The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-05-22
CHATTER VIII The Placard

The Placard
 The look that she had given him showed her sense of his sympathy. So he ventured:
 Did you hear from your father be- fore he died?''
 Aunt TflIie did-once. Then we got word he'd been killed in 8 railway accident out West. I was glad. A man like that has no right to live"
 You and Aunt Tillie have had pretty hard time-'' he unused.
 Yes She's an angel-and I love her. Why is it that good people have nothin' but trouble? She had an uncle who went bad, too - he was younger than she was-my great uncle-Jack Bray-he forged a check Or somethin' up in Newark-and went to the penitentiary."
 And is ne dead too?" "No-not at last accounts. He's out.-some ewhere. When I was little he used to come to Aunt Tfllie for money-a tall. lantern-jawed man. I saw him once three years ago. He was here. Aunt Tillie tried to keep me out of the kitchen. But I thought he was up to some funny business and stayed. He took a fancy to me. He said he was camera. man in the ] movies. He wanted me to go with him thought I could be good as Mary Pickford. I'm glad I didn't go-from what I know now. He was bad man. Poor soulI She gave him all she had-most of what was | left from the old farm, I guess" Do you think" began Peter, then paused. And as she glanced at him inquiringly, Did you notice that your | Aunt Tfllie seem | last night?' he asked at last
 'I thought so for a while, but she said she was only sick. She never lies to me-"
 "she seemed very much disturb ed" Her nerves not what it used to be especially since MT. McGuire's talk en to seein' things" | You don't believe then that she | could have seen John Bray-that he had come back again last night ?' l Why, mo-" said Beth, turning in surprise. "I never thought of it. and yet" she paused, "yes-dt might 1 have been"
 | didn't go on. Peter was on the trail of clue to the mystery, but she had ! already told him so much that furth- CT questions seemed like personal in | trusion. And so- ! "I'd like to tell you, Beth" he said. | that I'm your friend and Mrs. Ser gems. If anything should turn up to make you unhappy or to make your | aunt unhappy and I can help you, | won't you let me know?" 1 "'Why-do you think anything is goin' to happen?" she asked. l His reply was non-committa1. 1 'T just wanted you to know you could count on me" he said sober ly 'T think you've had trouble enough"
 But I'm not afraid of Jack Bray" she said with shrug. teven if Aunt | Tfllie is. He can't make me go to New York if I don't want to-" l She clenched her brown firsts in her excitement and Peter laughted.
 ''I think I'd be a little sorry for anybody who tried to make you do anything you didn't want to do," he | said.
 She drowned. "why. if thought l that bandy-Iegged, lantern-jawed, old | frightenin' Aunt Td1lie. IdTd-' | What would you do?" l Never you mind what I'd do. But | I'm not afraid of Jack Bray" she | finished confidently. The terrors that had been built up | around the house of McGuire, the mystery surrounding the awe-inspir- | ing prowler, the night vigils, the sec | recy-an seemed to fade into a piece l or hobbledehoy buffoonery at Beth's 1 conten ptuous description of her re- creant relative. And he smiled at l her amusedly.
 | But what would you say" he ask, | ed seriously. 'if I told you that last night MT. Mcclure saw the same per | son your Aunt Tillie did, and that he was terrified-almost to the verge of | collapse %
 Beth had risen, her eyes wide with 1 incred uality.
 ''Merciful Father Mcclure! Did he have another spell last night? You l don't mean"
 T went up to his room. He was done for. He had seen outside the drawing-room window the face of the very man he's been guarding himself against"
 'I can't believe" she gasped And you think Aunt Tillie-?"
 Your Aunt TiIIie talked to a man 1 outside the door of the kitchen. You | didn't hear her. I did. The same man who had been frightening Mr McGuire.''
 Aunt TiIhe!" she said in asta nish- ment.
 There's not a doubt of it. Mo Guire saw him. Andy saw him. too; i th ought ne was a chauneur.
 Beth's excitment was growing with the moments.
 why. Aunt Tillie didn't know anything about what was frightenins MT. McGuire-no more'n I did" she gasped.
 She knows now. She wasn't sick last night, Beth, She was just be- wildered-frghtened half out of hel wits. I spoke to her after you went home. She wouldn't say word. She was trying to conceal something But
 there was a man outside and she knows who he is"
 to do with MT. McGuire? % she asked in bewilderment.
 Peter shrugged. You know a. much as I do. I wouldn't have told