The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-05-03

expect To 6lCOuAtOA 0AJ
experiences.
A runaway horse had frightened her
early in the visit, but as the adYen-
ture had permitted a desirable young
man to rescue her-a certain Mr..
Haekensack- it merely tended to
make the visit a success. For, to De
honest, why does a girl go anywhere
except to feed the secret hope that
she viii meet some desirable young
man?
But being left all alone was some
thing entirely unforeseen. The COOK
had gone back to New York to over
see opening the town house. Peter,
the man who worked days. had STOP
ned coming, and Mr s.Beech got a mes
sage from her husband requiring her
presence in town for a day or so to
meet an important relative who was
stopping over on her way through the
city.
"You aren't afraid, are you? Mrs.
Beech asked suddenly Is she stepped
from the gasoline runabout at the
station. Miss Spinks was going to
drive it back alone. eff you afraid,
there's a revolver in the chinonier up
per drawer. But there's absolutely
nothing to be afraid Of"
She waved her hand gayly and
heartIessly from the train windo1.
Marianne Spinks on her way home
nearly drove the runabout into a
fence, for her very soul had curdled
within her.
The sun was overcast, a shrill wind
was blowing, and under it the
branches bowed and dropped leaves
lj-e rain. An awful silence reigned
over the Beech place as she drove in.
The very house seemed to shout:
Here is a young woman alone and
unprotected! Come in and murder
heri"
Miss Spinks jumped a foot and fell
over the gasoline. can when a big
acorn dropped ON the garage roof. She
turned the key y~iciously in the lock
on the garage door, though nobody
had ever locked it. Then she ran for
the house.
Inside she bolted all the doors, pull
ed down all the shades against the
dusk and lighted all the lamps. Pres
emily she went to bed. pulling the
covers over her head and quaking
whenever she awakened, which wal
often.
1t was toward noon thf next day
that she first saw the man.
I She was gazing at the bright-hued
trees, as Mrs. Beech had directed,
when her y e became conscious Of a
moving shape among them. The shape
proved to be a man clad in rough
clothes. In the crook of his arm he
carried a gun.
Miss Spinks clutched desperately at
a chair back and held on, her eyes
distended, when she noted his weapon.
She saw the man walked uncertainty
and yet thoughfully about inspecting
the house. Finally he advanced.
Thankfully Miss Spinks recalled that
she had locked the screen door Of the
porch.
He was powerfully built and, though
rough looking, was youthful. He cluth-
ed the knob of the door masterfully
and ratified it impatiently.
Then he stepped back and surveyed
the house Then he roared an impati-
ent hail.
Miss Spinks was conscious of little
redhot icicles dancing up and down
her spine all the time.
When the man went around to the
back door she followed. Then on the
back door he pounded. Most evidently
he wanted to get in.
Coming back to the front, he desert
ed Miss Spinks at a side window and
approached. She stood rooted with
terror.
go away!" she motioned fran
tically.
He came closer, with one jump Miss
Spinks reached the chiffonier, extract
ed with saking hands the blessed re-
volver and, dashing back, pointed it
full at the surprised face outside. He
sided off instantly and eyed her GRIM
ly. Then she r~ecollected his gun end
dropped to the floor. She knew he
might shoot her through the window.
Accommodating, she saw the man
walking slowly about. Finally he head
ed for the garage, shook the door and
it opened. The unaccustomcd lock had
not locked. Entering, he bowed sarcas-
tically toward the house that had
repealed him and made himself at
home.
All that afternoon Miss Spinks sat
at the back window, watching. Her
lips ware dry and she did not dare
to fix the fires.
The weather increased in GOODNESS,
the wind blew harder. Dimly she could
see the man comfortably settled in
the runabout. He appeared to be
reading.
Toward dusk her heart ceased beat
ing when he appeared, calmly built
a fire from the stored irewood, to
which he helped himself, and camp
ed beside it on the sheltered side Of
the garage. i.
From his pocket he produced provi
sions, some Of which he cooked over
his fire. He seemed to be enjoying