holy show of himself ir the town. Roger has got himself ir a mess too over a speech he made in the schoolhouse last week. am commencing to think they are all get ting queer again like they was years ago when they first come into the money. Do you recollect what I told you about their actions? Seems like 1 it was yesterday, Miss Jerusha has not been herself lately and no wonder with the gossip and all and she has put a stop to Pat going out with that nice young man I wrote you about but guess it will come out all right
 Yr aft sister,
 "Hitty"
 Slowly Miles replaced the letter and gummed the flap of the envelope to- gether once more. He had heretofore regarded the lugubrious Mehitabel as negligible, but he realized now that she might be well worth cultivating She thought they were all getting queer again" like they were when their inheritance came. That was the outstanding phrase in her letter which struck him with the greatest force.
 Miss Jerusha was her calmly re- served self at breakfast, ard Miles could perceive no trace of the emotion which had possessed her at midnight
 "I wonder if you will go on an er- rand for me, William ?" asked Roger. T know it is raining, but I have an important letter which must go in the next mail"
 '1'll go at once, sir"
 Absorbed in his thoughts the de- tective had plodded mechanically along the path and it was with a start of surprise that he saw the rain coat and bedraegled. broad -brimmed hat Of Andrew Drake just ahead. He was walking rapidly beside a taller, more distinguished figure, Miles recognized him as the visitor on the night of his arrival, the next door neighbor, Ensee Graye.
 What could these two, so widely dissimilar in character and proclivi- ties. have in common? Miles has, tened his footsteps and was almost at their heels when they turned abruptly off at the head of lane between two tall hedges He was about to con- tinue to the village when he turned . l,. dressed in tailored suit of brown which displayed the buxom lines of her figure with rather startling frank ness; a face that was undeniably pretty although of coarse type, and bold hazel eyes gazed into his from beneath a fringe of all-too-yellow hair.
 T sye, % is that man?" she de- manded with an imperative nod to- ward the pair who had struck off down the lane. Friends o'yours ?"
 "The man in the raincoat is Mir, An drew Drake and the older one is his neighbor, the owner of the house from vhich you saw they came His name is Mir. Enslee Grayle."
 "'Ow, is it?" Her eyes shifted from his to rest platively upon the two figures already misty in the slanting rain. Strike me pink if l didn't fancy one O 'em was an old pal O mine - sye. 'ow far is it to the station? My car broke down a mile back and I've got to be at the studio in New York at twelve.
 "The station is half mile further on. but here comes a iitney and 1t ap- pears to be empty" Miles gestured toward a ramshackle taxi which was rattling down the road.
 "Wot luck, She waved to the driver of the approaching vehicle and then once more her eyes sought the lane Andrew Drake. you said, and | the w'ite- headd old toff is Lnslce | Grayie? My tykc.--Wa;l, cneeTio. If you've a cinema h t..iis sildJ ine- tropolis watch for littio Mai@ie'-To the station, my man, and look sharp.