The Washington times., 1922-09-03
1T HAPPENED i'm A NIGHT

Clcero's hand had touched the
basket and he sprang round.
"W-what's that?" he squeaked.
Helen looked. a
"How you frightened me-" she
whispered. 'It Is the linen
basketw .s.
He could only point a wavering
finger from one part of the room
to the other.
'It was there-then it was there !!
Now it is herew
"Poor, Mr.. JONES'" she said
softly, show well / understand
your state of mind! Try to forget
your trouble. You are distraught.
If she is in the garden we shall
see her. If she's lurking"
"Waitw said Cicero. "She'll see
usw He walked to the wall and
switched out the light. "Now open
the window"
They thrust out their heads,
searching the dark garden left and
right.
81 don't see her, Mr.. Jones, and
yet / feel that she's close at
hand Suddenly she shrieked.
"What-what- a..
Something pinched me-" howl
ed Helen. Output on the light,
please"
He stumbled to the wall, his
hand cropping wildly for switch
unfamiliarly located. At last he
found it. The first thing he saw
was an overturned linen basket.
Helen, ashen faced and wide
eyed, was leaning against the wall.
He thought she was swooning and
jumped to her side.
The basket-he must have knock
ed over in his rush to the light
switch, he. decided; he did not
think it was strange that it lay
now at the foot of the bed.
Helen waved his attentions
aside. She was calm at last, loath
to leave the scene in which she
played a principal character. The
house was silent-Cicero Jones
extremely wakeful and apprehen-
sive. Also he did not wish to be
alone. Thus, both might excuse
the impropriety of the interview.
Would it pain you," he ques-
toned her, eff l asked you to tell
me about your sisters lover-the
dark one?"
"Georgina's"
He nodded.
"Yes-do you know what hap
pened to him?"
ernest Charles?" Helen
knitted her brows. 'Do you know,
I haven't seen him for quite a
long timew she confessed, and
Cicero shivered slightly.
81 know that you haven't" he
said with significance.
"The last timer" said Helen
thoughtfully, '1et me see-he was
walking by the lake-with Jo:-
The young man breathed
"Well, he'll never walk by the
lake with Josephine any MORE"
he said sombrely. "Why not? Be-
cause he's down, down, down"
Helen was not surprised. Err
nest Charles was always a little
depressed when he was with Jo-
sephine. In fact, Josephine had
the knack of depressing most peo-
pie. She said so.
"Now he's suppressed" said
Cicero.
IF he had little more
spirit"
THAT'S what the poor fellow
will never have" said the grim
Cicero. "Helen, what am / to
do?"
"Stay> here, lock yourself in,
and put the key in your pajama
pocket"
There was a groan, a hollow,
heart-rending groan that came
from the further end of the room.
Cicero blinked.
"Wh-what was that?" he
asked.
81 think it is a water pipe"
"What on earth are you doing
here, Helen?"
GeleH IuTutu WIFI SIdTt.
Standing in the open doorway was
Georgina. She had the appearance
of having been reused from sleep.
1t was an artistic effect.
"Come in, Georgina," quavered
Helen. She felt a little nervous.
81 heard your voice." said Geor-
gina coldly. T didn't know, you
were entertaining our guest,
Helenw
az had something to say to Mr..
Jones'"
"Well, you can say it downstairs,
my DEAR" said Georgina sweetly.
"Mr. Jones, I've made some cocoa
for you-won't you take Mr.. Jones
down, Helen? He'd love to see
your school certificate and the
the prize you won for elocution."
Mr.. Jones welcomed a graceful
exit from a scene which might